News

Moon Journals: The Intersection of Science, Literacy, and Art

Friday, April 29, 2022, 12:00 – 8:30 PM

Cooper Center for Environmental Learning
Cost: FREE

Join us for an afternoon and evening of inquiry, writing, and art, all stemming from a moon journal. Participants will keep a moon journal, a daily/nightly record of observations of the moon and day/night sky, for two weeks prior to the workshop. More information to help you get started will be provided when your registration is confirmed.

We encourage you to take advantage of this fabulous opportunity to spend time in nature and share a meal with colleagues while exploring possibilities for fully integrating curriculum and sharing the wonder of our own dark skies.

• Participants should bring water and a snack.
•  Partners for Equitable Science Instruction (PESI) will be providing dinner. 
• There will be a guest speaker between 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. when it gets dark enough for stargazing.
• Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association will bring telescopes for night sky viewing after sunset.
• Moon Journals: The Intersection of Science, Literacy, and Art in partnership with Partners for Equitable Science Instruction (PESI) is FREE to attend!

Register for the Moon Journal Workshop HERE

Thanks to generous funding from the Davis Memorial Scholarship Fund ,

Cooper Center can offer to cover the cost to attend and the cost of substitutes if needed. 

Everyone is welcome to come and tour the new SRC facility!

TUSD’s Science Resource Center (SRC)

1940 E. Winsett

Wednesday, March 16, 2022,  from 10am – 2pm,

Open House and Science Banner Dedication

Please join PESI in supporting the new TUSD Science Resource Center!  Come see where the TUSD science kits are housed and refurbished, and get a closer look at the different science materials that are available to teachers. An absolutely beautiful, quilted Science Banner made by PESI Supporter Meg Gebert and her mom will be dedicated to the SRC and hung on that day. We encourage you to take the tour and find out more about ongoing volunteer opportunities at SRC.  

It’s Save Our Saguaros Month!  Our ecosystem needs your help!
Every year, in the month of February, we call on our community to help us save saguaros and the animals that call them home. From what? Buffelgrass and fountaingrass! These invasive grasses smother young saguaros and fuel fires that can kill both young and old saguaros alike.

Why is buffelgrass a threat?
In southern Arizona, the rapid spread of buffelgrass is transforming fire-resistant desert into flammable grassland. Buffelgrass outcompetes native plants for space, water and nutrients. As buffelgrass increases in abundance, native species decrease in abundance. Buffelgrass, and fountaingrass, can cause the loss of the entire Sonoran ecosystem, turning it into a barren grassland. The increased fire threat and loss of habitat is also a severe detriment to the economic health of Pima Country and all of Southern Arizona.

Learn more about the threat posed by buffelgrass here.

What can you do to help?
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum organizes buffelgrass mapping and pull events to help identify and eradicate this harmful invasive plant species. Come help remove buffelgrass from Tucson Mountain Park. Camp Cooper has made parking available to volunteers and organizers to assist with this event. Sign-up at the link below and ensure the well-being of our Sonoran paradise and the mighty saguaros!

Sign-Up To Help Here!

Tucson Mountain Park – Trails End (with parking at Camp Cooper)

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Time: 8 am to about noon

Organization: Pima County Natural Resources Parks & Recreation – Sonoran Desert Weedwackers
Description: Volunteers will remove weeds from Tucson Mountain Park, working off-trail, often on rough terrain. Usually, the weeds are piled on-site and secured with rocks to prevent seed dispersal.
Meeting Location: Camp Cooper parking area off of Trails End Road. Signs will be present to direct you to the meeting location.
Buffelgrass pull location: 5601 W Trails End Rd., Tucson, Arizona 85745
Volunteers: 12 registered out of a total capacity of 30
Tools Provided: Gloves, rock hammers, and digging bars. Some volunteers bring their favorite tools.
Bring: Sunscreen, lots of water, and energy snacks.
Wear: Sturdy pants and shoes, a hat and a long-sleeve shirt. If the weather warrants, bring a windbreaker or light raingear.
Additional Information: A map will be sent to your email after registering for the site. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have any question. Co-coordinator for this event is Barbara Jones and can also be contacted at bwjones123@hotmail.com