Located at 5000 feet in Haywood County on the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center is part of a network of what will be 32 learning centers supporting research and education about research in our national parks.

The Appalachian Highland Science Learning Center is based on 535 acres in Haywood County, North Carolina, contiguous with the rest of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The parcel includes the 5086 foot elevation Purchase Knob, a historic cabin, and two buildings which are being converted for use as offices, laboratory space, conference rooms, classroom space, and housing for up to eight visiting scientists and their students.

In 2001, Purchase Knob became the home of one of five initial Learning Centers created by Congress to support research in the National Parks and to transmit the information generated to the public. Eventually, 32 learning centers are expected nationwide.

Program Information
Each Classroom listed below meets the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and is conducted in a three hour program, including a lunch break. An internet database accompanies each study, allowing students to compare their data to previous data, allowing for a more complete and interdisciplinary inquiry study. Check the following website to explore the internet databases. http://www.handsontheland.org/monitoring/checkup.cfm

Exploring the Soil Classroom - 6th grade - Students will study soil characteristics, soil food chains and threats to soil health using the same techniques as park biologists.

Effects of Air Pollution Classroom (fall only)- 7th grade - Students will assist park biologists in collecting data on the effects of air pollution on plants and lichens in the forest and in an ozone bio-monitoring garden.

Biodiversity Classroom - 8th grade - Students become researchers in the park as they work through the scientific method by contributing to actual research projects including aquatic and terrestrial salamander studies. Class size is limited to 40.

High School - Each of the middle school Classrooms listed above have been designed with a high school component that meets the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Biology, Earth/Environmental Science, AP Biology and AP Earth/Environmental Science.

Teacher Training - Through a generous grant from the NC GlaxoSmithKline Foundation and Friends of the Smokies, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is offering teacher seminars in both natural and cultural history for teachers of all grades. Please check the following website for current training sessions: www.nps.gov/grsm (search "education").