What I hadn't understood about Yellowstone, and I admit that I hadn't done a ton of preparation before the trip, can be seen in the photos below.
The complexity of the this geothermal system is pretty unique and complex (at least to me!) but I was able to gain a much better understanding through observation and walking around the area. I learned about the earth's infrastructure and how a geyser actually works.
An integral part of HIAT's UDL Projects have been the Learning Walks that were organized with the intention of having staff visit classrooms of teachers who were working through the experience of implementing the UDL framework. The visitors are able to have the valuable experience of seeing elements of UDL in a working classroom.
HIAT has been organizing these Learning Walks for quite a while now and can share some of what they have done if you'd like to try this in your own school. There are documents that can be found on the website- although in the past we have called them walkthroughs or instructional rounds, we came to the conclusion that Learning Walk is probably the right title for this particular experience. Supporting documents for this process can be found on the HIAT website. Please feel free to add a question or a comment about the process.
I'd like to take this time to applaud the teachers who opened their classrooms this year so that others could learn from your work...hopefully, you were able to learn from the experience as well. I'd also venture to say that this could be a growth opportunity for those who have been reading and talking about UDL. Summer is a great time to plan with the UDL framework for your classroom. When you begin to see the framework being implemented in your own classroom you will gain a greater understanding of the benefits for all students.