1

US Fish amp Wildlife Service

Special Report Bringing Environmental Educationto Diverse Audiences

Mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System The mission of the System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation management and where appropriate restoration of the fish wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans

Authors Karen Leggett and Heather Dewar are writerseditors in the National Wildlife Refuge System Branch of CommunicationsKendall Slee is a freelance writer in Colorado who frequently contributes to National Wildlife Refuge System publicationsSuzanne Trapp is Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge partner school coordinator

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Fourth-graders went on a digital scavenger hunt at Elizabeth HartwellMason Neck National Wildlife Refuge not far from their school in Virginia(See Infused with Wildlife page 21)

table of contents Letter from the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service 3

Lessons from the Albatross 5Teaching Second-Graders about Life Cycles and Stewardship

Minnesota Refuge Partner School Program 9Making School Visits More than ldquoOne-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

The Smell of Marsh Mud Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge 13Offering Multiple Options for Hands-on Study of an Ecosystem

Journals and JPGs 17Introducing Youth to Wildlife in Colorado and Wyoming

Infused with Wildlife 21Teaching Refuges to All Students

Building Environmental Literacy One Class at a Time 25From 26 Students to 320 in Three Years

Environmental Learning = 1 Trail + Many Partners 29Hands-on Lessons in Scientific Fieldwork

Nature in the City 33The Garden that an EE Partnership Built

ldquoWhat Is Given in the Right Way Cannot Be Forgottenrdquo 37Connecting Children Nature and Culture by Teaching Cooperatively with Native Elders

Letter from the Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System Inside Back Cover

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1

2

Joe

Lu

A student photo displayed at theColorado State Capitol was auctionedby the Friends (See Journals andJPGs page 17)

A Message from the director US Fish and Wildlife Service

National wildlife refuges are some of the most special places in the world for wildlife Thatrsquos why we must introduce children to these special places early and often The great biologist EO Wilson noted that ldquoMost children have a bug period and I never outgrew mine Hands-on experience at the critical time not systematic knowledge is what counts in the making of a naturalistrdquo

Although many children do have extraordinary experiences in the outdoors studies show that young people today are spending only half as much time outside as their parents did The environmental

education programs of national wildlife refuges are the best way we can reverse those trends and connect with diverse student populations in both urban and rural areas

In this Special Report you will read about children who are acting out the life cycle of a Laysan albatross gaining traditional and scientific knowledge about fish in Alaska finding ghost crabs on Texas Gulf Coast beaches and measuring water quality in Florida Such experiences will stay with children all their lives Research tells us that such ldquowild naturerdquo adventures during childhood are associated with environmentally-friendly behaviors in adulthood I hope yoursquoll gain new insight and ideas from these examples and that you will share your own successes with your colleagues

Environmental education is fundamental to nurturing a strong land ethic I strongly encourage you to find ways to replicate or adapt some of these programs on your refuge and in your work to connect children to Americarsquos great outdoors A new generation of conservationists will thank you

Dan Ashe

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3

4

lessons from the Albatross teaching Second-graders about life cycles and Stewardship

By Kendall Slee

the laysan albatross that spend part of their lives on Hawairsquoirsquos Kauarsquoi island are fascinating thatrsquos why the staff of Kicirclauea point National Wildlife Refuge decided to focus on the seabirds for an elementary-level education program in the 2010-2011 school year

A seabird found only along the coastwhere colonies exist the albatross are easy to identify Standing 32 inches tall with a wingspan of more thansix feet albatross ndash called Molshy in the native language ndash can steal a showwith their mating dance of sky callingbill clapping head tucks and bobbingdeep bows and outstretched necks andwings Most of their life milestones can be observed November to June ndash perfectfor the school year ndash and albatross areusually flying and nesting near theircolony on Kicirclauea Point

So Shayna Carney the refugersquos former supervisory park ranger envisioned a program designed around life cycles astate curriculum standard for second graders

Carney wrote the first lesson about seashybird adaptations and Caroline Tucker was hired as a part-time environmentaleducator to write the rest of the curriculum focusing on life stages ofthe albatross from egg to adult (Seesidebar on ldquoThe Life Stages of a LaysanAlbatrossrdquo) Refuge staff taught five 45-minute lessons in the classroom (see

ldquoLaysan Albatross Lesson Outlinerdquo) and provided 12 additional lessons per month for five months The program

Laysan albatrossspend monthsforaging on the openocean then returnto their colonies on land for breedingseasonmdashNovember through July

culminated in a two-hour field trip tothe refuge in April and May

The program was taught to 12 second-grade classes ndash 245 students ndash from six public private and charter schoolson the northern and eastern side of the island All are no more than a 45-minute drive from the refuge TheHawai`i Youth Conservation Corps the state branch of Americorps hiredvolunteer Scott Clapsaddle to helpTucker teach the lessons the refugersquos interpretive rangers filled out theteaching ranks The refuge Friendsgroup Kicirclauea Point Natural History Association funded bus transportationfor the field trip as well as supplies andeducational materials

dancing like an Albatross The program emphasized participatory learning whether students danced likean albatross or tested the strength ofan egg ldquoI think when you are doinghands-on experiential learning it sticksin your mind better than if yoursquore justhearing it and seeing itrdquo Tucker says Nanea Sproat-Armitage a teacher atKicirclauea School says she was impressedby how much information her studentsretained month to month from the lessons The program helped studentsgain a deeper understanding of a birdthey might recognize but know littleabout she says

Diane McDonald a teacher at HanaleiSchool agrees ldquoA couple of the main points of the program that really stuckwith my students were the distancesthese birds fly and how long the birdsstay at sea how strong an egg shell isand how the mother and father both take care of the chickrdquo she says ldquoThe students also had a great time learning

the life Stages of a laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross can be spotted on Kauarsquoi and other islands of the Hawairsquoian archipelago November through July when they alight on land to mate and breed after months of foraging on the open ocean

In November the albatross return to their breeding grounds ndash usually the same place where they hatched They begin nesting with their mates Thebirds are monogamous Parents take turns incubating their single egg until it hatches in January or February

Once the chick hatches parents will leave the nest in search of food andreturn to feed their chick regurgitated squid oil and flying fish eggs

The albatross begin seeking mates when they are three to five years oldSingle albatross can be seen performing elaborate mating dances fromNovember through June as they search for and bond with a mate Thecourting process is extensive Bonded pairs eventually breed when theyare between six and eight years old

Chicks fledge in June and July and will spend the next several years feeding in the open ocean After they begin breeding they spend theirnon-breeding months at sea The Laysan albatross live 40 to 60 years

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 5

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

Mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System The mission of the System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation management and where appropriate restoration of the fish wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans

Authors Karen Leggett and Heather Dewar are writerseditors in the National Wildlife Refuge System Branch of CommunicationsKendall Slee is a freelance writer in Colorado who frequently contributes to National Wildlife Refuge System publicationsSuzanne Trapp is Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge partner school coordinator

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Fourth-graders went on a digital scavenger hunt at Elizabeth HartwellMason Neck National Wildlife Refuge not far from their school in Virginia(See Infused with Wildlife page 21)

table of contents Letter from the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service 3

Lessons from the Albatross 5Teaching Second-Graders about Life Cycles and Stewardship

Minnesota Refuge Partner School Program 9Making School Visits More than ldquoOne-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

The Smell of Marsh Mud Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge 13Offering Multiple Options for Hands-on Study of an Ecosystem

Journals and JPGs 17Introducing Youth to Wildlife in Colorado and Wyoming

Infused with Wildlife 21Teaching Refuges to All Students

Building Environmental Literacy One Class at a Time 25From 26 Students to 320 in Three Years

Environmental Learning = 1 Trail + Many Partners 29Hands-on Lessons in Scientific Fieldwork

Nature in the City 33The Garden that an EE Partnership Built

ldquoWhat Is Given in the Right Way Cannot Be Forgottenrdquo 37Connecting Children Nature and Culture by Teaching Cooperatively with Native Elders

Letter from the Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System Inside Back Cover

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1

2

Joe

Lu

A student photo displayed at theColorado State Capitol was auctionedby the Friends (See Journals andJPGs page 17)

A Message from the director US Fish and Wildlife Service

National wildlife refuges are some of the most special places in the world for wildlife Thatrsquos why we must introduce children to these special places early and often The great biologist EO Wilson noted that ldquoMost children have a bug period and I never outgrew mine Hands-on experience at the critical time not systematic knowledge is what counts in the making of a naturalistrdquo

Although many children do have extraordinary experiences in the outdoors studies show that young people today are spending only half as much time outside as their parents did The environmental

education programs of national wildlife refuges are the best way we can reverse those trends and connect with diverse student populations in both urban and rural areas

In this Special Report you will read about children who are acting out the life cycle of a Laysan albatross gaining traditional and scientific knowledge about fish in Alaska finding ghost crabs on Texas Gulf Coast beaches and measuring water quality in Florida Such experiences will stay with children all their lives Research tells us that such ldquowild naturerdquo adventures during childhood are associated with environmentally-friendly behaviors in adulthood I hope yoursquoll gain new insight and ideas from these examples and that you will share your own successes with your colleagues

Environmental education is fundamental to nurturing a strong land ethic I strongly encourage you to find ways to replicate or adapt some of these programs on your refuge and in your work to connect children to Americarsquos great outdoors A new generation of conservationists will thank you

Dan Ashe

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3

4

lessons from the Albatross teaching Second-graders about life cycles and Stewardship

By Kendall Slee

the laysan albatross that spend part of their lives on Hawairsquoirsquos Kauarsquoi island are fascinating thatrsquos why the staff of Kicirclauea point National Wildlife Refuge decided to focus on the seabirds for an elementary-level education program in the 2010-2011 school year

A seabird found only along the coastwhere colonies exist the albatross are easy to identify Standing 32 inches tall with a wingspan of more thansix feet albatross ndash called Molshy in the native language ndash can steal a showwith their mating dance of sky callingbill clapping head tucks and bobbingdeep bows and outstretched necks andwings Most of their life milestones can be observed November to June ndash perfectfor the school year ndash and albatross areusually flying and nesting near theircolony on Kicirclauea Point

So Shayna Carney the refugersquos former supervisory park ranger envisioned a program designed around life cycles astate curriculum standard for second graders

Carney wrote the first lesson about seashybird adaptations and Caroline Tucker was hired as a part-time environmentaleducator to write the rest of the curriculum focusing on life stages ofthe albatross from egg to adult (Seesidebar on ldquoThe Life Stages of a LaysanAlbatrossrdquo) Refuge staff taught five 45-minute lessons in the classroom (see

ldquoLaysan Albatross Lesson Outlinerdquo) and provided 12 additional lessons per month for five months The program

Laysan albatrossspend monthsforaging on the openocean then returnto their colonies on land for breedingseasonmdashNovember through July

culminated in a two-hour field trip tothe refuge in April and May

The program was taught to 12 second-grade classes ndash 245 students ndash from six public private and charter schoolson the northern and eastern side of the island All are no more than a 45-minute drive from the refuge TheHawai`i Youth Conservation Corps the state branch of Americorps hiredvolunteer Scott Clapsaddle to helpTucker teach the lessons the refugersquos interpretive rangers filled out theteaching ranks The refuge Friendsgroup Kicirclauea Point Natural History Association funded bus transportationfor the field trip as well as supplies andeducational materials

dancing like an Albatross The program emphasized participatory learning whether students danced likean albatross or tested the strength ofan egg ldquoI think when you are doinghands-on experiential learning it sticksin your mind better than if yoursquore justhearing it and seeing itrdquo Tucker says Nanea Sproat-Armitage a teacher atKicirclauea School says she was impressedby how much information her studentsretained month to month from the lessons The program helped studentsgain a deeper understanding of a birdthey might recognize but know littleabout she says

Diane McDonald a teacher at HanaleiSchool agrees ldquoA couple of the main points of the program that really stuckwith my students were the distancesthese birds fly and how long the birdsstay at sea how strong an egg shell isand how the mother and father both take care of the chickrdquo she says ldquoThe students also had a great time learning

the life Stages of a laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross can be spotted on Kauarsquoi and other islands of the Hawairsquoian archipelago November through July when they alight on land to mate and breed after months of foraging on the open ocean

In November the albatross return to their breeding grounds ndash usually the same place where they hatched They begin nesting with their mates Thebirds are monogamous Parents take turns incubating their single egg until it hatches in January or February

Once the chick hatches parents will leave the nest in search of food andreturn to feed their chick regurgitated squid oil and flying fish eggs

The albatross begin seeking mates when they are three to five years oldSingle albatross can be seen performing elaborate mating dances fromNovember through June as they search for and bond with a mate Thecourting process is extensive Bonded pairs eventually breed when theyare between six and eight years old

Chicks fledge in June and July and will spend the next several years feeding in the open ocean After they begin breeding they spend theirnon-breeding months at sea The Laysan albatross live 40 to 60 years

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 5

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Fourth-graders went on a digital scavenger hunt at Elizabeth HartwellMason Neck National Wildlife Refuge not far from their school in Virginia(See Infused with Wildlife page 21)

table of contents Letter from the Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service 3

Lessons from the Albatross 5Teaching Second-Graders about Life Cycles and Stewardship

Minnesota Refuge Partner School Program 9Making School Visits More than ldquoOne-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

The Smell of Marsh Mud Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge 13Offering Multiple Options for Hands-on Study of an Ecosystem

Journals and JPGs 17Introducing Youth to Wildlife in Colorado and Wyoming

Infused with Wildlife 21Teaching Refuges to All Students

Building Environmental Literacy One Class at a Time 25From 26 Students to 320 in Three Years

Environmental Learning = 1 Trail + Many Partners 29Hands-on Lessons in Scientific Fieldwork

Nature in the City 33The Garden that an EE Partnership Built

ldquoWhat Is Given in the Right Way Cannot Be Forgottenrdquo 37Connecting Children Nature and Culture by Teaching Cooperatively with Native Elders

Letter from the Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System Inside Back Cover

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1

2

Joe

Lu

A student photo displayed at theColorado State Capitol was auctionedby the Friends (See Journals andJPGs page 17)

A Message from the director US Fish and Wildlife Service

National wildlife refuges are some of the most special places in the world for wildlife Thatrsquos why we must introduce children to these special places early and often The great biologist EO Wilson noted that ldquoMost children have a bug period and I never outgrew mine Hands-on experience at the critical time not systematic knowledge is what counts in the making of a naturalistrdquo

Although many children do have extraordinary experiences in the outdoors studies show that young people today are spending only half as much time outside as their parents did The environmental

education programs of national wildlife refuges are the best way we can reverse those trends and connect with diverse student populations in both urban and rural areas

In this Special Report you will read about children who are acting out the life cycle of a Laysan albatross gaining traditional and scientific knowledge about fish in Alaska finding ghost crabs on Texas Gulf Coast beaches and measuring water quality in Florida Such experiences will stay with children all their lives Research tells us that such ldquowild naturerdquo adventures during childhood are associated with environmentally-friendly behaviors in adulthood I hope yoursquoll gain new insight and ideas from these examples and that you will share your own successes with your colleagues

Environmental education is fundamental to nurturing a strong land ethic I strongly encourage you to find ways to replicate or adapt some of these programs on your refuge and in your work to connect children to Americarsquos great outdoors A new generation of conservationists will thank you

Dan Ashe

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3

4

lessons from the Albatross teaching Second-graders about life cycles and Stewardship

By Kendall Slee

the laysan albatross that spend part of their lives on Hawairsquoirsquos Kauarsquoi island are fascinating thatrsquos why the staff of Kicirclauea point National Wildlife Refuge decided to focus on the seabirds for an elementary-level education program in the 2010-2011 school year

A seabird found only along the coastwhere colonies exist the albatross are easy to identify Standing 32 inches tall with a wingspan of more thansix feet albatross ndash called Molshy in the native language ndash can steal a showwith their mating dance of sky callingbill clapping head tucks and bobbingdeep bows and outstretched necks andwings Most of their life milestones can be observed November to June ndash perfectfor the school year ndash and albatross areusually flying and nesting near theircolony on Kicirclauea Point

So Shayna Carney the refugersquos former supervisory park ranger envisioned a program designed around life cycles astate curriculum standard for second graders

Carney wrote the first lesson about seashybird adaptations and Caroline Tucker was hired as a part-time environmentaleducator to write the rest of the curriculum focusing on life stages ofthe albatross from egg to adult (Seesidebar on ldquoThe Life Stages of a LaysanAlbatrossrdquo) Refuge staff taught five 45-minute lessons in the classroom (see

ldquoLaysan Albatross Lesson Outlinerdquo) and provided 12 additional lessons per month for five months The program

Laysan albatrossspend monthsforaging on the openocean then returnto their colonies on land for breedingseasonmdashNovember through July

culminated in a two-hour field trip tothe refuge in April and May

The program was taught to 12 second-grade classes ndash 245 students ndash from six public private and charter schoolson the northern and eastern side of the island All are no more than a 45-minute drive from the refuge TheHawai`i Youth Conservation Corps the state branch of Americorps hiredvolunteer Scott Clapsaddle to helpTucker teach the lessons the refugersquos interpretive rangers filled out theteaching ranks The refuge Friendsgroup Kicirclauea Point Natural History Association funded bus transportationfor the field trip as well as supplies andeducational materials

dancing like an Albatross The program emphasized participatory learning whether students danced likean albatross or tested the strength ofan egg ldquoI think when you are doinghands-on experiential learning it sticksin your mind better than if yoursquore justhearing it and seeing itrdquo Tucker says Nanea Sproat-Armitage a teacher atKicirclauea School says she was impressedby how much information her studentsretained month to month from the lessons The program helped studentsgain a deeper understanding of a birdthey might recognize but know littleabout she says

Diane McDonald a teacher at HanaleiSchool agrees ldquoA couple of the main points of the program that really stuckwith my students were the distancesthese birds fly and how long the birdsstay at sea how strong an egg shell isand how the mother and father both take care of the chickrdquo she says ldquoThe students also had a great time learning

the life Stages of a laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross can be spotted on Kauarsquoi and other islands of the Hawairsquoian archipelago November through July when they alight on land to mate and breed after months of foraging on the open ocean

In November the albatross return to their breeding grounds ndash usually the same place where they hatched They begin nesting with their mates Thebirds are monogamous Parents take turns incubating their single egg until it hatches in January or February

Once the chick hatches parents will leave the nest in search of food andreturn to feed their chick regurgitated squid oil and flying fish eggs

The albatross begin seeking mates when they are three to five years oldSingle albatross can be seen performing elaborate mating dances fromNovember through June as they search for and bond with a mate Thecourting process is extensive Bonded pairs eventually breed when theyare between six and eight years old

Chicks fledge in June and July and will spend the next several years feeding in the open ocean After they begin breeding they spend theirnon-breeding months at sea The Laysan albatross live 40 to 60 years

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 5

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

2

Joe

Lu

A student photo displayed at theColorado State Capitol was auctionedby the Friends (See Journals andJPGs page 17)

A Message from the director US Fish and Wildlife Service

National wildlife refuges are some of the most special places in the world for wildlife Thatrsquos why we must introduce children to these special places early and often The great biologist EO Wilson noted that ldquoMost children have a bug period and I never outgrew mine Hands-on experience at the critical time not systematic knowledge is what counts in the making of a naturalistrdquo

Although many children do have extraordinary experiences in the outdoors studies show that young people today are spending only half as much time outside as their parents did The environmental

education programs of national wildlife refuges are the best way we can reverse those trends and connect with diverse student populations in both urban and rural areas

In this Special Report you will read about children who are acting out the life cycle of a Laysan albatross gaining traditional and scientific knowledge about fish in Alaska finding ghost crabs on Texas Gulf Coast beaches and measuring water quality in Florida Such experiences will stay with children all their lives Research tells us that such ldquowild naturerdquo adventures during childhood are associated with environmentally-friendly behaviors in adulthood I hope yoursquoll gain new insight and ideas from these examples and that you will share your own successes with your colleagues

Environmental education is fundamental to nurturing a strong land ethic I strongly encourage you to find ways to replicate or adapt some of these programs on your refuge and in your work to connect children to Americarsquos great outdoors A new generation of conservationists will thank you

Dan Ashe

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3

4

lessons from the Albatross teaching Second-graders about life cycles and Stewardship

By Kendall Slee

the laysan albatross that spend part of their lives on Hawairsquoirsquos Kauarsquoi island are fascinating thatrsquos why the staff of Kicirclauea point National Wildlife Refuge decided to focus on the seabirds for an elementary-level education program in the 2010-2011 school year

A seabird found only along the coastwhere colonies exist the albatross are easy to identify Standing 32 inches tall with a wingspan of more thansix feet albatross ndash called Molshy in the native language ndash can steal a showwith their mating dance of sky callingbill clapping head tucks and bobbingdeep bows and outstretched necks andwings Most of their life milestones can be observed November to June ndash perfectfor the school year ndash and albatross areusually flying and nesting near theircolony on Kicirclauea Point

So Shayna Carney the refugersquos former supervisory park ranger envisioned a program designed around life cycles astate curriculum standard for second graders

Carney wrote the first lesson about seashybird adaptations and Caroline Tucker was hired as a part-time environmentaleducator to write the rest of the curriculum focusing on life stages ofthe albatross from egg to adult (Seesidebar on ldquoThe Life Stages of a LaysanAlbatrossrdquo) Refuge staff taught five 45-minute lessons in the classroom (see

ldquoLaysan Albatross Lesson Outlinerdquo) and provided 12 additional lessons per month for five months The program

Laysan albatrossspend monthsforaging on the openocean then returnto their colonies on land for breedingseasonmdashNovember through July

culminated in a two-hour field trip tothe refuge in April and May

The program was taught to 12 second-grade classes ndash 245 students ndash from six public private and charter schoolson the northern and eastern side of the island All are no more than a 45-minute drive from the refuge TheHawai`i Youth Conservation Corps the state branch of Americorps hiredvolunteer Scott Clapsaddle to helpTucker teach the lessons the refugersquos interpretive rangers filled out theteaching ranks The refuge Friendsgroup Kicirclauea Point Natural History Association funded bus transportationfor the field trip as well as supplies andeducational materials

dancing like an Albatross The program emphasized participatory learning whether students danced likean albatross or tested the strength ofan egg ldquoI think when you are doinghands-on experiential learning it sticksin your mind better than if yoursquore justhearing it and seeing itrdquo Tucker says Nanea Sproat-Armitage a teacher atKicirclauea School says she was impressedby how much information her studentsretained month to month from the lessons The program helped studentsgain a deeper understanding of a birdthey might recognize but know littleabout she says

Diane McDonald a teacher at HanaleiSchool agrees ldquoA couple of the main points of the program that really stuckwith my students were the distancesthese birds fly and how long the birdsstay at sea how strong an egg shell isand how the mother and father both take care of the chickrdquo she says ldquoThe students also had a great time learning

the life Stages of a laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross can be spotted on Kauarsquoi and other islands of the Hawairsquoian archipelago November through July when they alight on land to mate and breed after months of foraging on the open ocean

In November the albatross return to their breeding grounds ndash usually the same place where they hatched They begin nesting with their mates Thebirds are monogamous Parents take turns incubating their single egg until it hatches in January or February

Once the chick hatches parents will leave the nest in search of food andreturn to feed their chick regurgitated squid oil and flying fish eggs

The albatross begin seeking mates when they are three to five years oldSingle albatross can be seen performing elaborate mating dances fromNovember through June as they search for and bond with a mate Thecourting process is extensive Bonded pairs eventually breed when theyare between six and eight years old

Chicks fledge in June and July and will spend the next several years feeding in the open ocean After they begin breeding they spend theirnon-breeding months at sea The Laysan albatross live 40 to 60 years

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 5

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

Joe

Lu

A student photo displayed at theColorado State Capitol was auctionedby the Friends (See Journals andJPGs page 17)

A Message from the director US Fish and Wildlife Service

National wildlife refuges are some of the most special places in the world for wildlife Thatrsquos why we must introduce children to these special places early and often The great biologist EO Wilson noted that ldquoMost children have a bug period and I never outgrew mine Hands-on experience at the critical time not systematic knowledge is what counts in the making of a naturalistrdquo

Although many children do have extraordinary experiences in the outdoors studies show that young people today are spending only half as much time outside as their parents did The environmental

education programs of national wildlife refuges are the best way we can reverse those trends and connect with diverse student populations in both urban and rural areas

In this Special Report you will read about children who are acting out the life cycle of a Laysan albatross gaining traditional and scientific knowledge about fish in Alaska finding ghost crabs on Texas Gulf Coast beaches and measuring water quality in Florida Such experiences will stay with children all their lives Research tells us that such ldquowild naturerdquo adventures during childhood are associated with environmentally-friendly behaviors in adulthood I hope yoursquoll gain new insight and ideas from these examples and that you will share your own successes with your colleagues

Environmental education is fundamental to nurturing a strong land ethic I strongly encourage you to find ways to replicate or adapt some of these programs on your refuge and in your work to connect children to Americarsquos great outdoors A new generation of conservationists will thank you

Dan Ashe

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3

4

lessons from the Albatross teaching Second-graders about life cycles and Stewardship

By Kendall Slee

the laysan albatross that spend part of their lives on Hawairsquoirsquos Kauarsquoi island are fascinating thatrsquos why the staff of Kicirclauea point National Wildlife Refuge decided to focus on the seabirds for an elementary-level education program in the 2010-2011 school year

A seabird found only along the coastwhere colonies exist the albatross are easy to identify Standing 32 inches tall with a wingspan of more thansix feet albatross ndash called Molshy in the native language ndash can steal a showwith their mating dance of sky callingbill clapping head tucks and bobbingdeep bows and outstretched necks andwings Most of their life milestones can be observed November to June ndash perfectfor the school year ndash and albatross areusually flying and nesting near theircolony on Kicirclauea Point

So Shayna Carney the refugersquos former supervisory park ranger envisioned a program designed around life cycles astate curriculum standard for second graders

Carney wrote the first lesson about seashybird adaptations and Caroline Tucker was hired as a part-time environmentaleducator to write the rest of the curriculum focusing on life stages ofthe albatross from egg to adult (Seesidebar on ldquoThe Life Stages of a LaysanAlbatrossrdquo) Refuge staff taught five 45-minute lessons in the classroom (see

ldquoLaysan Albatross Lesson Outlinerdquo) and provided 12 additional lessons per month for five months The program

Laysan albatrossspend monthsforaging on the openocean then returnto their colonies on land for breedingseasonmdashNovember through July

culminated in a two-hour field trip tothe refuge in April and May

The program was taught to 12 second-grade classes ndash 245 students ndash from six public private and charter schoolson the northern and eastern side of the island All are no more than a 45-minute drive from the refuge TheHawai`i Youth Conservation Corps the state branch of Americorps hiredvolunteer Scott Clapsaddle to helpTucker teach the lessons the refugersquos interpretive rangers filled out theteaching ranks The refuge Friendsgroup Kicirclauea Point Natural History Association funded bus transportationfor the field trip as well as supplies andeducational materials

dancing like an Albatross The program emphasized participatory learning whether students danced likean albatross or tested the strength ofan egg ldquoI think when you are doinghands-on experiential learning it sticksin your mind better than if yoursquore justhearing it and seeing itrdquo Tucker says Nanea Sproat-Armitage a teacher atKicirclauea School says she was impressedby how much information her studentsretained month to month from the lessons The program helped studentsgain a deeper understanding of a birdthey might recognize but know littleabout she says

Diane McDonald a teacher at HanaleiSchool agrees ldquoA couple of the main points of the program that really stuckwith my students were the distancesthese birds fly and how long the birdsstay at sea how strong an egg shell isand how the mother and father both take care of the chickrdquo she says ldquoThe students also had a great time learning

the life Stages of a laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross can be spotted on Kauarsquoi and other islands of the Hawairsquoian archipelago November through July when they alight on land to mate and breed after months of foraging on the open ocean

In November the albatross return to their breeding grounds ndash usually the same place where they hatched They begin nesting with their mates Thebirds are monogamous Parents take turns incubating their single egg until it hatches in January or February

Once the chick hatches parents will leave the nest in search of food andreturn to feed their chick regurgitated squid oil and flying fish eggs

The albatross begin seeking mates when they are three to five years oldSingle albatross can be seen performing elaborate mating dances fromNovember through June as they search for and bond with a mate Thecourting process is extensive Bonded pairs eventually breed when theyare between six and eight years old

Chicks fledge in June and July and will spend the next several years feeding in the open ocean After they begin breeding they spend theirnon-breeding months at sea The Laysan albatross live 40 to 60 years

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 5

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

4

lessons from the Albatross teaching Second-graders about life cycles and Stewardship

By Kendall Slee

the laysan albatross that spend part of their lives on Hawairsquoirsquos Kauarsquoi island are fascinating thatrsquos why the staff of Kicirclauea point National Wildlife Refuge decided to focus on the seabirds for an elementary-level education program in the 2010-2011 school year

A seabird found only along the coastwhere colonies exist the albatross are easy to identify Standing 32 inches tall with a wingspan of more thansix feet albatross ndash called Molshy in the native language ndash can steal a showwith their mating dance of sky callingbill clapping head tucks and bobbingdeep bows and outstretched necks andwings Most of their life milestones can be observed November to June ndash perfectfor the school year ndash and albatross areusually flying and nesting near theircolony on Kicirclauea Point

So Shayna Carney the refugersquos former supervisory park ranger envisioned a program designed around life cycles astate curriculum standard for second graders

Carney wrote the first lesson about seashybird adaptations and Caroline Tucker was hired as a part-time environmentaleducator to write the rest of the curriculum focusing on life stages ofthe albatross from egg to adult (Seesidebar on ldquoThe Life Stages of a LaysanAlbatrossrdquo) Refuge staff taught five 45-minute lessons in the classroom (see

ldquoLaysan Albatross Lesson Outlinerdquo) and provided 12 additional lessons per month for five months The program

Laysan albatrossspend monthsforaging on the openocean then returnto their colonies on land for breedingseasonmdashNovember through July

culminated in a two-hour field trip tothe refuge in April and May

The program was taught to 12 second-grade classes ndash 245 students ndash from six public private and charter schoolson the northern and eastern side of the island All are no more than a 45-minute drive from the refuge TheHawai`i Youth Conservation Corps the state branch of Americorps hiredvolunteer Scott Clapsaddle to helpTucker teach the lessons the refugersquos interpretive rangers filled out theteaching ranks The refuge Friendsgroup Kicirclauea Point Natural History Association funded bus transportationfor the field trip as well as supplies andeducational materials

dancing like an Albatross The program emphasized participatory learning whether students danced likean albatross or tested the strength ofan egg ldquoI think when you are doinghands-on experiential learning it sticksin your mind better than if yoursquore justhearing it and seeing itrdquo Tucker says Nanea Sproat-Armitage a teacher atKicirclauea School says she was impressedby how much information her studentsretained month to month from the lessons The program helped studentsgain a deeper understanding of a birdthey might recognize but know littleabout she says

Diane McDonald a teacher at HanaleiSchool agrees ldquoA couple of the main points of the program that really stuckwith my students were the distancesthese birds fly and how long the birdsstay at sea how strong an egg shell isand how the mother and father both take care of the chickrdquo she says ldquoThe students also had a great time learning

the life Stages of a laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross can be spotted on Kauarsquoi and other islands of the Hawairsquoian archipelago November through July when they alight on land to mate and breed after months of foraging on the open ocean

In November the albatross return to their breeding grounds ndash usually the same place where they hatched They begin nesting with their mates Thebirds are monogamous Parents take turns incubating their single egg until it hatches in January or February

Once the chick hatches parents will leave the nest in search of food andreturn to feed their chick regurgitated squid oil and flying fish eggs

The albatross begin seeking mates when they are three to five years oldSingle albatross can be seen performing elaborate mating dances fromNovember through June as they search for and bond with a mate Thecourting process is extensive Bonded pairs eventually breed when theyare between six and eight years old

Chicks fledge in June and July and will spend the next several years feeding in the open ocean After they begin breeding they spend theirnon-breeding months at sea The Laysan albatross live 40 to 60 years

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 5

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

lessons from the Albatross teaching Second-graders about life cycles and Stewardship

By Kendall Slee

the laysan albatross that spend part of their lives on Hawairsquoirsquos Kauarsquoi island are fascinating thatrsquos why the staff of Kicirclauea point National Wildlife Refuge decided to focus on the seabirds for an elementary-level education program in the 2010-2011 school year

A seabird found only along the coastwhere colonies exist the albatross are easy to identify Standing 32 inches tall with a wingspan of more thansix feet albatross ndash called Molshy in the native language ndash can steal a showwith their mating dance of sky callingbill clapping head tucks and bobbingdeep bows and outstretched necks andwings Most of their life milestones can be observed November to June ndash perfectfor the school year ndash and albatross areusually flying and nesting near theircolony on Kicirclauea Point

So Shayna Carney the refugersquos former supervisory park ranger envisioned a program designed around life cycles astate curriculum standard for second graders

Carney wrote the first lesson about seashybird adaptations and Caroline Tucker was hired as a part-time environmentaleducator to write the rest of the curriculum focusing on life stages ofthe albatross from egg to adult (Seesidebar on ldquoThe Life Stages of a LaysanAlbatrossrdquo) Refuge staff taught five 45-minute lessons in the classroom (see

ldquoLaysan Albatross Lesson Outlinerdquo) and provided 12 additional lessons per month for five months The program

Laysan albatrossspend monthsforaging on the openocean then returnto their colonies on land for breedingseasonmdashNovember through July

culminated in a two-hour field trip tothe refuge in April and May

The program was taught to 12 second-grade classes ndash 245 students ndash from six public private and charter schoolson the northern and eastern side of the island All are no more than a 45-minute drive from the refuge TheHawai`i Youth Conservation Corps the state branch of Americorps hiredvolunteer Scott Clapsaddle to helpTucker teach the lessons the refugersquos interpretive rangers filled out theteaching ranks The refuge Friendsgroup Kicirclauea Point Natural History Association funded bus transportationfor the field trip as well as supplies andeducational materials

dancing like an Albatross The program emphasized participatory learning whether students danced likean albatross or tested the strength ofan egg ldquoI think when you are doinghands-on experiential learning it sticksin your mind better than if yoursquore justhearing it and seeing itrdquo Tucker says Nanea Sproat-Armitage a teacher atKicirclauea School says she was impressedby how much information her studentsretained month to month from the lessons The program helped studentsgain a deeper understanding of a birdthey might recognize but know littleabout she says

Diane McDonald a teacher at HanaleiSchool agrees ldquoA couple of the main points of the program that really stuckwith my students were the distancesthese birds fly and how long the birdsstay at sea how strong an egg shell isand how the mother and father both take care of the chickrdquo she says ldquoThe students also had a great time learning

the life Stages of a laysan Albatross

Laysan Albatross can be spotted on Kauarsquoi and other islands of the Hawairsquoian archipelago November through July when they alight on land to mate and breed after months of foraging on the open ocean

In November the albatross return to their breeding grounds ndash usually the same place where they hatched They begin nesting with their mates Thebirds are monogamous Parents take turns incubating their single egg until it hatches in January or February

Once the chick hatches parents will leave the nest in search of food andreturn to feed their chick regurgitated squid oil and flying fish eggs

The albatross begin seeking mates when they are three to five years oldSingle albatross can be seen performing elaborate mating dances fromNovember through June as they search for and bond with a mate Thecourting process is extensive Bonded pairs eventually breed when theyare between six and eight years old

Chicks fledge in June and July and will spend the next several years feeding in the open ocean After they begin breeding they spend theirnon-breeding months at sea The Laysan albatross live 40 to 60 years

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 5

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refugersquos albatrosseducation pro-gram covered thelife stages of analbatross from eggto fluffy chick tobreeding adult Ch

ris S

wen

son

Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and they brainstormed ways to help recycling using re-usable lunch containers cleaning up beaches and spreading the word about how litter hurts the birds

the different mating dances and thenrecognized the dances during our visitrdquo

While refuge staff visited the schoolsabout once a month teachers extended the lessons with displays and discusshysions typically posting pictures of thealbatross at their life stage throughoutthe year Most had a little stuffed albatross displayed in front of the roomEach class also received a small book about albatross written by a refugevolunteer

Responding to teacher Feedback Refuge staff encouraged teachersrsquofeedback and adjusted lessons accordshyingly Informal feedback from teachers guided Tucker on small revisions ndash such as what activities the students enjoyedmost or whether they were graspingkey concepts ldquoIf an activity was tooconfusing with the teacherrsquos helpmdashandusually on the spotmdashI could changethe instructions to meet the needs of individual students and the class as a wholerdquo Tucker says

Flexibility proved key The field trip to the refuge turned up a few challengeswhen many classes lacked enoughparent volunteers to lead small groupsthrough a scavenger hunt at a series oflearning stations

ldquoWe found that some of our scavenger hunt clues were too complicated forsecond-graders and we needed tolet go of some of the detailsrdquo Tucker says ldquoIn the end the most importantthing was making sure they had a goodexperience in the outdoors and couldfeel good about what they knew aboutthe albatross and stewardshiprdquo

Active Stewardship Students learned how marine debris can be deadly to albatross and theybrainstormed ways to help recyclingusing re-usable lunch containers cleanshying up beaches and spreading the wordabout how litter hurts the birds

A program highlight for Kicirclauea Point supervisory park ranger Jennifer Waipa was seeing children exhibit their knowledge during the field trip ldquoThekids really grabbed on to certain thingstheyrsquod learned through the lessons ndashlike the word lsquochalazarsquordquo To introduce and reinforce the word for the tissue that attaches the yolk within the egglesson instructors asked the students to repeat the rhyme ldquoThe chalaza holdsthe yolk in place-uhrdquo

ldquoWeeks or months later you could see how the lessons were created in a waythat helped them retain that informashytionrdquo Waipa says

6

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

laysan Albatross lesson outline

lesson 1 Build a Bird

Concepts Basic information about national wildlife refuges Kicircshylauea Point and seabird adaptations Active component A student is transformed into a bird with the helpof classmates who provide suggestionsfor elements to add ndash feathers webbedfeet sharp hooked beak long wings

lesson 2 So You think You can dancehellip like an Albatross

Concepts Courtship Active component Students create an albatross mask prior to lesson Duringthe classroom visit students learnabout courtship rituals including a fewof the 25 dance moves albatross use to find and impress a potential mateStudents wear ldquogooney birdrdquo masks andtry some of the dances in small groups

lesson 3 An egg-stravaganza

Concepts An egg is a habitat for agrowing baby bird Active component Students participatein an ldquoegg-sperimentrdquo to test the strength of an egg Two students stand in front of the class and squeezeeggs ndash one from the sides one from topto bottom ldquoUsually if an egg breaksit would be the one squeezed from thesidesrdquo Tucker says ldquoThis is a visual way to show that the strength of an eggis due to its shape It is the strongestshape in naturerdquo Another experiment Place books on an upright egg to see how much weightit can bear Many classes reached 10 to 12 textbooks before the egg broke Stushydents also learned names and functions for each part of an egg by acting outparts and repeating catchy phrases

lesson 4 Food for the Brood

Concepts Both parents care for thenewly hatched chick one parent foragesat sea and brings back fish and squidwhile the other broods over the chick to keep it warm and protect it frompredators

Active component Students learn firsthand the challenges of being aparent albatross by playing a relay-racegame Split into groups students aregiven a ldquonestrdquo with a ldquochickrdquo inside (using a bowl with a photo of a chick ina nest) Each group has a ldquofeeding areardquo in the classroom that holds ldquofood itemsrdquo such as squid flying fish eggs and flyingfish (all simulated by fishing lures orpoker chips) The first person must runto the feeding area to collect food usingan origami ldquobeakrdquo and bring it back to ldquofeedrdquo the chick (deposit it in the bowl)while the remaining ldquoparentrdquo protects the nest from ldquopredatorsrdquo (facilitators or teachers wearing cat masks)

ldquoThis is a physical way to demonstratehow difficult it can be to be a parent albashytross and have such important dutiesrdquoTucker explains ldquoStudents were chalshylenged to run use hand-eye coordinationto collect the food stay near the nestand guard the chick as well as showaggression (albatross-style of course)to predators to protect their youngrdquo

lesson 5 Ready for take-off

Concepts Albatross chicks must gothrough several changes before they leavethe colony and begin their adult lives Active component Students measure their own wingspan prior to the classroomvisit During the lesson each studentmakes a personalized ldquobird bandrdquo Thebands are then mixed up and the teachertries to match each student with the correct band using only the informationon the band (wingspan hair color etc)

lesson 6 Field trip Kicirclauea point Scavenger Hunt

Concepts Review of the life cyclestages and recollection of informationshared throughout the program Active component Students work in small groups to solve clues find secretlocations and complete challenges allaround Kicirclauea Point

Kicirclauea Point National Wildlife Refuge environmental educator Caroline Tucker (far left) and Americorps volunteer Scott Clapsaddle (far right) put on their bestalbatross faces with a class of second-graders

Dia

ne M

cDon

ald

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 7

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

8

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

Minnesota Refuge partner School program Making School visits More than ldquoone-Hit No-Wonderrdquo

By Suzanne Trapp

ldquoWhat are we really accomplishing running 20000 students through the refuge each yearrdquo

Beth Ullenberg supervisory visitor services manager at one of the largest urban refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System summarized staff sentishyment when she arrived at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in 2006

ldquoWersquod have two hours to teach anywhere from 60 to 120 students about nature Teachers and students were not always engaged and the majority of stafftime was spent trying to control the grouprdquo The result was what Ullenberg described as a ldquoone-hit no-wonderrdquo experience

Staff agreed They had little confidencethat students understood the value of the National Wildlife Refuge System let alone the refuge treasure in theirown urban backyard What emerged in2006 was the Refuge Partner Schools Program which places the quality ofstudent and teacher experiences at theforefront of the environmental educashytion program

The program has enrolled three schoolsEast Union Elementary in Carver Minnesota the American Indian School in St Paul and Jackson Elementary in Shakopee Staff interns volunteers

Right Catchingwildlife in the Prairie Insect Survey is a favorite fall field trip

Left Elementary students created a colorful inter-active magneticmural that shows the variety of

teachers and parent chaperones allcontribute their time to the program

The 2011-12 school year marks the fifth season of the Refuge Partner School Program During this time principalretention and support have provedcritical to the programrsquos success

Indeed the best Partner Schools have a principal who strongly supports outdoor learning wants to see teachers use therefuge as an outdoor classroom andsupports associated teacher training

To provide outdoor experiences and environmental learning to studentsleast likely to visit a wildlife refuge ontheir own Minnesota Valley Refuge considered the percentage of ethnicallydiverse and low-income students when it selected Refuge Partner Schools Such demographic information isavailable from the statersquos Departmentof Education website Additionally the refuge sought partner schools thatlacked environmental educators or naturalist staff and a nature area within walking distance

At first several Twin Cities envishyronmental magnet schools seemedthe logical choice for participationThey were eager to join and clearlymet the criteria of strong principlesupport However with nature areas just outside their back doors andenvironmental education specialists ornaturalists on staff these schools did not need mentoring

the program structure Each school initially signs a three-yearcooperative agreement The principalcommits to sending each class (K-5) to the refuge at least three timesa year ldquoThis is the hands-on piece that I wantedrdquo says Jenny Killian a second- and third-grade teacher atEast Union Elementary School which has participated in the program for itsentire five years By getting the kidsout in nature the instruction ldquobecomes more meaningfulrdquo she says ldquoIt sticks in those little brains more than it would if we just read about it in booksrdquo

In addition teachers set aside one hourin the classroom to allow refuge staffto introduce an activity before eachtwo-hour field trip Teachers are invited to attend workshops in natural history outdoor teaching techniques and othernational environmental education curshyricula led by refuge staff and partnersall free of charge

At the end of the third year teachers and refuge staff assess the partnershipIf it continues a two- or three-yearextension is granted Students continueto visit the refuge on the same schedulebut teachers present the field trippre-activity Teachers are asked to brainstorm with students about Service Learning projects that help both therefuge and the learning experienceEast Union Elementary students for example created a colorful interactivemagnetic mural that shows the varietyof plants and wildlife on the refuge Themural hangs in the Rapids Lake Educashytion and Visitor Center

USF

WS plants and wild-

life on Minnesota Valley Refuge U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 9

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

Who goes there ThreeRefuge Partner Schools send students to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for spring fall andwinter field trips

Survey targeted toward second- and third-graders although this may bealtered to suit first-graders since thestate guidelines are changing Studentscollect a half-dozen or so butterflies grasshoppers and other insects and usea chart to record how they are similarand different They create graphs tallynumbers write or draw about theirobservations and build their math and critical observation skills ndash all in one exercise

In Habitat ndash Who Needs It kindergarshyteners learn the four major componentsof habitat ndash food water shelter and space ndash and the difference betweenwild and domestic animals As they visit different habitats on the refuge theythink about the food and water sources

USF

WS

After three years and two revisions the teaching matrix outlines not only ensure three years of visits to the refuge but they also provide increasingly challenging lessons that meet state educational standards in math english physical education social studies as well as science

Each year fifth-graders graduating from the program spend a Friday inspring learning how to fish on therefuge Thanks to Youth Fishing Day sponsors such as the Red Lake Nationthe Minnesota Department of NaturalResources General Mills and GanderMountain students learn to cast tie a knot identify common Minnesotafish species and create fish art beforegoing home with their own rod reel and tackle set

the curriculum For teachers to embrace the refuge as an extension of their classrooms theRefuge Partner School curriculum had to meet state education standards According to Killian no valuable classtime is lost because the material covered at the refuge correlates withrequired instruction For refuge staff and management to support theprogram it had to increase studentenvironmental awareness and foster a stewardship ethic For the program to compete with offerings at nearby Partner School Coordinator nature and environmental centers it had to provide a unique experience to teachers and students

After three years and two revisions theteaching matrix outlines not only ensurethree years visits to the refuge butthey also provide increasingly challengshying lessons that meetstate educational stanshy

in each

In Seeds on the Go second- and third-graders collect different seeds in various habitats consider how plantsdisperse seeds and think about how theseeds might move in the habitatThey also learn about refuge manageshyment ndash such as controlling the dispersalof nonnative reed canary grass seeds

dards in math Englishphysical education socialstudies as well as science It builds on student knowlshyedge and experiencegained each year

Students learn hands-on real-life research and data collection techniquesrelated to management onwildlife refuges They alsohave a chance to snowshoe hike fish and observe wildshylife Teachers regularlysuggest additions and revishysions to the curriculum

Some popular coursesinclude Prairie Insect

Students from East Union Elementary School use nets and buckets for Pond Insect Investigation

USF

WS

1 0

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

the cost The program hosted 3039 student visitsduring the 2010-11 school year Busingcosts totaled roughly $13600 Yearly busingcosts average about $350 per classroom

In the first two years nine refuge staffhours are devoted to each partnerclassroom The time commitment dropsto six hours per class in the next threepartnership years as teachers become

prepared to lead their own classroompre-field trip activity Additional adminshyistrative time is needed to purchasematerials and schedule field trips

While one refuge staffer usuallypresents the bulk of the field trip lessonrefuge volunteers assist with smallgroup activities during each field tripParent chaperones act as additional small group leaders

If you are interested in starting aRefuge Partner School program you can download curriculum and other helpfulmaterials from httpwwwfwsgovmidwestMinnesotaValleyrefugeteach-ers For more information contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or by email Suzanne_Trappfwsgov

Minnesota valley National Wildlife Refuge partner School curriculum Matrix

Years 2-5 Fall Winter Spring

Kindergarten Habitat ndash Who Needs It Who Goes There Forests Are More than Trees

Grade 1 Tracking Nature through the Seasons Survivor Minnesota Winter A Peek at Plants

Grade 2 Prairie Insects or Meet the Mammals WSI Wildlife Scene Investigators Pond Investigation

Grade 3 Seeds on the Go Tree Math or Birdrsquos Beaks amp Adaptations How Animals Communicate or Wetland Safari

Grade 4 Migration Matters Winter Under a Microscope Water Canaries

Grade 5 Minnesota Biomes or Tracking Wildlife or Compass Crusade Landforms or Birding Basics White-tailed Deer How Many

the Blue goose Bus Fund

School budgets have left many schools ndash especially those in low-income areas ndash unable to absorb busing costs Indeedteachers have identified transportation costs as the number one barrier to the Refuge Partners Program In response the non-profit Refuge Friends Inc which works with Minnesota Valley Refuge established the Blue Goose Bus Fund Schools that join the program can apply for partial or total busing scholarship

There are alternatives to funding bya Refuge Friends organizations Inresponse to dwindling school districtbudgets many foundations haveoffered grants to support schoolfield trips Even a 5050 cost sharewill entice schools to participateFund your refugersquos share with grantdollars and let the schools raise the remaining funds

Many parents have formed schoolsupport organizations that assistwith raising funds for special projshyects Businesses are often lookingfor meaningful ways to contributeto their community Consider working with local Audubon DucksUnlimited Optimists or Lions Clubs chapters among other nonshyprofit organizations

Watching wetland birds at Bass Ponds is a popular spring field trip activity U

SFW

S

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 1

1 2

the Smell of Marsh Mud Matagorda island National Wildlife Refuge offering Multiple options for Hands-on Study of an ecosystem

by Karen Leggett

A barrier island along the coastal bend of texas that has no causeway highway or ferry for access Matagorda island provides an unparalleled opportunity both to protect natural resources and offer the hands-on environshymental educational experience that such an isolated ecosystem can offer

Hundreds are taking advantage eachyear as Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex uses the island as akey component of its environmentaleducation program

Many of the schools served by the refugersquos education program are primarshyily Hispanic and the studentsrsquo firstexperience with the bay and the Gulf ofMexico often occurs during a field tripldquoIt is important that our future leadersunderstand the interdependence ofthe estuarine system and the need toprotect it It is through field trips andinteraction that a true appreciationand understanding can developrdquo says Aransas Refuge environmental educashytion specialist Tonya Nix

The Science and Spanish Club Network ndash a group of middle school clubs conshynected to school districts and youthorganizations ndash brings teens to AransasRefuge as does the Port Lavaca Water Watchers Club which reaches primarily underserved urban Hispanic students

estuary education Aransas Refuge has the largest wetlandhabitat in the northern part of theMission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve a nationally desigshynated complex of wetland terrestrialand marine environments One purposeof these reserves is to promote environshymental education about estuaries

A young crane catchesa blue crab at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas Students learn the connections amongwater quality blue crabs and cranes

While educational field trips have goneto Matagorda Island for decades in2008 Nix began meeting with otherenvironmental education professionalsteachers and scientists from the Univershysity of Texas and Padre Island National Seashore to outline shared educational goals including improved understandshying of Texas coastal ecosystems and stewardship of coastal resources

The goals are based on national sciencestandards and aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)objectives The group identified objecshytives and activities for each natural area that did not overlap ldquoWe want visitors to have a unique experience atMatagorda Island not something theycan experience at Port Aransas or on boats that go into the bayrdquo says Nix Matagorda Island provides an opportushynity to teach about the ecosystem of abarrier island

getting to the island and Staying there When school Scout or other groupscome to Matagorda Island they spendone or two nights in a rustic bunkhouseoriginally used by cowboys when thesouth end of the island was an active cattle ranch There is no charge forthe bunkhouse as long as it is beingused for environmental education Groups must bring their own beddingtoiletries drinking water and food thebunkhouse has a full kitchen completewith cooking supplies Energy comesfrom gas and solar panels

Groups must also arrange their owntransportation to the island on privatecharter boats Nix says the studentswith the Port Lavaca Water Watchers Club save all year to pay for boats tobring them to the island She says therefuge is considering seeking grants or

encouraging the Friends organization tohold fundraisers to defray some of thefield trip expenses

The island has a small lab with locallygathered specimens a few microscopesplankton nets and viewers and disshysecting kits Audio-visual equipment isavailable in a small classroom

Melinda Nielsen who brings fifth- andsixth-graders students from Bay AreaMontessori School in Houston saysldquoThe venue is authentic and away fromhome enabling students to investigatebay marsh coastal grassland freshshywater ponds estuary and beach shore areas all at once to see how they aredependent on each otherrdquo

From goals on paper to Hands-on learning When groups make plans for a Matashygorda Island field trip they choose fromseven lesson plans including a beachhabitat mini-course and a beginningbirding nature trek Some plans existedprior to the Mission-Aransas Reserve collaboration Others were adaptedfrom The Nature Conservancy which conducted programs on the islandbefore it became part of the refugeNix teaches whichever lesson plan thegroup chooses

The Matagorda Island experienceis intended to teach students about the value of the estuary as a nursery for developing organisms and theimportance of the island as a feedingsource for migratory birds Species are observed and studied in their natural habitats allowing students to connectwith nature while learning the imporshytance of working together to insure theanimalshabitats we have today arehere for future generations

Each lesson plan includes a goal objecshytive recommended age group time andseason as well as a very specific list of the TEKS objectives met by that planAn eighth-grade TEKS requirement

Lanc

e an

d E

rin W

illet

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 3

Rich

ard

Gonz

alez

ww

wsh

utte

rsto

ckc

om

Cleaning up beach debris requires hard work andteam work for students on Matagorda Island

Beach Habitat Mini-course

The objectives of this course are to give participants an understanding ofthe Gulf beach as an appealing but deceptively harsh habitat for residentbiota Other objectives include

bull Learn to perceive the ecological zones on the beachbull Find and identify some characteristic animals that live in each zonebull Observe and discuss the adaptations that permit survival on the beach and

the food web that supports these resident creaturesbull Learn some ways that humans can disrupt the natural cycles on a beach

Site Gulf beach at Wynne RoadRecommended length 2+ hrsRecommended age Grades 8-12 and adultsRecommended seasontime spring summer fall

Materials provided by refuge (except for personal clothing items) bull Outside clothes with sleeves and

long trousers to get wet to theknees wet shoes hat sun block

bull four slurpersbull four plastic jarsbull four plastic cubesbull two hand nets bull two hand magnifiers

Sample activities and questions

bull two 20-30 foot seines for the groupbull two five-gallon buckets for the groupbull thermometer bull refractometer bull megaphonebull group water jugbull First-aid kit with meat tenderizer bull 2-way radio

There are activities and questions related to several key wildlife species onthe beach ndash tiger beetle beach hopper sand digger palp worm mole grabs and ghost crabsbull Catch a tiger beetle in a plastic cube for observation How does it tolerate

sun and heat How about swimmers and fishermen bull Find coquinas the small clams living in the swash zone Note the sturdy

wedge-shaped shell adapted to the battering surf and shifting sand

Children learn to identify ghostcrab tracks and burrows

that could be met on Matagorda Islandfor example is for students to conductfield and laboratory investigations using safe environmentally appropriate andethical practices

Another eighth-grade TEKS requireshyment is for students to learn about the interdependence among living systemsAransas Refuge provides criticalhabitat for the endangered whoopingcrane which depends on blue crabs asa food source So students learn about the relationship between water qualityand blue crabs ldquoIf the water is too salty blue crabs will not reproducerdquo explains Nix ldquoBlue crabs and thereforewhooping cranes are dependent onwater qualityrdquo

inquiry education Nix guides students through eachlesson with a process called inquiry edushycation When students are on the beach but before they have started digging forghost crabs they are asked to consider

bull What signs do you observe that tell us that a critter lives in the sand

bull What critters do you think may live onthis beach Why

bull How would living in a burrow bebeneficial to survival on the beach

Ghost crabs dig down to the watertable Students are asked to figure out

1 4

Students with the Science and Spanish Club Network created theirown ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

the best place to dig to find ghost crabsUltimately they begin digging close to the water They are instructed to handle their ghost crabs with care whenplacing them into a jar and resumingthe conversation

bull How does the crab survive on the beach

bull What special adaptations does the crabhave to survive in this environment

bull Does the crab have natural camouflage

bull What would be the benefit of beingnocturnal

bull How might continual automobile traffic affect ghost crabs populations

Students observe a ghost crab with scishyentific precision ndash the hard exoskeletonjointed legs agile movements specialhairs to absorb water from burrow walls gills that do not need constantimmersion in water pop-up eyes with near 360-degree visual field

Ghost crabs feed mostly at night oncoquinas and smaller crabs They arepreyed upon by birds coyotes badgersand feral hogs After measuring thetemperature of the surface and interiorof a burrow students talk about the advantage of being inside or outside theburrow on a hot day

Yoursquore invited to a Flash Flock party Aransas Refuge frequently hoststeens in the Science and Spanish ClubNetwork (SSCN) a multicultural envishyronmental education project created bythe Gulf of Mexico Foundation

SSCN clubs first came to the mainland units of the refuge Encouraged byNix they now come to MatagordaIsland as well Although Nix does usea beach ecology curriculum with theseyoungsters they are more likely tolearn about the estuarine ecosystemby working in it doing service projects like beach cleanup SSCN teens have

Rich

ard

Gonz

alez

ldquoYou see the light go off in kidsrsquo eyes when they get it they are not out there trying to be cool Marsh mud smells and they are getting wet and dirty while learning By the time they leave they still have a little Matagorda island smellrdquo tonya Nix

rebuilt a trail beaten down by alligatorsobserved whooping crane habitat and ndash in six visits between 2009 and 2011 ndash picked up more than 30 tons of trash from the Gulf coast shoreline

In 2010 SSCN organized a Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party to celebrate both the refuge birthday and Tom Stehn the refugersquos recently retiredwhooping crane biologist Half the celshyebrants wore red white and black while Stehn showed up in the whooping cranecostume he used to work undercover with the cranes SSCN teens created their own ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they now perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

SSCN mentor and grant writer RichardGonzalez planned a Whoop DanceCompetition at the Aransas Pass Shrimporee in June 2012 when Aransas Refuge celebrated its 75th anniversary He has also sent Flash Flock Party Kits to other national wildlife refuges withwhooping cranes (Quivira in Kansas Necedah in Wisconsin Chassahowitza and St Marks in Florida) as well asWood Buffalo National Park in Canada where the Aransas flock spends thesummer Both Quivira and St Marks Refuges are making plans to have kidsdo The Whoop when the first cranesarrive at their refuges

The Flash Flock Party Kit includes life-size wood cuts of cranes smaller-than-life size blue crabs and ideas for creating an event that raises awarenessabout the endangered status of NorthAmericarsquos tallest bird such as celebratshying the day the cranes begin arrivingor leaving building on-site sciencedisplays putting cranes on a paradefloat or establishing a wildlife biologistday Gonzalez also believes The Whoop should be just the first of many endanshygered species theme songs and dancesdeveloped by students ndash he says hersquoslooking forward to the Kemprsquos Ridley Sea Turtle Mambo the Ocelot Trot or the Bison Bounce

For information on Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party Kits ndash or ideas on adapting the party to other species ndashcontact Richard Gonzalez at Richardgulfmexorg

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 5

the Smell of Marsh Mud Matagorda island National Wildlife Refuge offering Multiple options for Hands-on Study of an ecosystem

by Karen Leggett

A barrier island along the coastal bend of texas that has no causeway highway or ferry for access Matagorda island provides an unparalleled opportunity both to protect natural resources and offer the hands-on environshymental educational experience that such an isolated ecosystem can offer

Hundreds are taking advantage eachyear as Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex uses the island as akey component of its environmentaleducation program

Many of the schools served by the refugersquos education program are primarshyily Hispanic and the studentsrsquo firstexperience with the bay and the Gulf ofMexico often occurs during a field tripldquoIt is important that our future leadersunderstand the interdependence ofthe estuarine system and the need toprotect it It is through field trips andinteraction that a true appreciationand understanding can developrdquo says Aransas Refuge environmental educashytion specialist Tonya Nix

The Science and Spanish Club Network ndash a group of middle school clubs conshynected to school districts and youthorganizations ndash brings teens to AransasRefuge as does the Port Lavaca Water Watchers Club which reaches primarily underserved urban Hispanic students

estuary education Aransas Refuge has the largest wetlandhabitat in the northern part of theMission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve a nationally desigshynated complex of wetland terrestrialand marine environments One purposeof these reserves is to promote environshymental education about estuaries

A young crane catchesa blue crab at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas Students learn the connections amongwater quality blue crabs and cranes

While educational field trips have goneto Matagorda Island for decades in2008 Nix began meeting with otherenvironmental education professionalsteachers and scientists from the Univershysity of Texas and Padre Island National Seashore to outline shared educational goals including improved understandshying of Texas coastal ecosystems and stewardship of coastal resources

The goals are based on national sciencestandards and aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)objectives The group identified objecshytives and activities for each natural area that did not overlap ldquoWe want visitors to have a unique experience atMatagorda Island not something theycan experience at Port Aransas or on boats that go into the bayrdquo says Nix Matagorda Island provides an opportushynity to teach about the ecosystem of abarrier island

getting to the island and Staying there When school Scout or other groupscome to Matagorda Island they spendone or two nights in a rustic bunkhouseoriginally used by cowboys when thesouth end of the island was an active cattle ranch There is no charge forthe bunkhouse as long as it is beingused for environmental education Groups must bring their own beddingtoiletries drinking water and food thebunkhouse has a full kitchen completewith cooking supplies Energy comesfrom gas and solar panels

Groups must also arrange their owntransportation to the island on privatecharter boats Nix says the studentswith the Port Lavaca Water Watchers Club save all year to pay for boats tobring them to the island She says therefuge is considering seeking grants or

encouraging the Friends organization tohold fundraisers to defray some of thefield trip expenses

The island has a small lab with locallygathered specimens a few microscopesplankton nets and viewers and disshysecting kits Audio-visual equipment isavailable in a small classroom

Melinda Nielsen who brings fifth- andsixth-graders students from Bay AreaMontessori School in Houston saysldquoThe venue is authentic and away fromhome enabling students to investigatebay marsh coastal grassland freshshywater ponds estuary and beach shore areas all at once to see how they aredependent on each otherrdquo

From goals on paper to Hands-on learning When groups make plans for a Matashygorda Island field trip they choose fromseven lesson plans including a beachhabitat mini-course and a beginningbirding nature trek Some plans existedprior to the Mission-Aransas Reserve collaboration Others were adaptedfrom The Nature Conservancy which conducted programs on the islandbefore it became part of the refugeNix teaches whichever lesson plan thegroup chooses

The Matagorda Island experienceis intended to teach students about the value of the estuary as a nursery for developing organisms and theimportance of the island as a feedingsource for migratory birds Species are observed and studied in their natural habitats allowing students to connectwith nature while learning the imporshytance of working together to insure theanimalshabitats we have today arehere for future generations

Each lesson plan includes a goal objecshytive recommended age group time andseason as well as a very specific list of the TEKS objectives met by that planAn eighth-grade TEKS requirement

Lanc

e an

d E

rin W

illet

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 3

Rich

ard

Gonz

alez

ww

wsh

utte

rsto

ckc

om

Cleaning up beach debris requires hard work andteam work for students on Matagorda Island

Beach Habitat Mini-course

The objectives of this course are to give participants an understanding ofthe Gulf beach as an appealing but deceptively harsh habitat for residentbiota Other objectives include

bull Learn to perceive the ecological zones on the beachbull Find and identify some characteristic animals that live in each zonebull Observe and discuss the adaptations that permit survival on the beach and

the food web that supports these resident creaturesbull Learn some ways that humans can disrupt the natural cycles on a beach

Site Gulf beach at Wynne RoadRecommended length 2+ hrsRecommended age Grades 8-12 and adultsRecommended seasontime spring summer fall

Materials provided by refuge (except for personal clothing items) bull Outside clothes with sleeves and

long trousers to get wet to theknees wet shoes hat sun block

bull four slurpersbull four plastic jarsbull four plastic cubesbull two hand nets bull two hand magnifiers

Sample activities and questions

bull two 20-30 foot seines for the groupbull two five-gallon buckets for the groupbull thermometer bull refractometer bull megaphonebull group water jugbull First-aid kit with meat tenderizer bull 2-way radio

There are activities and questions related to several key wildlife species onthe beach ndash tiger beetle beach hopper sand digger palp worm mole grabs and ghost crabsbull Catch a tiger beetle in a plastic cube for observation How does it tolerate

sun and heat How about swimmers and fishermen bull Find coquinas the small clams living in the swash zone Note the sturdy

wedge-shaped shell adapted to the battering surf and shifting sand

Children learn to identify ghostcrab tracks and burrows

that could be met on Matagorda Islandfor example is for students to conductfield and laboratory investigations using safe environmentally appropriate andethical practices

Another eighth-grade TEKS requireshyment is for students to learn about the interdependence among living systemsAransas Refuge provides criticalhabitat for the endangered whoopingcrane which depends on blue crabs asa food source So students learn about the relationship between water qualityand blue crabs ldquoIf the water is too salty blue crabs will not reproducerdquo explains Nix ldquoBlue crabs and thereforewhooping cranes are dependent onwater qualityrdquo

inquiry education Nix guides students through eachlesson with a process called inquiry edushycation When students are on the beach but before they have started digging forghost crabs they are asked to consider

bull What signs do you observe that tell us that a critter lives in the sand

bull What critters do you think may live onthis beach Why

bull How would living in a burrow bebeneficial to survival on the beach

Ghost crabs dig down to the watertable Students are asked to figure out

1 4

Students with the Science and Spanish Club Network created theirown ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

the best place to dig to find ghost crabsUltimately they begin digging close to the water They are instructed to handle their ghost crabs with care whenplacing them into a jar and resumingthe conversation

bull How does the crab survive on the beach

bull What special adaptations does the crabhave to survive in this environment

bull Does the crab have natural camouflage

bull What would be the benefit of beingnocturnal

bull How might continual automobile traffic affect ghost crabs populations

Students observe a ghost crab with scishyentific precision ndash the hard exoskeletonjointed legs agile movements specialhairs to absorb water from burrow walls gills that do not need constantimmersion in water pop-up eyes with near 360-degree visual field

Ghost crabs feed mostly at night oncoquinas and smaller crabs They arepreyed upon by birds coyotes badgersand feral hogs After measuring thetemperature of the surface and interiorof a burrow students talk about the advantage of being inside or outside theburrow on a hot day

Yoursquore invited to a Flash Flock party Aransas Refuge frequently hoststeens in the Science and Spanish ClubNetwork (SSCN) a multicultural envishyronmental education project created bythe Gulf of Mexico Foundation

SSCN clubs first came to the mainland units of the refuge Encouraged byNix they now come to MatagordaIsland as well Although Nix does usea beach ecology curriculum with theseyoungsters they are more likely tolearn about the estuarine ecosystemby working in it doing service projects like beach cleanup SSCN teens have

Rich

ard

Gonz

alez

ldquoYou see the light go off in kidsrsquo eyes when they get it they are not out there trying to be cool Marsh mud smells and they are getting wet and dirty while learning By the time they leave they still have a little Matagorda island smellrdquo tonya Nix

rebuilt a trail beaten down by alligatorsobserved whooping crane habitat and ndash in six visits between 2009 and 2011 ndash picked up more than 30 tons of trash from the Gulf coast shoreline

In 2010 SSCN organized a Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party to celebrate both the refuge birthday and Tom Stehn the refugersquos recently retiredwhooping crane biologist Half the celshyebrants wore red white and black while Stehn showed up in the whooping cranecostume he used to work undercover with the cranes SSCN teens created their own ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they now perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

SSCN mentor and grant writer RichardGonzalez planned a Whoop DanceCompetition at the Aransas Pass Shrimporee in June 2012 when Aransas Refuge celebrated its 75th anniversary He has also sent Flash Flock Party Kits to other national wildlife refuges withwhooping cranes (Quivira in Kansas Necedah in Wisconsin Chassahowitza and St Marks in Florida) as well asWood Buffalo National Park in Canada where the Aransas flock spends thesummer Both Quivira and St Marks Refuges are making plans to have kidsdo The Whoop when the first cranesarrive at their refuges

The Flash Flock Party Kit includes life-size wood cuts of cranes smaller-than-life size blue crabs and ideas for creating an event that raises awarenessabout the endangered status of NorthAmericarsquos tallest bird such as celebratshying the day the cranes begin arrivingor leaving building on-site sciencedisplays putting cranes on a paradefloat or establishing a wildlife biologistday Gonzalez also believes The Whoop should be just the first of many endanshygered species theme songs and dancesdeveloped by students ndash he says hersquoslooking forward to the Kemprsquos Ridley Sea Turtle Mambo the Ocelot Trot or the Bison Bounce

For information on Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party Kits ndash or ideas on adapting the party to other species ndashcontact Richard Gonzalez at Richardgulfmexorg

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 5

Rich

ard

Gonz

alez

ww

wsh

utte

rsto

ckc

om

Cleaning up beach debris requires hard work andteam work for students on Matagorda Island

Beach Habitat Mini-course

The objectives of this course are to give participants an understanding ofthe Gulf beach as an appealing but deceptively harsh habitat for residentbiota Other objectives include

bull Learn to perceive the ecological zones on the beachbull Find and identify some characteristic animals that live in each zonebull Observe and discuss the adaptations that permit survival on the beach and

the food web that supports these resident creaturesbull Learn some ways that humans can disrupt the natural cycles on a beach

Site Gulf beach at Wynne RoadRecommended length 2+ hrsRecommended age Grades 8-12 and adultsRecommended seasontime spring summer fall

Materials provided by refuge (except for personal clothing items) bull Outside clothes with sleeves and

long trousers to get wet to theknees wet shoes hat sun block

bull four slurpersbull four plastic jarsbull four plastic cubesbull two hand nets bull two hand magnifiers

Sample activities and questions

bull two 20-30 foot seines for the groupbull two five-gallon buckets for the groupbull thermometer bull refractometer bull megaphonebull group water jugbull First-aid kit with meat tenderizer bull 2-way radio

There are activities and questions related to several key wildlife species onthe beach ndash tiger beetle beach hopper sand digger palp worm mole grabs and ghost crabsbull Catch a tiger beetle in a plastic cube for observation How does it tolerate

sun and heat How about swimmers and fishermen bull Find coquinas the small clams living in the swash zone Note the sturdy

wedge-shaped shell adapted to the battering surf and shifting sand

Children learn to identify ghostcrab tracks and burrows

that could be met on Matagorda Islandfor example is for students to conductfield and laboratory investigations using safe environmentally appropriate andethical practices

Another eighth-grade TEKS requireshyment is for students to learn about the interdependence among living systemsAransas Refuge provides criticalhabitat for the endangered whoopingcrane which depends on blue crabs asa food source So students learn about the relationship between water qualityand blue crabs ldquoIf the water is too salty blue crabs will not reproducerdquo explains Nix ldquoBlue crabs and thereforewhooping cranes are dependent onwater qualityrdquo

inquiry education Nix guides students through eachlesson with a process called inquiry edushycation When students are on the beach but before they have started digging forghost crabs they are asked to consider

bull What signs do you observe that tell us that a critter lives in the sand

bull What critters do you think may live onthis beach Why

bull How would living in a burrow bebeneficial to survival on the beach

Ghost crabs dig down to the watertable Students are asked to figure out

1 4

Students with the Science and Spanish Club Network created theirown ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

the best place to dig to find ghost crabsUltimately they begin digging close to the water They are instructed to handle their ghost crabs with care whenplacing them into a jar and resumingthe conversation

bull How does the crab survive on the beach

bull What special adaptations does the crabhave to survive in this environment

bull Does the crab have natural camouflage

bull What would be the benefit of beingnocturnal

bull How might continual automobile traffic affect ghost crabs populations

Students observe a ghost crab with scishyentific precision ndash the hard exoskeletonjointed legs agile movements specialhairs to absorb water from burrow walls gills that do not need constantimmersion in water pop-up eyes with near 360-degree visual field

Ghost crabs feed mostly at night oncoquinas and smaller crabs They arepreyed upon by birds coyotes badgersand feral hogs After measuring thetemperature of the surface and interiorof a burrow students talk about the advantage of being inside or outside theburrow on a hot day

Yoursquore invited to a Flash Flock party Aransas Refuge frequently hoststeens in the Science and Spanish ClubNetwork (SSCN) a multicultural envishyronmental education project created bythe Gulf of Mexico Foundation

SSCN clubs first came to the mainland units of the refuge Encouraged byNix they now come to MatagordaIsland as well Although Nix does usea beach ecology curriculum with theseyoungsters they are more likely tolearn about the estuarine ecosystemby working in it doing service projects like beach cleanup SSCN teens have

Rich

ard

Gonz

alez

ldquoYou see the light go off in kidsrsquo eyes when they get it they are not out there trying to be cool Marsh mud smells and they are getting wet and dirty while learning By the time they leave they still have a little Matagorda island smellrdquo tonya Nix

rebuilt a trail beaten down by alligatorsobserved whooping crane habitat and ndash in six visits between 2009 and 2011 ndash picked up more than 30 tons of trash from the Gulf coast shoreline

In 2010 SSCN organized a Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party to celebrate both the refuge birthday and Tom Stehn the refugersquos recently retiredwhooping crane biologist Half the celshyebrants wore red white and black while Stehn showed up in the whooping cranecostume he used to work undercover with the cranes SSCN teens created their own ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they now perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

SSCN mentor and grant writer RichardGonzalez planned a Whoop DanceCompetition at the Aransas Pass Shrimporee in June 2012 when Aransas Refuge celebrated its 75th anniversary He has also sent Flash Flock Party Kits to other national wildlife refuges withwhooping cranes (Quivira in Kansas Necedah in Wisconsin Chassahowitza and St Marks in Florida) as well asWood Buffalo National Park in Canada where the Aransas flock spends thesummer Both Quivira and St Marks Refuges are making plans to have kidsdo The Whoop when the first cranesarrive at their refuges

The Flash Flock Party Kit includes life-size wood cuts of cranes smaller-than-life size blue crabs and ideas for creating an event that raises awarenessabout the endangered status of NorthAmericarsquos tallest bird such as celebratshying the day the cranes begin arrivingor leaving building on-site sciencedisplays putting cranes on a paradefloat or establishing a wildlife biologistday Gonzalez also believes The Whoop should be just the first of many endanshygered species theme songs and dancesdeveloped by students ndash he says hersquoslooking forward to the Kemprsquos Ridley Sea Turtle Mambo the Ocelot Trot or the Bison Bounce

For information on Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party Kits ndash or ideas on adapting the party to other species ndashcontact Richard Gonzalez at Richardgulfmexorg

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 5

Students with the Science and Spanish Club Network created theirown ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

the best place to dig to find ghost crabsUltimately they begin digging close to the water They are instructed to handle their ghost crabs with care whenplacing them into a jar and resumingthe conversation

bull How does the crab survive on the beach

bull What special adaptations does the crabhave to survive in this environment

bull Does the crab have natural camouflage

bull What would be the benefit of beingnocturnal

bull How might continual automobile traffic affect ghost crabs populations

Students observe a ghost crab with scishyentific precision ndash the hard exoskeletonjointed legs agile movements specialhairs to absorb water from burrow walls gills that do not need constantimmersion in water pop-up eyes with near 360-degree visual field

Ghost crabs feed mostly at night oncoquinas and smaller crabs They arepreyed upon by birds coyotes badgersand feral hogs After measuring thetemperature of the surface and interiorof a burrow students talk about the advantage of being inside or outside theburrow on a hot day

Yoursquore invited to a Flash Flock party Aransas Refuge frequently hoststeens in the Science and Spanish ClubNetwork (SSCN) a multicultural envishyronmental education project created bythe Gulf of Mexico Foundation

SSCN clubs first came to the mainland units of the refuge Encouraged byNix they now come to MatagordaIsland as well Although Nix does usea beach ecology curriculum with theseyoungsters they are more likely tolearn about the estuarine ecosystemby working in it doing service projects like beach cleanup SSCN teens have

Rich

ard

Gonz

alez

ldquoYou see the light go off in kidsrsquo eyes when they get it they are not out there trying to be cool Marsh mud smells and they are getting wet and dirty while learning By the time they leave they still have a little Matagorda island smellrdquo tonya Nix

rebuilt a trail beaten down by alligatorsobserved whooping crane habitat and ndash in six visits between 2009 and 2011 ndash picked up more than 30 tons of trash from the Gulf coast shoreline

In 2010 SSCN organized a Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party to celebrate both the refuge birthday and Tom Stehn the refugersquos recently retiredwhooping crane biologist Half the celshyebrants wore red white and black while Stehn showed up in the whooping cranecostume he used to work undercover with the cranes SSCN teens created their own ldquoflash mob dancerdquo which they now perform when Aransas Refuge hasan exhibit at local wildlife festivals

SSCN mentor and grant writer RichardGonzalez planned a Whoop DanceCompetition at the Aransas Pass Shrimporee in June 2012 when Aransas Refuge celebrated its 75th anniversary He has also sent Flash Flock Party Kits to other national wildlife refuges withwhooping cranes (Quivira in Kansas Necedah in Wisconsin Chassahowitza and St Marks in Florida) as well asWood Buffalo National Park in Canada where the Aransas flock spends thesummer Both Quivira and St Marks Refuges are making plans to have kidsdo The Whoop when the first cranesarrive at their refuges

The Flash Flock Party Kit includes life-size wood cuts of cranes smaller-than-life size blue crabs and ideas for creating an event that raises awarenessabout the endangered status of NorthAmericarsquos tallest bird such as celebratshying the day the cranes begin arrivingor leaving building on-site sciencedisplays putting cranes on a paradefloat or establishing a wildlife biologistday Gonzalez also believes The Whoop should be just the first of many endanshygered species theme songs and dancesdeveloped by students ndash he says hersquoslooking forward to the Kemprsquos Ridley Sea Turtle Mambo the Ocelot Trot or the Bison Bounce

For information on Whooping Crane Flash Flock Party Kits ndash or ideas on adapting the party to other species ndashcontact Richard Gonzalez at Richardgulfmexorg

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 5

1 6

Journals and Jpgs introducing Youth to Wildlife in colorado and Wyoming

By Karen Leggett

National elk Refuge is in its fifth year of partnering with multiple organizations to provide a structured program for second-graders in two local elementary schools with large Hispanic populations one is a nonprofit organization called pARtners which helps educators use art to enhance learning and invited the refuge to organize some field trips

Lori Iverson supervisory recreation planner at National Elk Refugethought it was a perfect chance for

ldquokids to learn a sense of place and usejournaling to watch a place changethroughout the seasonsrdquo Iverson participates in planning meetingswith several organizations includingpARTners all committed to creating an interdisciplinary environmental education program centered on visitsto or near the refuge ldquoItrsquos one largeprogramrdquo says Iverson ldquowith many elementsrdquo

During the first program in 2006professional artists and photographersprovided basic drawing and photogshyraphy lessons in the classroom to 150 children who also learned how art can be applied to science Children broughtjournals and cameras provided by theJackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival on each trip to the refuge They filledtheir journals with stories and observashytions and created keepsake covers topreserve their work After each visit Film Festival staff gave students a 4x6 copy of one of their photos to put in thejournal Each class also received digitalcopies of all the student photos

Seasonal visits to the Refuge Before the first trip to the refuge inOctober a local geologist met students in the classroom to introduce the concept of how geology influences theflora and fauna of a region A geologistalso accompanied the students on their

The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival provided cameras and journals for the children whofilled the journals with stories andobservations and created keepsake covers to preserve their work

Students use hand lenses and an aquatic insectchart to identifyfood sources for the birds they observed earlier in the day

visit to the refugeto study such rockformations as Miller Butte

Before the winter visit to the refugeyoungsters learned U

SFW

S

in the classroom about the arearsquos common mammals and the role of predators in the ecosystem This lessonwas provided by Beringia South alocal nonprofit organization dedicatedto preservation of the natural environshyment A refuge staff person visited theclassroom once to teach students about elk migration and biology including winter survival habits as well as approshypriate ways to view wildlife to reducestress on the animals

The winter visit to the refuge includeda sleigh ride during which studentsidentified the major Jackson Holelandforms learned to tell the difference between mature male and female elk and describe such elk behaviors as mewing bugling and sparring Theyalso visited the feed shed to learn about the refugersquos role in supplementingwinter feeding

Classes in the spring focused onraptors and migratory birds Students dissected pellets in the classroom toidentify the creatures being consumedby birds On the refuge students identishyfied birds at a wetland site

open to change The program created by National ElkRefuge and its partners addresses atleast four state curriculum standards 1 Students describe the landforms in

Jackson Hole 2 Students learn about the interdepenshydence of all living things3 Students learn how they are responshysible members of their community andthe environment around them 4 Students understand the possiblehazards during scientific investigationsand practice safety procedures

While lessons are designed to meetthese standards the specifics maychange from year to year accordingto the interests and capabilities ofparticipating organizations In 2010 for example Gina Pasini a seasonal biological technician at Red Rock LakesNational Wildlife Refuge in Montana spent a two-week detail at National ElkRefuge developing learning stations forthe spring field trip

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 7

Supervisory recreation planner Lori Iverson discusses nature journals with students

At one station a refuge volunteertaught students how to use binocularsand took them on a bird walk At the second station Pasini focused on bird beaks and foods After a short lesson about how beaks are adapted for thefood a bird eats children used handlenses to identify aquatic insects thathad been scooped from the water bystudent volunteer Cord Schultz whowas completing 40 hours of requiredcommunity service on the refuge Then Pasini prepared a ldquomacroinvertebrate souprdquo with the insects available nearby

Making School collaborations Work Iverson a former teacher herself believes there are several keys toinitiating and maintaining effectivepartnerships with schools

Find out what a particular schoolor teacher needs ldquoTeachers always get requests from people who want to comeinto their classroom As an environmenshytal educator you have to ask lsquoWhat can I do for yoursquo rather than lsquoHerersquossomething I have for yoursquordquo

Communicate with teachers regushylarly ndash typically with one lead teacherfrom each school

Make sure lessons are alignedwith curriculum objectives which areusually established by states and localschool districts many states are now

adopting national core standards Thesestandards are available online and might include such objectives as ldquoStushydents communicate the basic needs of living things and their connection to theenvironmentrdquo Some states including California and Maryland have specific environmental literacy standards

Donrsquot just look at sciencestandards teach to other subject areaswherever you can especially languagearts social studies or math Iversonalways tries to mention other subjectsshe knows teachers must cover ldquoAdapshytation Thatrsquos a big word ndash letrsquos spellit Or perhaps if there is a food sourceavailable but itrsquos a long ways away an

USF

WS

animal may not go to get it If there are1000 calories of food but theyrsquore 500 yards away how much energy will the animal expend to get the foodrdquo

Before visiting a classroom focussome attention on classroom manageshyment Find out if there are children with disabilities who need accommodashytions if there are behavioral issues orif some children donrsquot speak English

cameras in Action at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildshylife Refuge in Commerce City CO has also used cameras with grand effect ndashincluding student photos displayed in therotunda of the state capitol in Denver

In 2008 former refuge educationspecialist Stacy Armitage contactedPentax headquartered in nearby Golden seeking someone who couldco-teach a photography class InsteadPentax donated 10 cameras lenses and memory cards David Showalter a professional photographer who wastaking pictures on the refuge for abook agreed to volunteer his skills fora refuge photography program withat-risk youth Cameras in Action beganas a three-day summer workshop toconnect kids to nature

ldquoI didnrsquot know how important it wasuntil I started doing itrdquo said Showalter who photographed the refuge for hisbook Prairie Thunder ldquoGive kids a camera and it completes the circuitbetween them and nature They startcrawling around and bringing back a lotof intimate landscapes Itrsquos almost likethey are hard-wired to explorerdquo

The program targets 15- to 17-year-olds often minorities both from area high

ldquoIf you put a cam-era in someonersquos hands they haveto look at the world more closelyrdquo says photographyinstructor David Showalter

Dav

id S

how

alte

r

1 8

schools and The Link a local resourcecenter for at-risk young peopleThe executive directorrsquos husband volunteered at the refuge About 16 students participate each year The program took a break in 2011 while the refuge finished its new visitor center In 2012 the refuge will offer a two-day workshop for high school students plusa two-day program for middle schoolstudents which is a more appropriatematch for the youngsters served by The Link The changes were made tospread scarce resources as broadly aspossible and continue the successfulpartnership with The Link

Two-day workshops mean time is of the essence ldquoMaximize time in the fieldrdquo emphasizes Showalter ldquoThere is no reason to spend time learningPhotoshoptrade when we can get kids inthe field or photographing a detail ofa bird feather in the visitor centerrdquo The teens work in pairs each teamnamed for a refuge animal Armed withcameras and field guides the teams are

expected to return with observations written in a notebook information from a field guide ndash and ideally ndash photosof their teamrsquos critter At the end of the day they gather to evaluate each otherrsquos photos

Each student has a camera ndash a high-end digital SLR in this case But Van Dreese cautions ldquoThe more elaboratethe camera the more knowledgeablethe instructor must be A simple pointand shoot could be most useful I donrsquot know that a specific camera is whatmakes this program so successfulIn fact I sometimes find our fancycameras have too many functions andconfuse the kidsrdquo

Workshop participants choose their best photo for display in the ColoradoState Capitol Building an opportunityarranged by a refuge volunteer whoalso volunteered at the Capitol TheFriends of the Front Range ndash therefuge Friends organization ndash paid tohave each photo framed the framedphotos are later auctioned by theFriends as a fundraiser Participants take home a framed photo as well as a

CD of all their photos and 10 prints of any size they choose They also receivea certificate showing themselves takingpictures

ldquoThe presentation at the capitol was abig dealrdquo says LA Rogers assistant director at The Link ldquoWe work with a lot of lower income youth who donrsquotalways have opportunities Beingtrained by a professional photographerand being able to pick a picture toshare ndash every kid was at the capitol with a parent or representative Thiswas definitely on the lsquocoolrsquo spectrumrdquo

Showalter acknowledges that everyone even professional photographers

ldquoneeds affirmation and a sense of accomshyplishmentrdquo but he perceives a larger purpose for Cameras in Action as well

ldquoIf you put a camera in someonersquos handsthey have to look at the world moreclosely We need to light a lot of sparks or we are going to have a conservation void in the futurerdquo

Refuge volunteerJim Snyder pointsout a birdrsquos nest in the cattails to a group of youngnaturalists

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 9

2 0

infused with Wildlife teaching Refuges to All Students

By Karen Leggett

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

While some schools offer foreign language immersion programs Kate Waller Barrett elementary School in Arlington vA offered Refuge System immersion in 2011-12 Nearly every subject special event field trip and family activity was infused with national wildlife refuges wildlife or habitat conservation and hellip puddles the Refuge System mascot

Barrett Elementary is an urban schooljust outside Washington DC with 510students in grades K-5 Almost half donot speak English as their first languageand more than half are eligible for freeor reduced-price lunches Two teacherswith boundless energy and imagination

ndash Laurie Sullivan and Allyson Greene ndashoversee Barrett Elementaryrsquos ProjectDiscovery in which students delve deeplyinto such topics as NASA engineeringand now wildlife They get strong supportfrom the school librarian classroomteachers and principal

Sullivan submitted a yearrsquos worth ofactivities projects and curriculum tothe ToyotaTAPESTRY grant program with a letter of support from theRefuge System Barrett Elementary won a $10000 Toyota grant that has been spent primarily on computersdigital cameras an honorarium fornature photographer Corey Hilz whotaught the children about the elementsof design and fundamentals of naturephotography transportation for field trips postage stamps and other miscelshylaneous supplies Another $2000 grantfrom the ING investment company paidfor binoculars and additional cameras Most of the projects required morecreativity time and enthusiasm than money although the Refuge Systemrsquos Washington Office provided significant quantities of brochures bannersRefuge Week posters Refuge System coloring books stickers pens othereducational items and speakers onnumerous occasions

Teachers Cristina Torres and Laurie Sullivan help children practicecostume-rearing whooping crane chicks

The school learned in spring 2011 thatit had won the Toyota grant and soprepared the student body for the refshyuges-filled curriculum that beckoned forthe next school year As children wereitching to end school in June 2011 theRefuge System mascot Puddles dancedthrough a school assembly leadingeveryone in a loud and lively rendition ofRock the Refuge (on YouTube at httpbitlyxyB8Dl) The song was written byWendy Cohen a resource teacher forgifted students and reprised throughoutthe 2011 - 2012 school year Childrenwere encouraged to take photos oftheir outdoor adventures during thesummer ndash and even visit nearby wildliferefuges ndash while teachers were invited totraining sessions

prepping Students and teachers About a dozen teachers came to Patuxshyent Research Refuge in Maryland for a half-day workshop that included atram ride through forest wetland andmeadow habitats viewing displaysin the visitor center and discussinglessons to be used before during andafter field trips On another occasionPotomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex park ranger Patricia Wood led about two dozen Barrett teachers in a Project WILD workshopEach teacher received the ProjectWILD Curriculum and Activity Guidewhich is aligned with the VirginiaStandards of Learning

When it was time for third- and fifth-graders to visit Patuxent Refuge in the fall they were ready Barrett Elementary librarian Margaret Frick had children research plants and birdsthey would find at Patuxent Refuge refuge staff remarked on the studentrsquoslevel of preparation

Students mailed letters to family mem-bers friends and other refuges askingthem to send back photos of Flat Puddleson a national wildlife refuge

Before the year was over Barrett students would also visit Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck and OccoquanBay National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia When fourth-graders werehiking through Mason Neck Refugeand State Park in November they took photos of plants and landscape such asan eroding hill with a tree about to fallwater flowing over one part of the trailleaves or fungus on a tree One studentin each hiking group recorded the exactlocation of each item or specimen InApril fourth-graders visited the refugeagain carrying laminated cards of the photos and the precise location As theyfound each item in this digital scavshyenger hunt students had to note anychanges they could observe Students also visited Occoquan Bay Refuge toparticipate in bird banding

Throughout the year Barrett Elemenshytaryrsquos activities were chronicled in an extensive blog (httptinyurlcomBar-rettNature) a Facebook page (httptinyurlcomBarrettNatureFacebook)photos posted on Flickr (wwwflickr comphotosprojectdiscovery) andvideos on YouTube (wwwYouTubecom BarrettNature)

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 1

Journals and Jpgs introducing Youth to Wildlife in colorado and Wyoming

By Karen Leggett

National elk Refuge is in its fifth year of partnering with multiple organizations to provide a structured program for second-graders in two local elementary schools with large Hispanic populations one is a nonprofit organization called pARtners which helps educators use art to enhance learning and invited the refuge to organize some field trips

Lori Iverson supervisory recreation planner at National Elk Refugethought it was a perfect chance for

ldquokids to learn a sense of place and usejournaling to watch a place changethroughout the seasonsrdquo Iverson participates in planning meetingswith several organizations includingpARTners all committed to creating an interdisciplinary environmental education program centered on visitsto or near the refuge ldquoItrsquos one largeprogramrdquo says Iverson ldquowith many elementsrdquo

During the first program in 2006professional artists and photographersprovided basic drawing and photogshyraphy lessons in the classroom to 150 children who also learned how art can be applied to science Children broughtjournals and cameras provided by theJackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival on each trip to the refuge They filledtheir journals with stories and observashytions and created keepsake covers topreserve their work After each visit Film Festival staff gave students a 4x6 copy of one of their photos to put in thejournal Each class also received digitalcopies of all the student photos

Seasonal visits to the Refuge Before the first trip to the refuge inOctober a local geologist met students in the classroom to introduce the concept of how geology influences theflora and fauna of a region A geologistalso accompanied the students on their

The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival provided cameras and journals for the children whofilled the journals with stories andobservations and created keepsake covers to preserve their work

Students use hand lenses and an aquatic insectchart to identifyfood sources for the birds they observed earlier in the day

visit to the refugeto study such rockformations as Miller Butte

Before the winter visit to the refugeyoungsters learned U

SFW

S

in the classroom about the arearsquos common mammals and the role of predators in the ecosystem This lessonwas provided by Beringia South alocal nonprofit organization dedicatedto preservation of the natural environshyment A refuge staff person visited theclassroom once to teach students about elk migration and biology including winter survival habits as well as approshypriate ways to view wildlife to reducestress on the animals

The winter visit to the refuge includeda sleigh ride during which studentsidentified the major Jackson Holelandforms learned to tell the difference between mature male and female elk and describe such elk behaviors as mewing bugling and sparring Theyalso visited the feed shed to learn about the refugersquos role in supplementingwinter feeding

Classes in the spring focused onraptors and migratory birds Students dissected pellets in the classroom toidentify the creatures being consumedby birds On the refuge students identishyfied birds at a wetland site

open to change The program created by National ElkRefuge and its partners addresses atleast four state curriculum standards 1 Students describe the landforms in

Jackson Hole 2 Students learn about the interdepenshydence of all living things3 Students learn how they are responshysible members of their community andthe environment around them 4 Students understand the possiblehazards during scientific investigationsand practice safety procedures

While lessons are designed to meetthese standards the specifics maychange from year to year accordingto the interests and capabilities ofparticipating organizations In 2010 for example Gina Pasini a seasonal biological technician at Red Rock LakesNational Wildlife Refuge in Montana spent a two-week detail at National ElkRefuge developing learning stations forthe spring field trip

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 7

Supervisory recreation planner Lori Iverson discusses nature journals with students

At one station a refuge volunteertaught students how to use binocularsand took them on a bird walk At the second station Pasini focused on bird beaks and foods After a short lesson about how beaks are adapted for thefood a bird eats children used handlenses to identify aquatic insects thathad been scooped from the water bystudent volunteer Cord Schultz whowas completing 40 hours of requiredcommunity service on the refuge Then Pasini prepared a ldquomacroinvertebrate souprdquo with the insects available nearby

Making School collaborations Work Iverson a former teacher herself believes there are several keys toinitiating and maintaining effectivepartnerships with schools

Find out what a particular schoolor teacher needs ldquoTeachers always get requests from people who want to comeinto their classroom As an environmenshytal educator you have to ask lsquoWhat can I do for yoursquo rather than lsquoHerersquossomething I have for yoursquordquo

Communicate with teachers regushylarly ndash typically with one lead teacherfrom each school

Make sure lessons are alignedwith curriculum objectives which areusually established by states and localschool districts many states are now

adopting national core standards Thesestandards are available online and might include such objectives as ldquoStushydents communicate the basic needs of living things and their connection to theenvironmentrdquo Some states including California and Maryland have specific environmental literacy standards

Donrsquot just look at sciencestandards teach to other subject areaswherever you can especially languagearts social studies or math Iversonalways tries to mention other subjectsshe knows teachers must cover ldquoAdapshytation Thatrsquos a big word ndash letrsquos spellit Or perhaps if there is a food sourceavailable but itrsquos a long ways away an

USF

WS

animal may not go to get it If there are1000 calories of food but theyrsquore 500 yards away how much energy will the animal expend to get the foodrdquo

Before visiting a classroom focussome attention on classroom manageshyment Find out if there are children with disabilities who need accommodashytions if there are behavioral issues orif some children donrsquot speak English

cameras in Action at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildshylife Refuge in Commerce City CO has also used cameras with grand effect ndashincluding student photos displayed in therotunda of the state capitol in Denver

In 2008 former refuge educationspecialist Stacy Armitage contactedPentax headquartered in nearby Golden seeking someone who couldco-teach a photography class InsteadPentax donated 10 cameras lenses and memory cards David Showalter a professional photographer who wastaking pictures on the refuge for abook agreed to volunteer his skills fora refuge photography program withat-risk youth Cameras in Action beganas a three-day summer workshop toconnect kids to nature

ldquoI didnrsquot know how important it wasuntil I started doing itrdquo said Showalter who photographed the refuge for hisbook Prairie Thunder ldquoGive kids a camera and it completes the circuitbetween them and nature They startcrawling around and bringing back a lotof intimate landscapes Itrsquos almost likethey are hard-wired to explorerdquo

The program targets 15- to 17-year-olds often minorities both from area high

ldquoIf you put a cam-era in someonersquos hands they haveto look at the world more closelyrdquo says photographyinstructor David Showalter

Dav

id S

how

alte

r

1 8

schools and The Link a local resourcecenter for at-risk young peopleThe executive directorrsquos husband volunteered at the refuge About 16 students participate each year The program took a break in 2011 while the refuge finished its new visitor center In 2012 the refuge will offer a two-day workshop for high school students plusa two-day program for middle schoolstudents which is a more appropriatematch for the youngsters served by The Link The changes were made tospread scarce resources as broadly aspossible and continue the successfulpartnership with The Link

Two-day workshops mean time is of the essence ldquoMaximize time in the fieldrdquo emphasizes Showalter ldquoThere is no reason to spend time learningPhotoshoptrade when we can get kids inthe field or photographing a detail ofa bird feather in the visitor centerrdquo The teens work in pairs each teamnamed for a refuge animal Armed withcameras and field guides the teams are

expected to return with observations written in a notebook information from a field guide ndash and ideally ndash photosof their teamrsquos critter At the end of the day they gather to evaluate each otherrsquos photos

Each student has a camera ndash a high-end digital SLR in this case But Van Dreese cautions ldquoThe more elaboratethe camera the more knowledgeablethe instructor must be A simple pointand shoot could be most useful I donrsquot know that a specific camera is whatmakes this program so successfulIn fact I sometimes find our fancycameras have too many functions andconfuse the kidsrdquo

Workshop participants choose their best photo for display in the ColoradoState Capitol Building an opportunityarranged by a refuge volunteer whoalso volunteered at the Capitol TheFriends of the Front Range ndash therefuge Friends organization ndash paid tohave each photo framed the framedphotos are later auctioned by theFriends as a fundraiser Participants take home a framed photo as well as a

CD of all their photos and 10 prints of any size they choose They also receivea certificate showing themselves takingpictures

ldquoThe presentation at the capitol was abig dealrdquo says LA Rogers assistant director at The Link ldquoWe work with a lot of lower income youth who donrsquotalways have opportunities Beingtrained by a professional photographerand being able to pick a picture toshare ndash every kid was at the capitol with a parent or representative Thiswas definitely on the lsquocoolrsquo spectrumrdquo

Showalter acknowledges that everyone even professional photographers

ldquoneeds affirmation and a sense of accomshyplishmentrdquo but he perceives a larger purpose for Cameras in Action as well

ldquoIf you put a camera in someonersquos handsthey have to look at the world moreclosely We need to light a lot of sparks or we are going to have a conservation void in the futurerdquo

Refuge volunteerJim Snyder pointsout a birdrsquos nest in the cattails to a group of youngnaturalists

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 9

2 0

infused with Wildlife teaching Refuges to All Students

By Karen Leggett

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

While some schools offer foreign language immersion programs Kate Waller Barrett elementary School in Arlington vA offered Refuge System immersion in 2011-12 Nearly every subject special event field trip and family activity was infused with national wildlife refuges wildlife or habitat conservation and hellip puddles the Refuge System mascot

Barrett Elementary is an urban schooljust outside Washington DC with 510students in grades K-5 Almost half donot speak English as their first languageand more than half are eligible for freeor reduced-price lunches Two teacherswith boundless energy and imagination

ndash Laurie Sullivan and Allyson Greene ndashoversee Barrett Elementaryrsquos ProjectDiscovery in which students delve deeplyinto such topics as NASA engineeringand now wildlife They get strong supportfrom the school librarian classroomteachers and principal

Sullivan submitted a yearrsquos worth ofactivities projects and curriculum tothe ToyotaTAPESTRY grant program with a letter of support from theRefuge System Barrett Elementary won a $10000 Toyota grant that has been spent primarily on computersdigital cameras an honorarium fornature photographer Corey Hilz whotaught the children about the elementsof design and fundamentals of naturephotography transportation for field trips postage stamps and other miscelshylaneous supplies Another $2000 grantfrom the ING investment company paidfor binoculars and additional cameras Most of the projects required morecreativity time and enthusiasm than money although the Refuge Systemrsquos Washington Office provided significant quantities of brochures bannersRefuge Week posters Refuge System coloring books stickers pens othereducational items and speakers onnumerous occasions

Teachers Cristina Torres and Laurie Sullivan help children practicecostume-rearing whooping crane chicks

The school learned in spring 2011 thatit had won the Toyota grant and soprepared the student body for the refshyuges-filled curriculum that beckoned forthe next school year As children wereitching to end school in June 2011 theRefuge System mascot Puddles dancedthrough a school assembly leadingeveryone in a loud and lively rendition ofRock the Refuge (on YouTube at httpbitlyxyB8Dl) The song was written byWendy Cohen a resource teacher forgifted students and reprised throughoutthe 2011 - 2012 school year Childrenwere encouraged to take photos oftheir outdoor adventures during thesummer ndash and even visit nearby wildliferefuges ndash while teachers were invited totraining sessions

prepping Students and teachers About a dozen teachers came to Patuxshyent Research Refuge in Maryland for a half-day workshop that included atram ride through forest wetland andmeadow habitats viewing displaysin the visitor center and discussinglessons to be used before during andafter field trips On another occasionPotomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex park ranger Patricia Wood led about two dozen Barrett teachers in a Project WILD workshopEach teacher received the ProjectWILD Curriculum and Activity Guidewhich is aligned with the VirginiaStandards of Learning

When it was time for third- and fifth-graders to visit Patuxent Refuge in the fall they were ready Barrett Elementary librarian Margaret Frick had children research plants and birdsthey would find at Patuxent Refuge refuge staff remarked on the studentrsquoslevel of preparation

Students mailed letters to family mem-bers friends and other refuges askingthem to send back photos of Flat Puddleson a national wildlife refuge

Before the year was over Barrett students would also visit Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck and OccoquanBay National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia When fourth-graders werehiking through Mason Neck Refugeand State Park in November they took photos of plants and landscape such asan eroding hill with a tree about to fallwater flowing over one part of the trailleaves or fungus on a tree One studentin each hiking group recorded the exactlocation of each item or specimen InApril fourth-graders visited the refugeagain carrying laminated cards of the photos and the precise location As theyfound each item in this digital scavshyenger hunt students had to note anychanges they could observe Students also visited Occoquan Bay Refuge toparticipate in bird banding

Throughout the year Barrett Elemenshytaryrsquos activities were chronicled in an extensive blog (httptinyurlcomBar-rettNature) a Facebook page (httptinyurlcomBarrettNatureFacebook)photos posted on Flickr (wwwflickr comphotosprojectdiscovery) andvideos on YouTube (wwwYouTubecom BarrettNature)

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 1

Supervisory recreation planner Lori Iverson discusses nature journals with students

At one station a refuge volunteertaught students how to use binocularsand took them on a bird walk At the second station Pasini focused on bird beaks and foods After a short lesson about how beaks are adapted for thefood a bird eats children used handlenses to identify aquatic insects thathad been scooped from the water bystudent volunteer Cord Schultz whowas completing 40 hours of requiredcommunity service on the refuge Then Pasini prepared a ldquomacroinvertebrate souprdquo with the insects available nearby

Making School collaborations Work Iverson a former teacher herself believes there are several keys toinitiating and maintaining effectivepartnerships with schools

Find out what a particular schoolor teacher needs ldquoTeachers always get requests from people who want to comeinto their classroom As an environmenshytal educator you have to ask lsquoWhat can I do for yoursquo rather than lsquoHerersquossomething I have for yoursquordquo

Communicate with teachers regushylarly ndash typically with one lead teacherfrom each school

Make sure lessons are alignedwith curriculum objectives which areusually established by states and localschool districts many states are now

adopting national core standards Thesestandards are available online and might include such objectives as ldquoStushydents communicate the basic needs of living things and their connection to theenvironmentrdquo Some states including California and Maryland have specific environmental literacy standards

Donrsquot just look at sciencestandards teach to other subject areaswherever you can especially languagearts social studies or math Iversonalways tries to mention other subjectsshe knows teachers must cover ldquoAdapshytation Thatrsquos a big word ndash letrsquos spellit Or perhaps if there is a food sourceavailable but itrsquos a long ways away an

USF

WS

animal may not go to get it If there are1000 calories of food but theyrsquore 500 yards away how much energy will the animal expend to get the foodrdquo

Before visiting a classroom focussome attention on classroom manageshyment Find out if there are children with disabilities who need accommodashytions if there are behavioral issues orif some children donrsquot speak English

cameras in Action at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildshylife Refuge in Commerce City CO has also used cameras with grand effect ndashincluding student photos displayed in therotunda of the state capitol in Denver

In 2008 former refuge educationspecialist Stacy Armitage contactedPentax headquartered in nearby Golden seeking someone who couldco-teach a photography class InsteadPentax donated 10 cameras lenses and memory cards David Showalter a professional photographer who wastaking pictures on the refuge for abook agreed to volunteer his skills fora refuge photography program withat-risk youth Cameras in Action beganas a three-day summer workshop toconnect kids to nature

ldquoI didnrsquot know how important it wasuntil I started doing itrdquo said Showalter who photographed the refuge for hisbook Prairie Thunder ldquoGive kids a camera and it completes the circuitbetween them and nature They startcrawling around and bringing back a lotof intimate landscapes Itrsquos almost likethey are hard-wired to explorerdquo

The program targets 15- to 17-year-olds often minorities both from area high

ldquoIf you put a cam-era in someonersquos hands they haveto look at the world more closelyrdquo says photographyinstructor David Showalter

Dav

id S

how

alte

r

1 8

schools and The Link a local resourcecenter for at-risk young peopleThe executive directorrsquos husband volunteered at the refuge About 16 students participate each year The program took a break in 2011 while the refuge finished its new visitor center In 2012 the refuge will offer a two-day workshop for high school students plusa two-day program for middle schoolstudents which is a more appropriatematch for the youngsters served by The Link The changes were made tospread scarce resources as broadly aspossible and continue the successfulpartnership with The Link

Two-day workshops mean time is of the essence ldquoMaximize time in the fieldrdquo emphasizes Showalter ldquoThere is no reason to spend time learningPhotoshoptrade when we can get kids inthe field or photographing a detail ofa bird feather in the visitor centerrdquo The teens work in pairs each teamnamed for a refuge animal Armed withcameras and field guides the teams are

expected to return with observations written in a notebook information from a field guide ndash and ideally ndash photosof their teamrsquos critter At the end of the day they gather to evaluate each otherrsquos photos

Each student has a camera ndash a high-end digital SLR in this case But Van Dreese cautions ldquoThe more elaboratethe camera the more knowledgeablethe instructor must be A simple pointand shoot could be most useful I donrsquot know that a specific camera is whatmakes this program so successfulIn fact I sometimes find our fancycameras have too many functions andconfuse the kidsrdquo

Workshop participants choose their best photo for display in the ColoradoState Capitol Building an opportunityarranged by a refuge volunteer whoalso volunteered at the Capitol TheFriends of the Front Range ndash therefuge Friends organization ndash paid tohave each photo framed the framedphotos are later auctioned by theFriends as a fundraiser Participants take home a framed photo as well as a

CD of all their photos and 10 prints of any size they choose They also receivea certificate showing themselves takingpictures

ldquoThe presentation at the capitol was abig dealrdquo says LA Rogers assistant director at The Link ldquoWe work with a lot of lower income youth who donrsquotalways have opportunities Beingtrained by a professional photographerand being able to pick a picture toshare ndash every kid was at the capitol with a parent or representative Thiswas definitely on the lsquocoolrsquo spectrumrdquo

Showalter acknowledges that everyone even professional photographers

ldquoneeds affirmation and a sense of accomshyplishmentrdquo but he perceives a larger purpose for Cameras in Action as well

ldquoIf you put a camera in someonersquos handsthey have to look at the world moreclosely We need to light a lot of sparks or we are going to have a conservation void in the futurerdquo

Refuge volunteerJim Snyder pointsout a birdrsquos nest in the cattails to a group of youngnaturalists

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 9

2 0

infused with Wildlife teaching Refuges to All Students

By Karen Leggett

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

While some schools offer foreign language immersion programs Kate Waller Barrett elementary School in Arlington vA offered Refuge System immersion in 2011-12 Nearly every subject special event field trip and family activity was infused with national wildlife refuges wildlife or habitat conservation and hellip puddles the Refuge System mascot

Barrett Elementary is an urban schooljust outside Washington DC with 510students in grades K-5 Almost half donot speak English as their first languageand more than half are eligible for freeor reduced-price lunches Two teacherswith boundless energy and imagination

ndash Laurie Sullivan and Allyson Greene ndashoversee Barrett Elementaryrsquos ProjectDiscovery in which students delve deeplyinto such topics as NASA engineeringand now wildlife They get strong supportfrom the school librarian classroomteachers and principal

Sullivan submitted a yearrsquos worth ofactivities projects and curriculum tothe ToyotaTAPESTRY grant program with a letter of support from theRefuge System Barrett Elementary won a $10000 Toyota grant that has been spent primarily on computersdigital cameras an honorarium fornature photographer Corey Hilz whotaught the children about the elementsof design and fundamentals of naturephotography transportation for field trips postage stamps and other miscelshylaneous supplies Another $2000 grantfrom the ING investment company paidfor binoculars and additional cameras Most of the projects required morecreativity time and enthusiasm than money although the Refuge Systemrsquos Washington Office provided significant quantities of brochures bannersRefuge Week posters Refuge System coloring books stickers pens othereducational items and speakers onnumerous occasions

Teachers Cristina Torres and Laurie Sullivan help children practicecostume-rearing whooping crane chicks

The school learned in spring 2011 thatit had won the Toyota grant and soprepared the student body for the refshyuges-filled curriculum that beckoned forthe next school year As children wereitching to end school in June 2011 theRefuge System mascot Puddles dancedthrough a school assembly leadingeveryone in a loud and lively rendition ofRock the Refuge (on YouTube at httpbitlyxyB8Dl) The song was written byWendy Cohen a resource teacher forgifted students and reprised throughoutthe 2011 - 2012 school year Childrenwere encouraged to take photos oftheir outdoor adventures during thesummer ndash and even visit nearby wildliferefuges ndash while teachers were invited totraining sessions

prepping Students and teachers About a dozen teachers came to Patuxshyent Research Refuge in Maryland for a half-day workshop that included atram ride through forest wetland andmeadow habitats viewing displaysin the visitor center and discussinglessons to be used before during andafter field trips On another occasionPotomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex park ranger Patricia Wood led about two dozen Barrett teachers in a Project WILD workshopEach teacher received the ProjectWILD Curriculum and Activity Guidewhich is aligned with the VirginiaStandards of Learning

When it was time for third- and fifth-graders to visit Patuxent Refuge in the fall they were ready Barrett Elementary librarian Margaret Frick had children research plants and birdsthey would find at Patuxent Refuge refuge staff remarked on the studentrsquoslevel of preparation

Students mailed letters to family mem-bers friends and other refuges askingthem to send back photos of Flat Puddleson a national wildlife refuge

Before the year was over Barrett students would also visit Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck and OccoquanBay National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia When fourth-graders werehiking through Mason Neck Refugeand State Park in November they took photos of plants and landscape such asan eroding hill with a tree about to fallwater flowing over one part of the trailleaves or fungus on a tree One studentin each hiking group recorded the exactlocation of each item or specimen InApril fourth-graders visited the refugeagain carrying laminated cards of the photos and the precise location As theyfound each item in this digital scavshyenger hunt students had to note anychanges they could observe Students also visited Occoquan Bay Refuge toparticipate in bird banding

Throughout the year Barrett Elemenshytaryrsquos activities were chronicled in an extensive blog (httptinyurlcomBar-rettNature) a Facebook page (httptinyurlcomBarrettNatureFacebook)photos posted on Flickr (wwwflickr comphotosprojectdiscovery) andvideos on YouTube (wwwYouTubecom BarrettNature)

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 1

schools and The Link a local resourcecenter for at-risk young peopleThe executive directorrsquos husband volunteered at the refuge About 16 students participate each year The program took a break in 2011 while the refuge finished its new visitor center In 2012 the refuge will offer a two-day workshop for high school students plusa two-day program for middle schoolstudents which is a more appropriatematch for the youngsters served by The Link The changes were made tospread scarce resources as broadly aspossible and continue the successfulpartnership with The Link

Two-day workshops mean time is of the essence ldquoMaximize time in the fieldrdquo emphasizes Showalter ldquoThere is no reason to spend time learningPhotoshoptrade when we can get kids inthe field or photographing a detail ofa bird feather in the visitor centerrdquo The teens work in pairs each teamnamed for a refuge animal Armed withcameras and field guides the teams are

expected to return with observations written in a notebook information from a field guide ndash and ideally ndash photosof their teamrsquos critter At the end of the day they gather to evaluate each otherrsquos photos

Each student has a camera ndash a high-end digital SLR in this case But Van Dreese cautions ldquoThe more elaboratethe camera the more knowledgeablethe instructor must be A simple pointand shoot could be most useful I donrsquot know that a specific camera is whatmakes this program so successfulIn fact I sometimes find our fancycameras have too many functions andconfuse the kidsrdquo

Workshop participants choose their best photo for display in the ColoradoState Capitol Building an opportunityarranged by a refuge volunteer whoalso volunteered at the Capitol TheFriends of the Front Range ndash therefuge Friends organization ndash paid tohave each photo framed the framedphotos are later auctioned by theFriends as a fundraiser Participants take home a framed photo as well as a

CD of all their photos and 10 prints of any size they choose They also receivea certificate showing themselves takingpictures

ldquoThe presentation at the capitol was abig dealrdquo says LA Rogers assistant director at The Link ldquoWe work with a lot of lower income youth who donrsquotalways have opportunities Beingtrained by a professional photographerand being able to pick a picture toshare ndash every kid was at the capitol with a parent or representative Thiswas definitely on the lsquocoolrsquo spectrumrdquo

Showalter acknowledges that everyone even professional photographers

ldquoneeds affirmation and a sense of accomshyplishmentrdquo but he perceives a larger purpose for Cameras in Action as well

ldquoIf you put a camera in someonersquos handsthey have to look at the world moreclosely We need to light a lot of sparks or we are going to have a conservation void in the futurerdquo

Refuge volunteerJim Snyder pointsout a birdrsquos nest in the cattails to a group of youngnaturalists

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 1 9

2 0

infused with Wildlife teaching Refuges to All Students

By Karen Leggett

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

While some schools offer foreign language immersion programs Kate Waller Barrett elementary School in Arlington vA offered Refuge System immersion in 2011-12 Nearly every subject special event field trip and family activity was infused with national wildlife refuges wildlife or habitat conservation and hellip puddles the Refuge System mascot

Barrett Elementary is an urban schooljust outside Washington DC with 510students in grades K-5 Almost half donot speak English as their first languageand more than half are eligible for freeor reduced-price lunches Two teacherswith boundless energy and imagination

ndash Laurie Sullivan and Allyson Greene ndashoversee Barrett Elementaryrsquos ProjectDiscovery in which students delve deeplyinto such topics as NASA engineeringand now wildlife They get strong supportfrom the school librarian classroomteachers and principal

Sullivan submitted a yearrsquos worth ofactivities projects and curriculum tothe ToyotaTAPESTRY grant program with a letter of support from theRefuge System Barrett Elementary won a $10000 Toyota grant that has been spent primarily on computersdigital cameras an honorarium fornature photographer Corey Hilz whotaught the children about the elementsof design and fundamentals of naturephotography transportation for field trips postage stamps and other miscelshylaneous supplies Another $2000 grantfrom the ING investment company paidfor binoculars and additional cameras Most of the projects required morecreativity time and enthusiasm than money although the Refuge Systemrsquos Washington Office provided significant quantities of brochures bannersRefuge Week posters Refuge System coloring books stickers pens othereducational items and speakers onnumerous occasions

Teachers Cristina Torres and Laurie Sullivan help children practicecostume-rearing whooping crane chicks

The school learned in spring 2011 thatit had won the Toyota grant and soprepared the student body for the refshyuges-filled curriculum that beckoned forthe next school year As children wereitching to end school in June 2011 theRefuge System mascot Puddles dancedthrough a school assembly leadingeveryone in a loud and lively rendition ofRock the Refuge (on YouTube at httpbitlyxyB8Dl) The song was written byWendy Cohen a resource teacher forgifted students and reprised throughoutthe 2011 - 2012 school year Childrenwere encouraged to take photos oftheir outdoor adventures during thesummer ndash and even visit nearby wildliferefuges ndash while teachers were invited totraining sessions

prepping Students and teachers About a dozen teachers came to Patuxshyent Research Refuge in Maryland for a half-day workshop that included atram ride through forest wetland andmeadow habitats viewing displaysin the visitor center and discussinglessons to be used before during andafter field trips On another occasionPotomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex park ranger Patricia Wood led about two dozen Barrett teachers in a Project WILD workshopEach teacher received the ProjectWILD Curriculum and Activity Guidewhich is aligned with the VirginiaStandards of Learning

When it was time for third- and fifth-graders to visit Patuxent Refuge in the fall they were ready Barrett Elementary librarian Margaret Frick had children research plants and birdsthey would find at Patuxent Refuge refuge staff remarked on the studentrsquoslevel of preparation

Students mailed letters to family mem-bers friends and other refuges askingthem to send back photos of Flat Puddleson a national wildlife refuge

Before the year was over Barrett students would also visit Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck and OccoquanBay National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia When fourth-graders werehiking through Mason Neck Refugeand State Park in November they took photos of plants and landscape such asan eroding hill with a tree about to fallwater flowing over one part of the trailleaves or fungus on a tree One studentin each hiking group recorded the exactlocation of each item or specimen InApril fourth-graders visited the refugeagain carrying laminated cards of the photos and the precise location As theyfound each item in this digital scavshyenger hunt students had to note anychanges they could observe Students also visited Occoquan Bay Refuge toparticipate in bird banding

Throughout the year Barrett Elemenshytaryrsquos activities were chronicled in an extensive blog (httptinyurlcomBar-rettNature) a Facebook page (httptinyurlcomBarrettNatureFacebook)photos posted on Flickr (wwwflickr comphotosprojectdiscovery) andvideos on YouTube (wwwYouTubecom BarrettNature)

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 1

2 0

infused with Wildlife teaching Refuges to All Students

By Karen Leggett

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

While some schools offer foreign language immersion programs Kate Waller Barrett elementary School in Arlington vA offered Refuge System immersion in 2011-12 Nearly every subject special event field trip and family activity was infused with national wildlife refuges wildlife or habitat conservation and hellip puddles the Refuge System mascot

Barrett Elementary is an urban schooljust outside Washington DC with 510students in grades K-5 Almost half donot speak English as their first languageand more than half are eligible for freeor reduced-price lunches Two teacherswith boundless energy and imagination

ndash Laurie Sullivan and Allyson Greene ndashoversee Barrett Elementaryrsquos ProjectDiscovery in which students delve deeplyinto such topics as NASA engineeringand now wildlife They get strong supportfrom the school librarian classroomteachers and principal

Sullivan submitted a yearrsquos worth ofactivities projects and curriculum tothe ToyotaTAPESTRY grant program with a letter of support from theRefuge System Barrett Elementary won a $10000 Toyota grant that has been spent primarily on computersdigital cameras an honorarium fornature photographer Corey Hilz whotaught the children about the elementsof design and fundamentals of naturephotography transportation for field trips postage stamps and other miscelshylaneous supplies Another $2000 grantfrom the ING investment company paidfor binoculars and additional cameras Most of the projects required morecreativity time and enthusiasm than money although the Refuge Systemrsquos Washington Office provided significant quantities of brochures bannersRefuge Week posters Refuge System coloring books stickers pens othereducational items and speakers onnumerous occasions

Teachers Cristina Torres and Laurie Sullivan help children practicecostume-rearing whooping crane chicks

The school learned in spring 2011 thatit had won the Toyota grant and soprepared the student body for the refshyuges-filled curriculum that beckoned forthe next school year As children wereitching to end school in June 2011 theRefuge System mascot Puddles dancedthrough a school assembly leadingeveryone in a loud and lively rendition ofRock the Refuge (on YouTube at httpbitlyxyB8Dl) The song was written byWendy Cohen a resource teacher forgifted students and reprised throughoutthe 2011 - 2012 school year Childrenwere encouraged to take photos oftheir outdoor adventures during thesummer ndash and even visit nearby wildliferefuges ndash while teachers were invited totraining sessions

prepping Students and teachers About a dozen teachers came to Patuxshyent Research Refuge in Maryland for a half-day workshop that included atram ride through forest wetland andmeadow habitats viewing displaysin the visitor center and discussinglessons to be used before during andafter field trips On another occasionPotomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex park ranger Patricia Wood led about two dozen Barrett teachers in a Project WILD workshopEach teacher received the ProjectWILD Curriculum and Activity Guidewhich is aligned with the VirginiaStandards of Learning

When it was time for third- and fifth-graders to visit Patuxent Refuge in the fall they were ready Barrett Elementary librarian Margaret Frick had children research plants and birdsthey would find at Patuxent Refuge refuge staff remarked on the studentrsquoslevel of preparation

Students mailed letters to family mem-bers friends and other refuges askingthem to send back photos of Flat Puddleson a national wildlife refuge

Before the year was over Barrett students would also visit Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck and OccoquanBay National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia When fourth-graders werehiking through Mason Neck Refugeand State Park in November they took photos of plants and landscape such asan eroding hill with a tree about to fallwater flowing over one part of the trailleaves or fungus on a tree One studentin each hiking group recorded the exactlocation of each item or specimen InApril fourth-graders visited the refugeagain carrying laminated cards of the photos and the precise location As theyfound each item in this digital scavshyenger hunt students had to note anychanges they could observe Students also visited Occoquan Bay Refuge toparticipate in bird banding

Throughout the year Barrett Elemenshytaryrsquos activities were chronicled in an extensive blog (httptinyurlcomBar-rettNature) a Facebook page (httptinyurlcomBarrettNatureFacebook)photos posted on Flickr (wwwflickr comphotosprojectdiscovery) andvideos on YouTube (wwwYouTubecom BarrettNature)

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 1

infused with Wildlife teaching Refuges to All Students

By Karen Leggett

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

While some schools offer foreign language immersion programs Kate Waller Barrett elementary School in Arlington vA offered Refuge System immersion in 2011-12 Nearly every subject special event field trip and family activity was infused with national wildlife refuges wildlife or habitat conservation and hellip puddles the Refuge System mascot

Barrett Elementary is an urban schooljust outside Washington DC with 510students in grades K-5 Almost half donot speak English as their first languageand more than half are eligible for freeor reduced-price lunches Two teacherswith boundless energy and imagination

ndash Laurie Sullivan and Allyson Greene ndashoversee Barrett Elementaryrsquos ProjectDiscovery in which students delve deeplyinto such topics as NASA engineeringand now wildlife They get strong supportfrom the school librarian classroomteachers and principal

Sullivan submitted a yearrsquos worth ofactivities projects and curriculum tothe ToyotaTAPESTRY grant program with a letter of support from theRefuge System Barrett Elementary won a $10000 Toyota grant that has been spent primarily on computersdigital cameras an honorarium fornature photographer Corey Hilz whotaught the children about the elementsof design and fundamentals of naturephotography transportation for field trips postage stamps and other miscelshylaneous supplies Another $2000 grantfrom the ING investment company paidfor binoculars and additional cameras Most of the projects required morecreativity time and enthusiasm than money although the Refuge Systemrsquos Washington Office provided significant quantities of brochures bannersRefuge Week posters Refuge System coloring books stickers pens othereducational items and speakers onnumerous occasions

Teachers Cristina Torres and Laurie Sullivan help children practicecostume-rearing whooping crane chicks

The school learned in spring 2011 thatit had won the Toyota grant and soprepared the student body for the refshyuges-filled curriculum that beckoned forthe next school year As children wereitching to end school in June 2011 theRefuge System mascot Puddles dancedthrough a school assembly leadingeveryone in a loud and lively rendition ofRock the Refuge (on YouTube at httpbitlyxyB8Dl) The song was written byWendy Cohen a resource teacher forgifted students and reprised throughoutthe 2011 - 2012 school year Childrenwere encouraged to take photos oftheir outdoor adventures during thesummer ndash and even visit nearby wildliferefuges ndash while teachers were invited totraining sessions

prepping Students and teachers About a dozen teachers came to Patuxshyent Research Refuge in Maryland for a half-day workshop that included atram ride through forest wetland andmeadow habitats viewing displaysin the visitor center and discussinglessons to be used before during andafter field trips On another occasionPotomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex park ranger Patricia Wood led about two dozen Barrett teachers in a Project WILD workshopEach teacher received the ProjectWILD Curriculum and Activity Guidewhich is aligned with the VirginiaStandards of Learning

When it was time for third- and fifth-graders to visit Patuxent Refuge in the fall they were ready Barrett Elementary librarian Margaret Frick had children research plants and birdsthey would find at Patuxent Refuge refuge staff remarked on the studentrsquoslevel of preparation

Students mailed letters to family mem-bers friends and other refuges askingthem to send back photos of Flat Puddleson a national wildlife refuge

Before the year was over Barrett students would also visit Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck and OccoquanBay National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia When fourth-graders werehiking through Mason Neck Refugeand State Park in November they took photos of plants and landscape such asan eroding hill with a tree about to fallwater flowing over one part of the trailleaves or fungus on a tree One studentin each hiking group recorded the exactlocation of each item or specimen InApril fourth-graders visited the refugeagain carrying laminated cards of the photos and the precise location As theyfound each item in this digital scavshyenger hunt students had to note anychanges they could observe Students also visited Occoquan Bay Refuge toparticipate in bird banding

Throughout the year Barrett Elemenshytaryrsquos activities were chronicled in an extensive blog (httptinyurlcomBar-rettNature) a Facebook page (httptinyurlcomBarrettNatureFacebook)photos posted on Flickr (wwwflickr comphotosprojectdiscovery) andvideos on YouTube (wwwYouTubecom BarrettNature)

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 1

On a giant map of the United States Puddles ldquodroverdquo a school bus through several statesevery time the children read another 5000 books Reading is the fuel for the bus to pass

First-graders learned what is happenshying to polar bears on Arctic NationalWildlife Refuge Second-graders used a Build-a-Bird application on iPads that required them to select the right beakswings habitat and body for several speshycific birds Third-graders are learningabout energy and renewable resourcesThey will use their new knowledgeto become ldquoenergy consultantsrdquo and suggest ways for refuges to use morerenewable resources of energy

Fourth-graders prepared presentations for second-graders including videoclips and PowerPoint and in one case a puppet show with marionettes fashshyioned from the animals in the coloringbook The students evaluated each preshysentation deciding whether it answered questions in a memorable way What is a wildlife refuge What wildlife canbe found there What habitats can be

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

found there What do people do on a

by more and more national wildlife refuges

day by day in the classroom Principal Terry Bratt challenged students to read 60000 books duringthe school year On a giant map of the United States Puddles ldquodroverdquo a school bus through several states every time the children read another 5000 books Reading is the fuel for the bus to passby more and more national wildliferefuges One fourth-grader came intothe Discovery Lab and looked longingly at the book Americarsquos Wildlife Refuges Lands of Promise ldquoIrsquove been waitingto read this bookrdquo he said ldquoThere are so many refuges I donrsquot know how Irsquomgoing to get to them allrdquo

Sullivan and Greene collaborated with classroom teachers to incorporaterefuge information themes and activishyties into many curriculum areas alwaysmaking sure that they were helpingteachers meet Virginiarsquos Standardsof Learning curriculum objectives Aswith most state standards the objecshytives spiral through the grades withchildren first learning about animalsthen habitats and environments then interactions among species

ldquoWe could easily see that through the refuges we could teach major conceptssuch as habitats ecosystems plantsanimals seasons and human impacton environmentsrdquo said Sullivan ldquoWe could envision students learning aboutthe jobs refuge managers and wildlife

biologists carry out The students could replicate the science and mathematicsskills that are used on the job suchas observation data collection data analysis and sharing resultsrdquo

One kindergarten lesson focused on twoquestions What is a wildlife refugeWhat is a habitat Youngsters learned to use tally marks to track each pieceof information they learned about ananimalrsquos habitat (food water shelter space) They learned about refugesfrom the Refuge System coloring bookthat was given to each child

Kindergartners pretended to be whoopshying cranes migrating through the hallsof Barrett Elementary ndash an iMovie of their frenzied fluttering is online

Barrett Elementary students learned about the entire Refuge Systemincluding KicirclaueaPoint National Wildlife Refuge in Hawairsquoi as theyreceived photos andinformation in re-sponse to their letterwriting campaign

wildlife refuge Why are wildlife refugesimportant

Fifth-graders who traditionallyproduce a bound ldquotreasure bookrdquo filled this yearrsquos books with their own naturewriting and photos

Special events Special days and family activity nightsalso featured refuges at BarrettElementary National Fire amp EmergencyResponse Advisor Fred Wetzel marinespecialist Brett Wolfe and birdingspecialist Michael Carlo all attendedCareer Day from the Washington OfficeGreene said there was a noticeable increase in the number of students who could envision working in nature- orscience-related fields One first-graderwants to be a mycologist because ldquoshehad learned the word and liked fungusrdquoexplained Greene with a smile A motherasked how to say ldquoforest rangerrdquo inSpanish

2 2

The Rock the Refuge Celebration andScience Discovery Fair in February featured a chance to take a photo withPuddles several participants from theRefuge System Washington Office a live raptor show a bird migration game in the gym and animal and natureprojects in the Discovery Lab and the library

Flat puddles Librarian Frick used Flat Puddles as a springboard to help children and theirfamilies learn about refuges all overthe country Based on the Flat Stanley childrenrsquos books Flat Puddles is a flatpaper image of the blue goose In theirscience enrichment class students mailed Flat Puddles with a standard letter to friends family members andother refuges asking them to ldquoPleasetake this picture of a Blue Goose to awildlife refuge near you hellip Find a greatspot to take a picture of Flat Puddlesexperiencing the outdoorsrdquo Students used both traditional postal mail(with $176 worth of postage stamps) and email with a specially createdaccount for PuddlesBGoosegmailcom The response was tremendous andimmediate

More than 500 digital photos weresent from studentsrsquo family and friendsafter they visited distant refuges orfrom refuges themselves Refuges sentstamps brochures and a promise tosend Flat Puddles to another refugeFrick used each email or letter as an opportunity to introduce the youngestchildren to research They would locatethe refuge in a state find out a littlebit of information about the state and learn about an animal that lived on the refuge

Michael Carlo a Refuge System visitorservices specialist who participated in several events at Barrett Elementary believes the year-long involvementwith refuges ldquocreated continuity not just a memoryrdquo Carlo especially liked the powerful and visible connectionthat was made when several Refuge

Third-graders wrote new lyrics to apopular song and danced during a peprally to kick off a year-long celebrationof national wildlife refuges at BarrettElementary School

System staffers showed up for a singleevent like the science night devotedentirely to conservation If the entire Barrett Elementary program seems overwhelming Carlo recommends that a refuge work with a single school toidentify five goals or activities to accomshyplish in a single year Then evaluate the outcomes before deciding to continuefor another year

To get the kind of results seen at Barrett Elementary Sullivan suggests that refuges contact the science leadteacher or the person in charge ofthe science curriculum for the entire district Teacher meetings offer refuge staff a chance to speak aboutpartnership opportunities or providesimple fliers ldquoWould your kids like to see deer antlers We have a lesson that meets your curriculum standardsrdquo Simple printed material is more likelyto be read than emails say the Barrettteachers

ldquoMake sure teachers have an opporshytunity to say what they would like tosee as part of any projectrdquo advises Sullivan ldquoTeachers at every grade level at Barrett saw our proposal before itwas submittedrdquo She also mentioned the particular appeal of Puddles and smalleducational items ndash like pencils calshyendars stickers and all those coloringbooks ndash that children can take home Barrett Elementary concluded the school year with a Rock the Refugeassembly showcasing studentsrsquo refuge-related creations ldquoThe Refuge Systemis a priceless gift reflecting the greatdiversity of the tapestry of life and the commitment of the United States to wildlife conservationrdquo wrote Sullivan in her grant application quoting fromthe Smithsonian Book of National Wildlife Refuges by Eric Jay Dolin ldquoWe hope as a result of this project that ourstudents parents educators and thecommunity will better appreciate thisgift and care for it in the futurerdquo

to get the kind of results seen at Barrett elementary Sullivan suggests that refuges contact the science lead teacher or the person in charge of the science curriculum for the entire district teacher meetings offer refuge staff a chance to speak about partnership opportunities

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 3

2 4

A student learns by doingbecoming comfortable in thenatural habitat around him

Building environmental literacy one class at a time From 26 Students to 320 in three Years

By Karen Leggett

For the past three years every student in third- through sixth-grade at imperial Beach elementary School has come to units of the San diego National Wildlife Refuge complex in california twice a year ndash 320 students from an urban predominantly minority low-income school who receive rarely offered hands-on instruction about wildlife and habitat

It all started with one teacher who wanted her fourth-graders to knowabout the natural world around them

ldquoStudents learn about how to take care of this habitatrdquo said Cheryl Evans ldquoIt is literally in some of their backyardsrdquo Gradually more grade levels begancoming to the refuge and they camemore frequently

Third-graders come to Tijuana SloughRefuge and the Sweetwater MarshUnit of San Diego Bay Refuge to learn about estuaries In fourth-gradethey go to San Diego Refuge to learnabout riparian habitats and the impactof upriver activity downriver By fifth-grade youngsters are learningabout the water quality in the bay byvisiting San Diego Bay Refuge andlearning about oak woodland habitat atCrestridge Ecological Reserve (a state partner) They are also able to see thatthe coastal sage scrub they planted infourth-grade is growing By sixth-grade

they are teaching each other ldquoOh donrsquot you remember when we went there anddid thisrdquo ldquoI planted over hererdquo ldquoThis is where I learned to use binocularsrdquo

A curriculum has been created for each refuge or refuge unit San DiegoRefuge Complex environmental educashytion specialist Chantel Jimenez workedwith teachers to write the curriculum and update it to meet changing stateobjectives This year for the first timeCalifornia teachers must meet specificrequirements in environmental literacy Third-graders for example must learnabout ldquostructures for survival in a healthy ecosystemrdquo sixth-graders areto learn about the ldquodynamic nature of riversrdquo The curriculum also meets state standards and objectives in othersubject areas such as language artsand social studies

Salt Marsh Bingo The teacherrsquos guide for each refugeincludes activities (with detailedprocedures and required materials) aglossary and background information One activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students receive a handlens and a bingo card with pictures ofdifferent wetland plants Some plantsare excreters some accumulators The hand lens enables children to see salt crystals on any plants that are excretshyers As they would for a scavengerhunt students search the salt marsh for plants shown on the bingo cards Theyhave to identify three in a row andthen show their classmates where theyfound the plants

After the bingo game students chooseone salt marsh plant to observe morecarefully recording specific informationon observation sheets that ask such quesshytions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Isthe soil wet or dry Is your plant slenderor bushy Are the leaves thick or thinSticky waxy or hairy Children also haveroom on their observation sheets to draw a picture of their plant

For the teachers the guide explains words like halophyte (a plant thatgrows in salty or alkaline soil) excreter

Barren land becomes green one year after students plant coastal sage scrub

USF

WS

USF

WS

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 5

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Not onlyare they prepared to get wet but they canalso talk about cord grass and planktonnot just bugs and leaves ldquoTheir handscome up quicker to answer questionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership

ldquoI heard a kid say that he brought hismom to water his plants in the summerrdquo

value of Multiple visits ldquoWe need programs that donrsquot take much time arenrsquot too expensive andbuild upon knowledge from previousyearsrdquo says Jimenez Jimenez acknowlshyedges the value of being at a refugethat is on a public trolley line as animportant way to reduce transportationcosts Eventually Jimenez hopes to train a cadre of volunteers or docents who can also be environmental educashytors on the refuge

Each of the refugersquos educationalexperiences is available to any schoolTeachers may choose Sweetwater Safari or Tijuana Estuary Explorers ndash or both Typically 12 to 20 classes come to the refuge each year to do a singleU

SFW

S

A big key to success in initiating a school-wide program is to start small and have a champion at the school

and accumulator with examples of eachPicklewood stores salt sea lavender excretes salt There is also a brief disshycussion of how plants survive in salt so that teachers have an understanding ofthe science their students are expectedto learn Both students and teachers can also learn the same information visually in the refuge exhibit hall

getting Started A big key to success in initiating aschool-wide program is to start smalland have a champion at the school

ldquoWe started with one classroom of 26 students with one teacher and it grewfrom there There were money issuesgrants that didnrsquot come through Butit will happen if you have good peopleon your team Take time to find those peoplerdquo advises Jimenez adding that

ldquoto have a school that is dedicated to taking time out of the classroom saysa lot about the value of this programAnd it all started with one teacherrdquo

Teacher Cheryl Evans credits Jimenez as well ldquoThis works because Chantel

and I work closely together and coorshydinate our efforts She makes sure the refuge is ready for us and I make surethe teachers know what is expected ofthemrdquo

Jimenez provides a half-day of trainingfor the teachers before students appear

ldquoThe teachers learn what the students learnrdquo says Jimenez ldquoWhat is a tidal salt marsh What habitats and plantswill kids see What science objectivesare they meetingrdquo Teachers often feel they donrsquot have the expertise to leada field trip on their own so Jimenezrsquotraining is intended to enable them toanswer a few questions without feelingas if they need to be the expert

The San Diego Refuge educationprogram is funded with grants fromSempa Energy Foundation and the California Wetlands Recovery Program as well as smaller grants and helpwith transportation funding from theFriends of San Diego Refuge Most ofthe instructors are contractors from the Earth Discovery Institute and paid by the refuge

program

Jimenez has concluded that ldquomultiple trips in a year and multiple visits overseveral years have had a greater impact on the studentsrsquo connection with nature and desire to be outsiderdquo Jimenez is thrilled when children have an ldquoawerdquo moment doing science in the fieldputting a plankton net in the water andrealizing it is full of living creatures ndashcreatures they didnrsquot want to touch atfirst

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Notonly are they prepared to get wet butthey can also talk about cord grassand plankton not just bugs and leaves

ldquoTheir hands come up quicker to answerquestionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership ldquoI heard a kid saythat he brought his mom to water hisplants in the summerrdquo

Evans also believes there is long-termvalue in helping children feel comfortshyable in the natural habitat surroundingthem ldquoThere are signs posted sayingthat we have planted in certain areasFormer students are always coming over to tell me what they see when theygo over to the refuge And one studentalways says lsquothis is the best field tripeverrsquo each time we gordquo

2 6

Field lesson Salt Marsh plants teAcHeRrsquoS NoteS

duration 40 minutes

location Outside next to Salt Marsh Plants

Halophyte (hal e fit) A plant that grows in salty or alkaline soil

excreter Releases or gets rid of salt

Accumulator Holds in salt

Marsh succulents like Jaumea and pickleweed store salt inside their tissues

Salt grass excretes salt onto its leaves

Alkali heath is another marsh grass that excretes salt

cordgrass excretes salt

Sea lavender excretes salt

overview This activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students will choose onesalt marsh plant to observe and record in their journal

objectives Students will bull Be able to distinguish how salt marsh

plants adapt to a salty environmentbull Know the difference between accushy

mulator and excreter describe the physical characteristics of both

bull Learn two endangered bird speciesthat are dependent on salt marshplants

Materials bull Salt marsh plant signbull Explorer plant backpack

bull Bingo cardsbull Bingo card piecesbull Hand lenses bull Explorer journal

Background Salt marsh plants live in a very extreme environment Salt marshes are placeswhere salt water from the ocean fills upthe marsh daily during the high tidesThe plants that live here must deal withthis daily influx of water and salt Theyare unique in that they have specialadaptations to living with high quantishyties of salt

procedure 1 Before explaining the rules of the

bingo game give a hand lens to eachstudent Explain that the hand lenswill allow them to see salt crystals on the excreters or any other detail

2 Explain the rules of the bingo game3 Each pair of students gets a bingo

card (all the cards are the same)The cards have pictures of differentwetland plants Each plant is eitheran excreter or an accumulator

4 One plant is not an excreter oraccumulator (salt marsh birdrsquos beak)This plant is located in the uppermiddle box on the bingo sheet

5 Explain that this plant is endangeredand therefore we are not allowed to be near it This space on the card isa ldquofreebierdquo for everyone The green bingo card piece goes on the saltmarsh birdrsquos beak space

6 The other bingo card pieces are toblock out other squares on the cardSome pieces have a clapper rail andsome have the Beldingrsquos savannahsparrow Clapper rail pieces go on excreter plants marked ldquoexcreterrdquo Savannah sparrows go on accumulashytor plants marked ldquoaccumulatorrdquo

7 Each pair of students tries to findthe plants on the bingo cards ontheir own in the salt marsh like a scavenger hunt They will have to getat least three in a row and be able to share with the class where they foundthem Define the boundaries of where they can go

8 After the plant bingo each studentpicks one plant to observe and takes notes in a field journal using theprovided observation sheets

Students choose one salt marsh plant toobserve more carefully ndash such as this salt marsh birdrsquos beak plant ndash and answersuch questions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Are the leaves thick or thin Sticky waxy or hairyrdquo

Lisa

Cox

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 7

2 8

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

The Rock the Refuge Celebration andScience Discovery Fair in February featured a chance to take a photo withPuddles several participants from theRefuge System Washington Office a live raptor show a bird migration game in the gym and animal and natureprojects in the Discovery Lab and the library

Flat puddles Librarian Frick used Flat Puddles as a springboard to help children and theirfamilies learn about refuges all overthe country Based on the Flat Stanley childrenrsquos books Flat Puddles is a flatpaper image of the blue goose In theirscience enrichment class students mailed Flat Puddles with a standard letter to friends family members andother refuges asking them to ldquoPleasetake this picture of a Blue Goose to awildlife refuge near you hellip Find a greatspot to take a picture of Flat Puddlesexperiencing the outdoorsrdquo Students used both traditional postal mail(with $176 worth of postage stamps) and email with a specially createdaccount for PuddlesBGoosegmailcom The response was tremendous andimmediate

More than 500 digital photos weresent from studentsrsquo family and friendsafter they visited distant refuges orfrom refuges themselves Refuges sentstamps brochures and a promise tosend Flat Puddles to another refugeFrick used each email or letter as an opportunity to introduce the youngestchildren to research They would locatethe refuge in a state find out a littlebit of information about the state and learn about an animal that lived on the refuge

Michael Carlo a Refuge System visitorservices specialist who participated in several events at Barrett Elementary believes the year-long involvementwith refuges ldquocreated continuity not just a memoryrdquo Carlo especially liked the powerful and visible connectionthat was made when several Refuge

Third-graders wrote new lyrics to apopular song and danced during a peprally to kick off a year-long celebrationof national wildlife refuges at BarrettElementary School

System staffers showed up for a singleevent like the science night devotedentirely to conservation If the entire Barrett Elementary program seems overwhelming Carlo recommends that a refuge work with a single school toidentify five goals or activities to accomshyplish in a single year Then evaluate the outcomes before deciding to continuefor another year

To get the kind of results seen at Barrett Elementary Sullivan suggests that refuges contact the science leadteacher or the person in charge ofthe science curriculum for the entire district Teacher meetings offer refuge staff a chance to speak aboutpartnership opportunities or providesimple fliers ldquoWould your kids like to see deer antlers We have a lesson that meets your curriculum standardsrdquo Simple printed material is more likelyto be read than emails say the Barrettteachers

ldquoMake sure teachers have an opporshytunity to say what they would like tosee as part of any projectrdquo advises Sullivan ldquoTeachers at every grade level at Barrett saw our proposal before itwas submittedrdquo She also mentioned the particular appeal of Puddles and smalleducational items ndash like pencils calshyendars stickers and all those coloringbooks ndash that children can take home Barrett Elementary concluded the school year with a Rock the Refugeassembly showcasing studentsrsquo refuge-related creations ldquoThe Refuge Systemis a priceless gift reflecting the greatdiversity of the tapestry of life and the commitment of the United States to wildlife conservationrdquo wrote Sullivan in her grant application quoting fromthe Smithsonian Book of National Wildlife Refuges by Eric Jay Dolin ldquoWe hope as a result of this project that ourstudents parents educators and thecommunity will better appreciate thisgift and care for it in the futurerdquo

to get the kind of results seen at Barrett elementary Sullivan suggests that refuges contact the science lead teacher or the person in charge of the science curriculum for the entire district teacher meetings offer refuge staff a chance to speak about partnership opportunities

Barr

ett E

lem

enta

ry S

choo

l

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 3

2 4

A student learns by doingbecoming comfortable in thenatural habitat around him

Building environmental literacy one class at a time From 26 Students to 320 in three Years

By Karen Leggett

For the past three years every student in third- through sixth-grade at imperial Beach elementary School has come to units of the San diego National Wildlife Refuge complex in california twice a year ndash 320 students from an urban predominantly minority low-income school who receive rarely offered hands-on instruction about wildlife and habitat

It all started with one teacher who wanted her fourth-graders to knowabout the natural world around them

ldquoStudents learn about how to take care of this habitatrdquo said Cheryl Evans ldquoIt is literally in some of their backyardsrdquo Gradually more grade levels begancoming to the refuge and they camemore frequently

Third-graders come to Tijuana SloughRefuge and the Sweetwater MarshUnit of San Diego Bay Refuge to learn about estuaries In fourth-gradethey go to San Diego Refuge to learnabout riparian habitats and the impactof upriver activity downriver By fifth-grade youngsters are learningabout the water quality in the bay byvisiting San Diego Bay Refuge andlearning about oak woodland habitat atCrestridge Ecological Reserve (a state partner) They are also able to see thatthe coastal sage scrub they planted infourth-grade is growing By sixth-grade

they are teaching each other ldquoOh donrsquot you remember when we went there anddid thisrdquo ldquoI planted over hererdquo ldquoThis is where I learned to use binocularsrdquo

A curriculum has been created for each refuge or refuge unit San DiegoRefuge Complex environmental educashytion specialist Chantel Jimenez workedwith teachers to write the curriculum and update it to meet changing stateobjectives This year for the first timeCalifornia teachers must meet specificrequirements in environmental literacy Third-graders for example must learnabout ldquostructures for survival in a healthy ecosystemrdquo sixth-graders areto learn about the ldquodynamic nature of riversrdquo The curriculum also meets state standards and objectives in othersubject areas such as language artsand social studies

Salt Marsh Bingo The teacherrsquos guide for each refugeincludes activities (with detailedprocedures and required materials) aglossary and background information One activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students receive a handlens and a bingo card with pictures ofdifferent wetland plants Some plantsare excreters some accumulators The hand lens enables children to see salt crystals on any plants that are excretshyers As they would for a scavengerhunt students search the salt marsh for plants shown on the bingo cards Theyhave to identify three in a row andthen show their classmates where theyfound the plants

After the bingo game students chooseone salt marsh plant to observe morecarefully recording specific informationon observation sheets that ask such quesshytions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Isthe soil wet or dry Is your plant slenderor bushy Are the leaves thick or thinSticky waxy or hairy Children also haveroom on their observation sheets to draw a picture of their plant

For the teachers the guide explains words like halophyte (a plant thatgrows in salty or alkaline soil) excreter

Barren land becomes green one year after students plant coastal sage scrub

USF

WS

USF

WS

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 5

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Not onlyare they prepared to get wet but they canalso talk about cord grass and planktonnot just bugs and leaves ldquoTheir handscome up quicker to answer questionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership

ldquoI heard a kid say that he brought hismom to water his plants in the summerrdquo

value of Multiple visits ldquoWe need programs that donrsquot take much time arenrsquot too expensive andbuild upon knowledge from previousyearsrdquo says Jimenez Jimenez acknowlshyedges the value of being at a refugethat is on a public trolley line as animportant way to reduce transportationcosts Eventually Jimenez hopes to train a cadre of volunteers or docents who can also be environmental educashytors on the refuge

Each of the refugersquos educationalexperiences is available to any schoolTeachers may choose Sweetwater Safari or Tijuana Estuary Explorers ndash or both Typically 12 to 20 classes come to the refuge each year to do a singleU

SFW

S

A big key to success in initiating a school-wide program is to start small and have a champion at the school

and accumulator with examples of eachPicklewood stores salt sea lavender excretes salt There is also a brief disshycussion of how plants survive in salt so that teachers have an understanding ofthe science their students are expectedto learn Both students and teachers can also learn the same information visually in the refuge exhibit hall

getting Started A big key to success in initiating aschool-wide program is to start smalland have a champion at the school

ldquoWe started with one classroom of 26 students with one teacher and it grewfrom there There were money issuesgrants that didnrsquot come through Butit will happen if you have good peopleon your team Take time to find those peoplerdquo advises Jimenez adding that

ldquoto have a school that is dedicated to taking time out of the classroom saysa lot about the value of this programAnd it all started with one teacherrdquo

Teacher Cheryl Evans credits Jimenez as well ldquoThis works because Chantel

and I work closely together and coorshydinate our efforts She makes sure the refuge is ready for us and I make surethe teachers know what is expected ofthemrdquo

Jimenez provides a half-day of trainingfor the teachers before students appear

ldquoThe teachers learn what the students learnrdquo says Jimenez ldquoWhat is a tidal salt marsh What habitats and plantswill kids see What science objectivesare they meetingrdquo Teachers often feel they donrsquot have the expertise to leada field trip on their own so Jimenezrsquotraining is intended to enable them toanswer a few questions without feelingas if they need to be the expert

The San Diego Refuge educationprogram is funded with grants fromSempa Energy Foundation and the California Wetlands Recovery Program as well as smaller grants and helpwith transportation funding from theFriends of San Diego Refuge Most ofthe instructors are contractors from the Earth Discovery Institute and paid by the refuge

program

Jimenez has concluded that ldquomultiple trips in a year and multiple visits overseveral years have had a greater impact on the studentsrsquo connection with nature and desire to be outsiderdquo Jimenez is thrilled when children have an ldquoawerdquo moment doing science in the fieldputting a plankton net in the water andrealizing it is full of living creatures ndashcreatures they didnrsquot want to touch atfirst

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Notonly are they prepared to get wet butthey can also talk about cord grassand plankton not just bugs and leaves

ldquoTheir hands come up quicker to answerquestionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership ldquoI heard a kid saythat he brought his mom to water hisplants in the summerrdquo

Evans also believes there is long-termvalue in helping children feel comfortshyable in the natural habitat surroundingthem ldquoThere are signs posted sayingthat we have planted in certain areasFormer students are always coming over to tell me what they see when theygo over to the refuge And one studentalways says lsquothis is the best field tripeverrsquo each time we gordquo

2 6

Field lesson Salt Marsh plants teAcHeRrsquoS NoteS

duration 40 minutes

location Outside next to Salt Marsh Plants

Halophyte (hal e fit) A plant that grows in salty or alkaline soil

excreter Releases or gets rid of salt

Accumulator Holds in salt

Marsh succulents like Jaumea and pickleweed store salt inside their tissues

Salt grass excretes salt onto its leaves

Alkali heath is another marsh grass that excretes salt

cordgrass excretes salt

Sea lavender excretes salt

overview This activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students will choose onesalt marsh plant to observe and record in their journal

objectives Students will bull Be able to distinguish how salt marsh

plants adapt to a salty environmentbull Know the difference between accushy

mulator and excreter describe the physical characteristics of both

bull Learn two endangered bird speciesthat are dependent on salt marshplants

Materials bull Salt marsh plant signbull Explorer plant backpack

bull Bingo cardsbull Bingo card piecesbull Hand lenses bull Explorer journal

Background Salt marsh plants live in a very extreme environment Salt marshes are placeswhere salt water from the ocean fills upthe marsh daily during the high tidesThe plants that live here must deal withthis daily influx of water and salt Theyare unique in that they have specialadaptations to living with high quantishyties of salt

procedure 1 Before explaining the rules of the

bingo game give a hand lens to eachstudent Explain that the hand lenswill allow them to see salt crystals on the excreters or any other detail

2 Explain the rules of the bingo game3 Each pair of students gets a bingo

card (all the cards are the same)The cards have pictures of differentwetland plants Each plant is eitheran excreter or an accumulator

4 One plant is not an excreter oraccumulator (salt marsh birdrsquos beak)This plant is located in the uppermiddle box on the bingo sheet

5 Explain that this plant is endangeredand therefore we are not allowed to be near it This space on the card isa ldquofreebierdquo for everyone The green bingo card piece goes on the saltmarsh birdrsquos beak space

6 The other bingo card pieces are toblock out other squares on the cardSome pieces have a clapper rail andsome have the Beldingrsquos savannahsparrow Clapper rail pieces go on excreter plants marked ldquoexcreterrdquo Savannah sparrows go on accumulashytor plants marked ldquoaccumulatorrdquo

7 Each pair of students tries to findthe plants on the bingo cards ontheir own in the salt marsh like a scavenger hunt They will have to getat least three in a row and be able to share with the class where they foundthem Define the boundaries of where they can go

8 After the plant bingo each studentpicks one plant to observe and takes notes in a field journal using theprovided observation sheets

Students choose one salt marsh plant toobserve more carefully ndash such as this salt marsh birdrsquos beak plant ndash and answersuch questions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Are the leaves thick or thin Sticky waxy or hairyrdquo

Lisa

Cox

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 7

2 8

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

2 4

A student learns by doingbecoming comfortable in thenatural habitat around him

Building environmental literacy one class at a time From 26 Students to 320 in three Years

By Karen Leggett

For the past three years every student in third- through sixth-grade at imperial Beach elementary School has come to units of the San diego National Wildlife Refuge complex in california twice a year ndash 320 students from an urban predominantly minority low-income school who receive rarely offered hands-on instruction about wildlife and habitat

It all started with one teacher who wanted her fourth-graders to knowabout the natural world around them

ldquoStudents learn about how to take care of this habitatrdquo said Cheryl Evans ldquoIt is literally in some of their backyardsrdquo Gradually more grade levels begancoming to the refuge and they camemore frequently

Third-graders come to Tijuana SloughRefuge and the Sweetwater MarshUnit of San Diego Bay Refuge to learn about estuaries In fourth-gradethey go to San Diego Refuge to learnabout riparian habitats and the impactof upriver activity downriver By fifth-grade youngsters are learningabout the water quality in the bay byvisiting San Diego Bay Refuge andlearning about oak woodland habitat atCrestridge Ecological Reserve (a state partner) They are also able to see thatthe coastal sage scrub they planted infourth-grade is growing By sixth-grade

they are teaching each other ldquoOh donrsquot you remember when we went there anddid thisrdquo ldquoI planted over hererdquo ldquoThis is where I learned to use binocularsrdquo

A curriculum has been created for each refuge or refuge unit San DiegoRefuge Complex environmental educashytion specialist Chantel Jimenez workedwith teachers to write the curriculum and update it to meet changing stateobjectives This year for the first timeCalifornia teachers must meet specificrequirements in environmental literacy Third-graders for example must learnabout ldquostructures for survival in a healthy ecosystemrdquo sixth-graders areto learn about the ldquodynamic nature of riversrdquo The curriculum also meets state standards and objectives in othersubject areas such as language artsand social studies

Salt Marsh Bingo The teacherrsquos guide for each refugeincludes activities (with detailedprocedures and required materials) aglossary and background information One activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students receive a handlens and a bingo card with pictures ofdifferent wetland plants Some plantsare excreters some accumulators The hand lens enables children to see salt crystals on any plants that are excretshyers As they would for a scavengerhunt students search the salt marsh for plants shown on the bingo cards Theyhave to identify three in a row andthen show their classmates where theyfound the plants

After the bingo game students chooseone salt marsh plant to observe morecarefully recording specific informationon observation sheets that ask such quesshytions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Isthe soil wet or dry Is your plant slenderor bushy Are the leaves thick or thinSticky waxy or hairy Children also haveroom on their observation sheets to draw a picture of their plant

For the teachers the guide explains words like halophyte (a plant thatgrows in salty or alkaline soil) excreter

Barren land becomes green one year after students plant coastal sage scrub

USF

WS

USF

WS

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 5

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Not onlyare they prepared to get wet but they canalso talk about cord grass and planktonnot just bugs and leaves ldquoTheir handscome up quicker to answer questionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership

ldquoI heard a kid say that he brought hismom to water his plants in the summerrdquo

value of Multiple visits ldquoWe need programs that donrsquot take much time arenrsquot too expensive andbuild upon knowledge from previousyearsrdquo says Jimenez Jimenez acknowlshyedges the value of being at a refugethat is on a public trolley line as animportant way to reduce transportationcosts Eventually Jimenez hopes to train a cadre of volunteers or docents who can also be environmental educashytors on the refuge

Each of the refugersquos educationalexperiences is available to any schoolTeachers may choose Sweetwater Safari or Tijuana Estuary Explorers ndash or both Typically 12 to 20 classes come to the refuge each year to do a singleU

SFW

S

A big key to success in initiating a school-wide program is to start small and have a champion at the school

and accumulator with examples of eachPicklewood stores salt sea lavender excretes salt There is also a brief disshycussion of how plants survive in salt so that teachers have an understanding ofthe science their students are expectedto learn Both students and teachers can also learn the same information visually in the refuge exhibit hall

getting Started A big key to success in initiating aschool-wide program is to start smalland have a champion at the school

ldquoWe started with one classroom of 26 students with one teacher and it grewfrom there There were money issuesgrants that didnrsquot come through Butit will happen if you have good peopleon your team Take time to find those peoplerdquo advises Jimenez adding that

ldquoto have a school that is dedicated to taking time out of the classroom saysa lot about the value of this programAnd it all started with one teacherrdquo

Teacher Cheryl Evans credits Jimenez as well ldquoThis works because Chantel

and I work closely together and coorshydinate our efforts She makes sure the refuge is ready for us and I make surethe teachers know what is expected ofthemrdquo

Jimenez provides a half-day of trainingfor the teachers before students appear

ldquoThe teachers learn what the students learnrdquo says Jimenez ldquoWhat is a tidal salt marsh What habitats and plantswill kids see What science objectivesare they meetingrdquo Teachers often feel they donrsquot have the expertise to leada field trip on their own so Jimenezrsquotraining is intended to enable them toanswer a few questions without feelingas if they need to be the expert

The San Diego Refuge educationprogram is funded with grants fromSempa Energy Foundation and the California Wetlands Recovery Program as well as smaller grants and helpwith transportation funding from theFriends of San Diego Refuge Most ofthe instructors are contractors from the Earth Discovery Institute and paid by the refuge

program

Jimenez has concluded that ldquomultiple trips in a year and multiple visits overseveral years have had a greater impact on the studentsrsquo connection with nature and desire to be outsiderdquo Jimenez is thrilled when children have an ldquoawerdquo moment doing science in the fieldputting a plankton net in the water andrealizing it is full of living creatures ndashcreatures they didnrsquot want to touch atfirst

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Notonly are they prepared to get wet butthey can also talk about cord grassand plankton not just bugs and leaves

ldquoTheir hands come up quicker to answerquestionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership ldquoI heard a kid saythat he brought his mom to water hisplants in the summerrdquo

Evans also believes there is long-termvalue in helping children feel comfortshyable in the natural habitat surroundingthem ldquoThere are signs posted sayingthat we have planted in certain areasFormer students are always coming over to tell me what they see when theygo over to the refuge And one studentalways says lsquothis is the best field tripeverrsquo each time we gordquo

2 6

Field lesson Salt Marsh plants teAcHeRrsquoS NoteS

duration 40 minutes

location Outside next to Salt Marsh Plants

Halophyte (hal e fit) A plant that grows in salty or alkaline soil

excreter Releases or gets rid of salt

Accumulator Holds in salt

Marsh succulents like Jaumea and pickleweed store salt inside their tissues

Salt grass excretes salt onto its leaves

Alkali heath is another marsh grass that excretes salt

cordgrass excretes salt

Sea lavender excretes salt

overview This activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students will choose onesalt marsh plant to observe and record in their journal

objectives Students will bull Be able to distinguish how salt marsh

plants adapt to a salty environmentbull Know the difference between accushy

mulator and excreter describe the physical characteristics of both

bull Learn two endangered bird speciesthat are dependent on salt marshplants

Materials bull Salt marsh plant signbull Explorer plant backpack

bull Bingo cardsbull Bingo card piecesbull Hand lenses bull Explorer journal

Background Salt marsh plants live in a very extreme environment Salt marshes are placeswhere salt water from the ocean fills upthe marsh daily during the high tidesThe plants that live here must deal withthis daily influx of water and salt Theyare unique in that they have specialadaptations to living with high quantishyties of salt

procedure 1 Before explaining the rules of the

bingo game give a hand lens to eachstudent Explain that the hand lenswill allow them to see salt crystals on the excreters or any other detail

2 Explain the rules of the bingo game3 Each pair of students gets a bingo

card (all the cards are the same)The cards have pictures of differentwetland plants Each plant is eitheran excreter or an accumulator

4 One plant is not an excreter oraccumulator (salt marsh birdrsquos beak)This plant is located in the uppermiddle box on the bingo sheet

5 Explain that this plant is endangeredand therefore we are not allowed to be near it This space on the card isa ldquofreebierdquo for everyone The green bingo card piece goes on the saltmarsh birdrsquos beak space

6 The other bingo card pieces are toblock out other squares on the cardSome pieces have a clapper rail andsome have the Beldingrsquos savannahsparrow Clapper rail pieces go on excreter plants marked ldquoexcreterrdquo Savannah sparrows go on accumulashytor plants marked ldquoaccumulatorrdquo

7 Each pair of students tries to findthe plants on the bingo cards ontheir own in the salt marsh like a scavenger hunt They will have to getat least three in a row and be able to share with the class where they foundthem Define the boundaries of where they can go

8 After the plant bingo each studentpicks one plant to observe and takes notes in a field journal using theprovided observation sheets

Students choose one salt marsh plant toobserve more carefully ndash such as this salt marsh birdrsquos beak plant ndash and answersuch questions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Are the leaves thick or thin Sticky waxy or hairyrdquo

Lisa

Cox

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 7

2 8

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

Building environmental literacy one class at a time From 26 Students to 320 in three Years

By Karen Leggett

For the past three years every student in third- through sixth-grade at imperial Beach elementary School has come to units of the San diego National Wildlife Refuge complex in california twice a year ndash 320 students from an urban predominantly minority low-income school who receive rarely offered hands-on instruction about wildlife and habitat

It all started with one teacher who wanted her fourth-graders to knowabout the natural world around them

ldquoStudents learn about how to take care of this habitatrdquo said Cheryl Evans ldquoIt is literally in some of their backyardsrdquo Gradually more grade levels begancoming to the refuge and they camemore frequently

Third-graders come to Tijuana SloughRefuge and the Sweetwater MarshUnit of San Diego Bay Refuge to learn about estuaries In fourth-gradethey go to San Diego Refuge to learnabout riparian habitats and the impactof upriver activity downriver By fifth-grade youngsters are learningabout the water quality in the bay byvisiting San Diego Bay Refuge andlearning about oak woodland habitat atCrestridge Ecological Reserve (a state partner) They are also able to see thatthe coastal sage scrub they planted infourth-grade is growing By sixth-grade

they are teaching each other ldquoOh donrsquot you remember when we went there anddid thisrdquo ldquoI planted over hererdquo ldquoThis is where I learned to use binocularsrdquo

A curriculum has been created for each refuge or refuge unit San DiegoRefuge Complex environmental educashytion specialist Chantel Jimenez workedwith teachers to write the curriculum and update it to meet changing stateobjectives This year for the first timeCalifornia teachers must meet specificrequirements in environmental literacy Third-graders for example must learnabout ldquostructures for survival in a healthy ecosystemrdquo sixth-graders areto learn about the ldquodynamic nature of riversrdquo The curriculum also meets state standards and objectives in othersubject areas such as language artsand social studies

Salt Marsh Bingo The teacherrsquos guide for each refugeincludes activities (with detailedprocedures and required materials) aglossary and background information One activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students receive a handlens and a bingo card with pictures ofdifferent wetland plants Some plantsare excreters some accumulators The hand lens enables children to see salt crystals on any plants that are excretshyers As they would for a scavengerhunt students search the salt marsh for plants shown on the bingo cards Theyhave to identify three in a row andthen show their classmates where theyfound the plants

After the bingo game students chooseone salt marsh plant to observe morecarefully recording specific informationon observation sheets that ask such quesshytions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Isthe soil wet or dry Is your plant slenderor bushy Are the leaves thick or thinSticky waxy or hairy Children also haveroom on their observation sheets to draw a picture of their plant

For the teachers the guide explains words like halophyte (a plant thatgrows in salty or alkaline soil) excreter

Barren land becomes green one year after students plant coastal sage scrub

USF

WS

USF

WS

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 5

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Not onlyare they prepared to get wet but they canalso talk about cord grass and planktonnot just bugs and leaves ldquoTheir handscome up quicker to answer questionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership

ldquoI heard a kid say that he brought hismom to water his plants in the summerrdquo

value of Multiple visits ldquoWe need programs that donrsquot take much time arenrsquot too expensive andbuild upon knowledge from previousyearsrdquo says Jimenez Jimenez acknowlshyedges the value of being at a refugethat is on a public trolley line as animportant way to reduce transportationcosts Eventually Jimenez hopes to train a cadre of volunteers or docents who can also be environmental educashytors on the refuge

Each of the refugersquos educationalexperiences is available to any schoolTeachers may choose Sweetwater Safari or Tijuana Estuary Explorers ndash or both Typically 12 to 20 classes come to the refuge each year to do a singleU

SFW

S

A big key to success in initiating a school-wide program is to start small and have a champion at the school

and accumulator with examples of eachPicklewood stores salt sea lavender excretes salt There is also a brief disshycussion of how plants survive in salt so that teachers have an understanding ofthe science their students are expectedto learn Both students and teachers can also learn the same information visually in the refuge exhibit hall

getting Started A big key to success in initiating aschool-wide program is to start smalland have a champion at the school

ldquoWe started with one classroom of 26 students with one teacher and it grewfrom there There were money issuesgrants that didnrsquot come through Butit will happen if you have good peopleon your team Take time to find those peoplerdquo advises Jimenez adding that

ldquoto have a school that is dedicated to taking time out of the classroom saysa lot about the value of this programAnd it all started with one teacherrdquo

Teacher Cheryl Evans credits Jimenez as well ldquoThis works because Chantel

and I work closely together and coorshydinate our efforts She makes sure the refuge is ready for us and I make surethe teachers know what is expected ofthemrdquo

Jimenez provides a half-day of trainingfor the teachers before students appear

ldquoThe teachers learn what the students learnrdquo says Jimenez ldquoWhat is a tidal salt marsh What habitats and plantswill kids see What science objectivesare they meetingrdquo Teachers often feel they donrsquot have the expertise to leada field trip on their own so Jimenezrsquotraining is intended to enable them toanswer a few questions without feelingas if they need to be the expert

The San Diego Refuge educationprogram is funded with grants fromSempa Energy Foundation and the California Wetlands Recovery Program as well as smaller grants and helpwith transportation funding from theFriends of San Diego Refuge Most ofthe instructors are contractors from the Earth Discovery Institute and paid by the refuge

program

Jimenez has concluded that ldquomultiple trips in a year and multiple visits overseveral years have had a greater impact on the studentsrsquo connection with nature and desire to be outsiderdquo Jimenez is thrilled when children have an ldquoawerdquo moment doing science in the fieldputting a plankton net in the water andrealizing it is full of living creatures ndashcreatures they didnrsquot want to touch atfirst

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Notonly are they prepared to get wet butthey can also talk about cord grassand plankton not just bugs and leaves

ldquoTheir hands come up quicker to answerquestionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership ldquoI heard a kid saythat he brought his mom to water hisplants in the summerrdquo

Evans also believes there is long-termvalue in helping children feel comfortshyable in the natural habitat surroundingthem ldquoThere are signs posted sayingthat we have planted in certain areasFormer students are always coming over to tell me what they see when theygo over to the refuge And one studentalways says lsquothis is the best field tripeverrsquo each time we gordquo

2 6

Field lesson Salt Marsh plants teAcHeRrsquoS NoteS

duration 40 minutes

location Outside next to Salt Marsh Plants

Halophyte (hal e fit) A plant that grows in salty or alkaline soil

excreter Releases or gets rid of salt

Accumulator Holds in salt

Marsh succulents like Jaumea and pickleweed store salt inside their tissues

Salt grass excretes salt onto its leaves

Alkali heath is another marsh grass that excretes salt

cordgrass excretes salt

Sea lavender excretes salt

overview This activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students will choose onesalt marsh plant to observe and record in their journal

objectives Students will bull Be able to distinguish how salt marsh

plants adapt to a salty environmentbull Know the difference between accushy

mulator and excreter describe the physical characteristics of both

bull Learn two endangered bird speciesthat are dependent on salt marshplants

Materials bull Salt marsh plant signbull Explorer plant backpack

bull Bingo cardsbull Bingo card piecesbull Hand lenses bull Explorer journal

Background Salt marsh plants live in a very extreme environment Salt marshes are placeswhere salt water from the ocean fills upthe marsh daily during the high tidesThe plants that live here must deal withthis daily influx of water and salt Theyare unique in that they have specialadaptations to living with high quantishyties of salt

procedure 1 Before explaining the rules of the

bingo game give a hand lens to eachstudent Explain that the hand lenswill allow them to see salt crystals on the excreters or any other detail

2 Explain the rules of the bingo game3 Each pair of students gets a bingo

card (all the cards are the same)The cards have pictures of differentwetland plants Each plant is eitheran excreter or an accumulator

4 One plant is not an excreter oraccumulator (salt marsh birdrsquos beak)This plant is located in the uppermiddle box on the bingo sheet

5 Explain that this plant is endangeredand therefore we are not allowed to be near it This space on the card isa ldquofreebierdquo for everyone The green bingo card piece goes on the saltmarsh birdrsquos beak space

6 The other bingo card pieces are toblock out other squares on the cardSome pieces have a clapper rail andsome have the Beldingrsquos savannahsparrow Clapper rail pieces go on excreter plants marked ldquoexcreterrdquo Savannah sparrows go on accumulashytor plants marked ldquoaccumulatorrdquo

7 Each pair of students tries to findthe plants on the bingo cards ontheir own in the salt marsh like a scavenger hunt They will have to getat least three in a row and be able to share with the class where they foundthem Define the boundaries of where they can go

8 After the plant bingo each studentpicks one plant to observe and takes notes in a field journal using theprovided observation sheets

Students choose one salt marsh plant toobserve more carefully ndash such as this salt marsh birdrsquos beak plant ndash and answersuch questions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Are the leaves thick or thin Sticky waxy or hairyrdquo

Lisa

Cox

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 7

2 8

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Not onlyare they prepared to get wet but they canalso talk about cord grass and planktonnot just bugs and leaves ldquoTheir handscome up quicker to answer questionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership

ldquoI heard a kid say that he brought hismom to water his plants in the summerrdquo

value of Multiple visits ldquoWe need programs that donrsquot take much time arenrsquot too expensive andbuild upon knowledge from previousyearsrdquo says Jimenez Jimenez acknowlshyedges the value of being at a refugethat is on a public trolley line as animportant way to reduce transportationcosts Eventually Jimenez hopes to train a cadre of volunteers or docents who can also be environmental educashytors on the refuge

Each of the refugersquos educationalexperiences is available to any schoolTeachers may choose Sweetwater Safari or Tijuana Estuary Explorers ndash or both Typically 12 to 20 classes come to the refuge each year to do a singleU

SFW

S

A big key to success in initiating a school-wide program is to start small and have a champion at the school

and accumulator with examples of eachPicklewood stores salt sea lavender excretes salt There is also a brief disshycussion of how plants survive in salt so that teachers have an understanding ofthe science their students are expectedto learn Both students and teachers can also learn the same information visually in the refuge exhibit hall

getting Started A big key to success in initiating aschool-wide program is to start smalland have a champion at the school

ldquoWe started with one classroom of 26 students with one teacher and it grewfrom there There were money issuesgrants that didnrsquot come through Butit will happen if you have good peopleon your team Take time to find those peoplerdquo advises Jimenez adding that

ldquoto have a school that is dedicated to taking time out of the classroom saysa lot about the value of this programAnd it all started with one teacherrdquo

Teacher Cheryl Evans credits Jimenez as well ldquoThis works because Chantel

and I work closely together and coorshydinate our efforts She makes sure the refuge is ready for us and I make surethe teachers know what is expected ofthemrdquo

Jimenez provides a half-day of trainingfor the teachers before students appear

ldquoThe teachers learn what the students learnrdquo says Jimenez ldquoWhat is a tidal salt marsh What habitats and plantswill kids see What science objectivesare they meetingrdquo Teachers often feel they donrsquot have the expertise to leada field trip on their own so Jimenezrsquotraining is intended to enable them toanswer a few questions without feelingas if they need to be the expert

The San Diego Refuge educationprogram is funded with grants fromSempa Energy Foundation and the California Wetlands Recovery Program as well as smaller grants and helpwith transportation funding from theFriends of San Diego Refuge Most ofthe instructors are contractors from the Earth Discovery Institute and paid by the refuge

program

Jimenez has concluded that ldquomultiple trips in a year and multiple visits overseveral years have had a greater impact on the studentsrsquo connection with nature and desire to be outsiderdquo Jimenez is thrilled when children have an ldquoawerdquo moment doing science in the fieldputting a plankton net in the water andrealizing it is full of living creatures ndashcreatures they didnrsquot want to touch atfirst

By the time children come as sixth-graders they are more engaged Notonly are they prepared to get wet butthey can also talk about cord grassand plankton not just bugs and leaves

ldquoTheir hands come up quicker to answerquestionsrdquo says Jimenez There is pride of ownership ldquoI heard a kid saythat he brought his mom to water hisplants in the summerrdquo

Evans also believes there is long-termvalue in helping children feel comfortshyable in the natural habitat surroundingthem ldquoThere are signs posted sayingthat we have planted in certain areasFormer students are always coming over to tell me what they see when theygo over to the refuge And one studentalways says lsquothis is the best field tripeverrsquo each time we gordquo

2 6

Field lesson Salt Marsh plants teAcHeRrsquoS NoteS

duration 40 minutes

location Outside next to Salt Marsh Plants

Halophyte (hal e fit) A plant that grows in salty or alkaline soil

excreter Releases or gets rid of salt

Accumulator Holds in salt

Marsh succulents like Jaumea and pickleweed store salt inside their tissues

Salt grass excretes salt onto its leaves

Alkali heath is another marsh grass that excretes salt

cordgrass excretes salt

Sea lavender excretes salt

overview This activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students will choose onesalt marsh plant to observe and record in their journal

objectives Students will bull Be able to distinguish how salt marsh

plants adapt to a salty environmentbull Know the difference between accushy

mulator and excreter describe the physical characteristics of both

bull Learn two endangered bird speciesthat are dependent on salt marshplants

Materials bull Salt marsh plant signbull Explorer plant backpack

bull Bingo cardsbull Bingo card piecesbull Hand lenses bull Explorer journal

Background Salt marsh plants live in a very extreme environment Salt marshes are placeswhere salt water from the ocean fills upthe marsh daily during the high tidesThe plants that live here must deal withthis daily influx of water and salt Theyare unique in that they have specialadaptations to living with high quantishyties of salt

procedure 1 Before explaining the rules of the

bingo game give a hand lens to eachstudent Explain that the hand lenswill allow them to see salt crystals on the excreters or any other detail

2 Explain the rules of the bingo game3 Each pair of students gets a bingo

card (all the cards are the same)The cards have pictures of differentwetland plants Each plant is eitheran excreter or an accumulator

4 One plant is not an excreter oraccumulator (salt marsh birdrsquos beak)This plant is located in the uppermiddle box on the bingo sheet

5 Explain that this plant is endangeredand therefore we are not allowed to be near it This space on the card isa ldquofreebierdquo for everyone The green bingo card piece goes on the saltmarsh birdrsquos beak space

6 The other bingo card pieces are toblock out other squares on the cardSome pieces have a clapper rail andsome have the Beldingrsquos savannahsparrow Clapper rail pieces go on excreter plants marked ldquoexcreterrdquo Savannah sparrows go on accumulashytor plants marked ldquoaccumulatorrdquo

7 Each pair of students tries to findthe plants on the bingo cards ontheir own in the salt marsh like a scavenger hunt They will have to getat least three in a row and be able to share with the class where they foundthem Define the boundaries of where they can go

8 After the plant bingo each studentpicks one plant to observe and takes notes in a field journal using theprovided observation sheets

Students choose one salt marsh plant toobserve more carefully ndash such as this salt marsh birdrsquos beak plant ndash and answersuch questions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Are the leaves thick or thin Sticky waxy or hairyrdquo

Lisa

Cox

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 7

2 8

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

Field lesson Salt Marsh plants teAcHeRrsquoS NoteS

duration 40 minutes

location Outside next to Salt Marsh Plants

Halophyte (hal e fit) A plant that grows in salty or alkaline soil

excreter Releases or gets rid of salt

Accumulator Holds in salt

Marsh succulents like Jaumea and pickleweed store salt inside their tissues

Salt grass excretes salt onto its leaves

Alkali heath is another marsh grass that excretes salt

cordgrass excretes salt

Sea lavender excretes salt

overview This activity uses a specially madebingo game to teach salt marsh plantadaptations Students will choose onesalt marsh plant to observe and record in their journal

objectives Students will bull Be able to distinguish how salt marsh

plants adapt to a salty environmentbull Know the difference between accushy

mulator and excreter describe the physical characteristics of both

bull Learn two endangered bird speciesthat are dependent on salt marshplants

Materials bull Salt marsh plant signbull Explorer plant backpack

bull Bingo cardsbull Bingo card piecesbull Hand lenses bull Explorer journal

Background Salt marsh plants live in a very extreme environment Salt marshes are placeswhere salt water from the ocean fills upthe marsh daily during the high tidesThe plants that live here must deal withthis daily influx of water and salt Theyare unique in that they have specialadaptations to living with high quantishyties of salt

procedure 1 Before explaining the rules of the

bingo game give a hand lens to eachstudent Explain that the hand lenswill allow them to see salt crystals on the excreters or any other detail

2 Explain the rules of the bingo game3 Each pair of students gets a bingo

card (all the cards are the same)The cards have pictures of differentwetland plants Each plant is eitheran excreter or an accumulator

4 One plant is not an excreter oraccumulator (salt marsh birdrsquos beak)This plant is located in the uppermiddle box on the bingo sheet

5 Explain that this plant is endangeredand therefore we are not allowed to be near it This space on the card isa ldquofreebierdquo for everyone The green bingo card piece goes on the saltmarsh birdrsquos beak space

6 The other bingo card pieces are toblock out other squares on the cardSome pieces have a clapper rail andsome have the Beldingrsquos savannahsparrow Clapper rail pieces go on excreter plants marked ldquoexcreterrdquo Savannah sparrows go on accumulashytor plants marked ldquoaccumulatorrdquo

7 Each pair of students tries to findthe plants on the bingo cards ontheir own in the salt marsh like a scavenger hunt They will have to getat least three in a row and be able to share with the class where they foundthem Define the boundaries of where they can go

8 After the plant bingo each studentpicks one plant to observe and takes notes in a field journal using theprovided observation sheets

Students choose one salt marsh plant toobserve more carefully ndash such as this salt marsh birdrsquos beak plant ndash and answersuch questions as ldquoWhere is your plant found Are the leaves thick or thin Sticky waxy or hairyrdquo

Lisa

Cox

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 7

2 8

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

2 8

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

Geor

ge G

entr

y

environmental learning = one trail + Many partners By Heather Dewar

What does it take to teach the children of hard-pressed immigrant farm workers how to do science and feel at home in wilderness At Florida panther National Wildlife Refuge near Naples Fl it takes a refuge trail and a carefully-crafted set of hands-on lessons in scientific fieldwork designed in partnership with local teachers the Florida department of environmental protection (dep) and the staffs of nearby parks and reserves

Florida Panther Refuge and another Florida refuge St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge in the Florida Panhandle are among the field sites participating in 18 localized versions of the statersquos Learning In FloridarsquosEnvironment (LIFE) program Now inits eighth year the program seeks to boost middle school studentsrsquo science achievement and environmental awareshyness placing priority on schools wherepoverty rates are high and scores onstate achievement tests are low

Participating schools work with the state and with educators from various outdoor sites to develop a yearlongenvironmental science curriculumanchored by field excursions to severalsites where the children collect record and analyze basic ecological data TheBig Cypress Watershed Project which includes Florida Panther Refuge as a field station is one of the LIFE proshygramrsquos busiest sites In November andDecember some 550 seventh-graders from three Collier County middleschools take turns visiting the refugefor a day of field observations and a dollop of educational play

Students learn how differences in elevation and plant life affectwhere panthers prefer to hunt

Though Naples is known as a wealthyenclave many students in the LIFEprogram have parents who work in low-paying service industries or as migrant farm workers Immokalee Middle School for example is in the heart ofSouth Floridarsquos winter vegetable beltwhere the local radio station broadcasts in Spanish Haitian Creole and twoMayan languages and 40 percent of thepopulation lives on incomes below thefederal poverty line

ldquoMost of the students have parents whowork two or three jobs to put food onthe tablerdquo said Florida Panther Refuge ranger Sandy Mickey ldquoThey canrsquot afford family trips to the beach so anychance to spend time in nature is amajor life experience for themrdquo

customized lesson plans The LIFE programrsquos constant is hands-on data collection centered on basicssuch as air and water temperaturehumidity wind speed water depth and salinity Customized lesson plans teach students how to use that data as another way of seeing the landscapeand understanding how plants andanimals survive in it For example in one field exercise students proposea hypothesis about the role of soilmoisture (or another abiotic factor)in determining what plants grow ina particular spot and then measuresoil moisture to test their hypothesesIn South Florida where a few inchesrsquo change in elevation spells the differencebetween a pine-forested upland asawgrass prairie and a watery cypress slough there are lots of possibilities

As the only environmental educator ona refuge that is mostly closed to thepublic Mickey recruits helpers fromthe refuge staff the LIFE programother environmental learning centersand participating schools ldquoEven theschool bus drivers get involvedrdquo she said

Classes are split into two groups Halfgather data in habitats that supportdozens of varieties of native orchids bromeliads and other epiphytes Manyhave never seen plants growinganywhere other than a field andare astonished by the refugersquos wildabundance of epiphytes which in someplaces cover virtually every limb of every tree

The others collect data in three different habitats ndash a wet prairie atropical hardwood hammock and a pineflatwood They learn how elevationdetermines the plant community how plants create a microclimate and howthose factors combine to determine where panthers prefer to hunt forwhite-tailed deer and where they hideout with their cubs

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Mickey said and the children respondwith ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe The really cool part of the program isgetting them out on the trail and watchshying their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

After a morning of data gathering andlunch the students set aside their data sheets ldquoto blow off steam before they get back on the busrdquo Mickey said For the afternoonrsquos more rambunctious learning sessions Mickey has tweakedthe classic game of tag

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 2 9

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

Role playing In one version half the children playthe role of Florida panthers travelingthrough their home range while theother kids play obstacles the childrenencounter on the way such as highways mercury contamination prey shortages or other cats defending their homeranges By gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about threats facing theendangered panthers and the imporshytance of wildlife corridors

In the other activity half the children play the part of fire while the otherhalf don red shirts to play wildlandfirefighters who try to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square Thestudents experiment with variousfire control measures to even out the game ndash moving pylons to simulatebulldozed fire lines or calling in animaginary aerial water drop carried out by a student who swoops acrossthe field wearing a helicopter pilotrsquoshelmet By the gamersquos end the childrenhave learned about the principles ofprescribed burning Mickey said

The games ldquohave been really effectiveat getting the students to run aroundand burn off some energy but also tolearn while theyrsquore playingrdquo said David Graff coordinator for the LIFE BigCypress Watershed Project

The LIFE program is flexible enoughto accommodate sites as different as St Marks Refuge an environmental educashytion powerhouse that offers programsto thousands of people each year and Florida Panther Refuge which has

limited public access and ndash aside froma few special events each year ndash offersfewer programs and recreationalactivities

Each program shares commonelements said Misty Alderman anenvironmental education specialist whocoordinates the LIFE program for theFlorida Department of EnvironmentalProtection Among them are

Multiple visits to outdoor siteseach with its own set of unique fieldlabs

Localized content collaborativelydesigned to mesh with teachersrsquocurricula

Lesson plans that incorporatethe fieldwork into science math socialstudies and even language classes

Pre- and post-visit testing toconfirm that students have learned the key concepts and

Teacher training to implement the lesson plans and follow up on studentoutcomes

Participating teachers spend two full days going over the field activities indetail Graff said At the start of the program teachers walk through thefield activities either in a classroom or if possible at one of the sites their stushydents will visit The teachers collect the data test the sampling equipment andnote any changes in the lesson plansWhen the semester ends the teachers

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge participates in Floridarsquos LIFE(Learning In Floridarsquos Environment)program in which students collectrecord and analyze basic ecologicaldata on the refuge

go over the studentsrsquo data sheets indetail assessing which ones succeededin their teaching objectives and whichones need to be modified

What does it cost Start-up costs for LIFE programs vary but a bare-bones price tag to establishthe program in three middle schools isaround $5000 not including the stateLIFE program staffersrsquo time It costsabout $2000 per year to sustain a LIFE program serving 150 students with most of that money going to providebus transportation Alderman said

In these days of lean school budgetsthe state does not pick up the tab TheDEPrsquos LIFE staff helps school districtsobtain grants from various state andfederal sources NOAArsquos Bay Watershyshed Education and Training (B-WET) program has funded the LIFE programat Florida Panther Refuge for three years Some sites receive one-yearstate grants

The Florida DEP points to studentsrsquohigher math and science scores ininternal tests and for some schools on statewide achievement tests as well

In a modified version of tag halfthe children play the part of firewhile the other half play wildlandfirefighters trying to keep the ldquofirerdquo confined in a marked-off square

USF

WS

USF

WS

3 0

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

USF

WS

ldquoWe see panther tracks pretty oftenrdquo Sandy Mickey said and the children respond with ldquocomplete enthusiasm and awe hellip the really cool part of the program is getting them out on the trail and watching their eyes light uprdquo when the data come alive

For example in 2010 the year after the first group of Immokalee MiddleSchool seventh-graders completedthe program about one-fourth of theschoolrsquos eighth-graders passed thestate-mandated science achievement test That might be considered a sadresult but itrsquos a 92 percent improveshyment over the schoolrsquos passing rate theyear before

Therersquos no proof of cause and effectbut Florida DEP surveys found that in 2010 95 percent of the teachers participating in the LIFE program feltit boosted their studentsrsquo achievement test scores

Students also give the program athumbs-up In 2010 61 percent said the program made them more comfortableoutdoors 79 percent said the fieldwork was fun 80 percent said the fieldactivities helped them understand their

science lessons better and 81 percent agreed that ldquothe outdoor field activities have made me more aware of how myactions affect the environmentrdquo When asked for details the students repliedwith specifics like ldquoturn off lights when Irsquom not using themrdquo ldquoclean up dog poop even if itrsquos not my dog pooprdquo ldquoplant some local flowers around my houserdquo and ldquorespect Earthrdquo

Environmental educators at refugesand elsewhere can use the programrsquosfree field lab outlines which are site-specific but can be adapted to otherlocations To see the field labs go to the LIFE program web page ndash wwwdepstateflussecretaryedlifeprogramhtm

ndash find the list of participating sites andclick each sitersquos links to see its uniquecontent

Lesson plans incorporatescience math social studies language ndash and sometimes acanoe ride ndash into field tripsto Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 1

3 2

Nature in the city the garden that an ee partnership Built

By Karen Leggett

longstreth elementary School teacher chuck lafferty who grew up near pennsylvaniarsquos tinicum Marsh now has a kindergarten classroom full of bugs and reptiles itrsquos all part of making the marsh and nearby John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at tinicum key parts of his kindergarten curriculum at the inner-city school where one father says most kids donrsquot have anything to do with nature

Central to Laffertyrsquos curriculum is apollinator garden at the refuge whichthe students started and maintain Lafferty calls the connection betweenthe children and the refuge ldquoa shining example of what is possible when agroup of dedicated and devoted peopleget togetherrdquo Refuge manager Gary Stolz agrees on the importance of partshynering with ldquoteachers who have thespark Then help them get the materialsthey need any way they can You needshared ownership in these projectsrdquo

In addition to the school and the refugeothers involved in the partnership haveincluded the Refuge Friends organizationthe Pennsylvania Horticultural SocietyNational Fish and Wildlife Foundation Penn State University Master Gardenshyers and Project BudBurst For exampleLongstreth Elementary School had a partnership with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society which donated soil for a vegetable garden at the schoolthat was used for native plants bedson the refuge

It all started in 2000 in a vacant lot next to a Longstreth School annexwhich Laffertyrsquos students turned intoa schoolyard habitat with $122 they had collected ndash in pennies In 2001 the

Children carried soil to the raised beds in buckets

school received a Sea World Busch Gardens environmental award for the garden and that same year Lafferty met Jean Diehl of the Friends of Heinz Refuge The Friends offered to sellorganic seeds from the schoolyardhabitat and return half of the profits tothe schoolrsquos other environmental educashytion programs

Humanity for Habitat Lafferty who joined the Friends board jumped at Diehlrsquos suggestionthat the Friends apply for a Nature ofLearning grant from the National Fishand Wildlife Foundation so Longstreth Elementary students could construct a pollinator garden at John HeinzRefuge The grant awarded in late2010 provided funds to purchase more than 2000 native plants nurtured inbeds at Longstreth Elementary and transplanted to therefuge

Pennsylvania is currently developshying statewidestandards for outdoor educashytion Laffertysays LongstrethElementary will

Weeds and old plants went into acompost bin whichlater provided soilto fill the raised beds of the pollinatorgarden

be one of the few schools with its own place to meet standards without leavingschool grounds Native plants grown inthe Longstreth Elementary beds will be made available to other schools in Philadelphia

The children came to the refuge inFebruary 2011 to begin working on the project They cleared everything out of an original habitat garden ldquoWe had 30 kids and eight parents including sixdadsrdquo remembers Lafferty

The native plants from the habitatgarden on the refuge were taken backto the Longstreth Elementary NativePlant Nursery where kindergartenersand their sixth-grade habitat buddiescared for them over the winter Everyshything else went into a compost pile Onthe second visit raised beds were builtto hold the composted soil Parents volunshyteers Friends and refuge staff provided athree to one ratio of adults to kids Even kindergarteners were proudly wieldingtheir own shovels and rakes

The Friends paid for bus transportationfor six field trips and project t-shirtsFive-year-old Shanice Gonzalez drew

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S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 3

Sixth-gradersproduced abrochure on the benefits of usingnative plants inhome gardening

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WS

Kindergarteners were accompanied on each trip to the Longstreth Elementary School teacher Chuck Lafferty gathers refuge by a class of sixth-graders Everyone had work to do children for an impromptu lesson on the refugein the garden

ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of habitatrdquo says gary Stolz ldquoBy encouraging and helping create schoolyard and backyard habitat partnerships with pollinator gardens on refuges as models we can help restore fragmented wildlife corridors beyond refuge boundaries for the benefit of all Americansrdquo

the winning design for the bright yellow Kindergarteners were accompanied Cornell Lab of Ornithology Lafferty shirts adorned with the phrase Human- on each trip to the refuge by a class of will also conduct teacher workshopsity for Habitat ldquoThis project brings a sixth-graders During each three-hour at Longstreth based on Access Naturesmile to every face It generates good field trip children split their time and the Habitat Project Guidewill and a spirit of togethernessrdquo says evenly between working in the gardenLafferty and taking a guided walk Lafferty The pollinator garden is already having

uses lessons both in the classroom and an impact on the refuge and the com-By spring children were carrying soil on the refuge from the US Fish and munity The Pennsylvania Horticultural to the raised beds in buckets calling Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitat Society honored the refuge and its pol-themselves ldquoantsrdquo as they formed a Project Guide and the National Wildlife linator garden with the 2011 Community steady line between the mound of Federationrsquos Access Nature program Greening Award Diehl for whom the composted soil and the planting beds garden is the culmination of a 30-yearEvery time a youngster discovered a Sixth-graders produced a brochure on dream says ldquothe garden has proved to worm snail or caterpillar there was the benefits of using native plants in be a magnet for guided butterfly andan excited announcement and all work home gardening They also met a school wildflower walks during the refugersquosstopped until a safe new home could be requirement to complete a 20-hour annual Cradle of Birding Celebrationfound ldquoNot one of them would squash service learning project Kindergarten children have bondeda bug or deliberately harm any living with their natural world ndash a lesson that creaturerdquo wrote the Friends in their On June 7 2011 kindergarteners and will not soon be forgottenrdquo project report to the National Fish and sixth-graders put finishing touches onWildlife Foundation the garden as well as a small pond for ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of

wetland vegetation and fish Students habitatrdquo says Stolz ldquoBy encouraging ldquoWith each visit students became more set landscaping rocks around the perim- and helping create schoolyard andeager to see how the garden was doing eter before celebrating with lunch and backyard habitat partnerships withhow their plants looked and what polli- an award ceremony A state legislator pollinator gardens on refuges as modelsnators were visiting the gardenrdquo noted invited to the ceremony later invited we can help restore fragmented wildlifeJohn Heinz Refuge ranger Mariana refuge manager Gary Stolz to talk corridors beyond refuge boundaries forBergerson ldquoThere were also many about the refuge on his radio program the benefit of all Americansrdquo unplanned teaching moments such aswhen the students assembled to take a Whatrsquos Next picture and one little girl proclaimed lsquoI Lafferty is now teaching first-gradejust sat on a turtlersquordquo so about half the youngsters from his

kindergarten class will continue goingwith him to the refuge Laffertyrsquosstudents also will be collecting informashytion for Project BudBurst a citizenscience phenology project through the

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 5

3 6

ldquoWhat is given in the Right Way cannot Be Forgottenrdquo connecting children Nature and culture by teaching cooperatively with Native elders

By Heather Dewar

their grandparents moved across the land with the seasons traveling by dog team in winter to find caribou fishing in the Selawik River in fall returning from their travels to sod houses in small scattered settlements But now Northshywest Alaskarsquos inupiat eskimo people live year-round in permanent houses

Many children in the community ofSelawik Alaska spend months at atime without leaving their village of 900souls and have few chances to learn the skills that have been handed down through generations For centuries the regionrsquos tundra lakes and riversprovided fish and caribou to supportthe villagersquos traditional subsistenceculture The land which became partof the 25-million-acre Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in 1980 still provides abundant fish and game But airplanesand satellite dishes now link the villageto the wider world and money is anecessity Jobs are few and Selawikrsquos people 95 percent of whom are Inupiatstruggle with poverty alcoholism and the loss of young people who leave tofind work

The village elders wanted to keepInupiaq traditions alive while strengthshyening family and community bondsStaffers at Selawik Refuge shared thatgoal said Susan Georgette the refugersquosoutreach specialist The refuge createdin 1980 encompasses 215 million acres of Western Arctic wilderness where native people have lived for more than10000 years Refuge staffers realize they are newcomers by comparisonThey see the sharing of traditionalknowledge as a powerful appropriateand respectful way to connect childrenwith nature ndash and also as a way ofstrengthening bonds between therefuge and the community

Village elders teacholder children how to set and haul nets for whitefish

In 2003 with the refugersquos help thevillage council and other partnersfounded the Selawik Science and Culture Camp where elders workwith refuge employees to teach theyoungsters traditional hunting andfishing techniques as well as scientificmethods in wildlife biology

Each year in mid-September when thecaribou are migrating and wild berriesare ripe students take two days offfrom classes at the villagersquos 240-studentkindergarten-through-12th-grade schooltraveling by boat to a traditional fishingsite on the refuge The camp is partcommunal harvest and part outdoorclassroom where all the lessons are hands-on and scientific learning is woveninto traditional teachings

learning to hold an ulu and a scalpel Village elders teach older children howto set and haul nets for whitefish the staple fish that like salmon in otherparts of Alaska is the essential proteinin villagersrsquo diet Meanwhile refugestaffers talk about ongoing researchinto the fishrsquos life cycle or explore thewaters for aquatic insects with theyounger children

Elders and other community memberstake the lead tailoring activities to theweather and the dayrsquos harvest from the land and sea Refuge staffers consultwith the elders offering lessons andactivities that support and supplementtraditional teachings For example in a typical lesson a village womandemonstrates the use of the ulu thewomanrsquos knife to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gills extract oxygen from water teaches the students how to tell its agefrom its scales and

otoliths anddissects the fishrsquos internal organs

ldquoThey love theheart and the eyeshyballsrdquo Georgette said

Students travel byboat to a tradition-al fishing site onSelawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge refuge staffersconvey the message that these twoways of knowing need not conflict Thechildren are encouraged to feel equallycomfortable holding an ulu or a scalpel

The village of Selawik runs the campwith funding and other support fromthe NANA (Northwest Alaska NativeAssociation) Regional Corporation theNorthwest Arctic Borough the Northshywest Arctic Borough School Districtand Selawik Refuge

Community members built an 18-byshy30-foot framed tent that is the camprsquosonly indoor space The US Fish and Wildlife Service provided a $10000 Challenge Cost Share grant to the tribalcouncil which pays the salaries of acamp manager cooks and boat drivers and provides honoraria for the teachingelders The grant also covers the costof gasoline for the boats which in 2011 cost about $8 per gallon The schoolsystem contributes additional labor andmaterials About half of the refugersquos11 staffers participate in the camprsquos two-week run

USF

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Susa

n Ge

orge

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S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 7

inspiration interest and dash of chaos The curriculum at the Science and Culture Camp is informalldquoItrsquos very unstructured and it can seem a little chaotic to someone from the Lower 48rdquo Georgette said ldquobut itrsquos how villagesteach their youth They believe thatkids will learn when theyrsquore ready tolearnrdquo

The camp is broken into four two-daysessions with 20 to 40 children in each group The youngest students attendthe first session followed by childrenin grades 4-6 junior high and finallythe high school students The villageschool has only one class for each of theelementary grades so the younger stushydents and their teachers attend camptogether Junior high and high school teachers are invited to come to campif they wish ndash and each year severalattend often learning traditional skillsalongside their students

On a typical day the students meet on the riverbank for a 15-minute boat ride to the camp site There one groupaccompanies two or three adults tocheck the fishing nets Other studentscollect buckets and go berry-picking on the tundra learning plant identificationskills along the way Another group listens to an elder talk about the link between subsistence skills and self-respect

The refuge team helps ensure there isenough variety in the dayrsquos activitiesto keep the children engaged For example a refuge employee may pullout print-making materials and teach

the children how to make leaf printsRefuge staffers continually try new activities In the 2011 session refuge employees brought along small aquaticnets and taught the elementary school students how to fish for invertebrates Some children were fascinated and spent hours with their nets whileothers quickly moved on to somethingdifferent

One activity thatrsquos always a favorite isa photo scavenger hunt using digitalcameras provided by the refuge Whilesnapping photos of an insect a circle-shaped object found in nature or anapaaqtuq (a spruce tree) the studentsare learning ecology the Inupiaq language and field observation

The unstructured approach allows thechildren to pursue their own interestsGeorgette said Keeping tabs on the campers is not a problem since plentyof grown-ups are on scene With elders teacher-observers refuge staff boat drivers and cook about 15 adults are usually in camp ndash and by customvillage children are allowed somefreedom from constant close adult supervision

Being the provider When camp ends community membersteachers and students gather for apotluck of caribou soup baked anddried fish and a traditional Inupiaqdessert of whitefish eggs mixed withwild berries The feast gives thechildren ldquothe satisfaction of being the providerrdquo Georgette said ldquoIn northern Alaska therersquos a lot of cultural pride ingetting food from the landrdquo

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

Villagers teachstudents how to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gillsextract oxygen fromwater

The children who attend the campmiss two days of classroom lessonsIn a district where all the schools are struggling to meet the testsrsquo minimumacademic standard that can be a toughsell Yet most local educators strongly support the camp recognizing theimportance of connecting students withtheir cultural heritage and the land

Many of the teachers come fromoutside Alaska and because of theremote setting turnover is high Theteachers who spend time observing students and elders in the camp gainan understanding of village culture anda new insight into studentsrsquo skills andlearning styles said Brittany Sweeney Selawik Refugersquos environmental educashytion specialist ldquoTeachers get a chance to plug in to the outdoor classroom thatis all around them and to see how theycan more effectively reach studentswho function better in this type ofhands-on learning environment than ina classroom settingrdquo Sweeney said

The camp also builds understanding and respect between Selawik elders andrefuge staffers as they learn from oneanother ldquoThe refuge is the traditional homeland of Selawik peoplerdquo Georgette said ldquoso in order for us to be able to do any kind of research you haveto have a good relationship with thecommunityrdquo

Selawik Refuge is working in otherways to support the villagersquos effort toconserve Inupiaq culture Georgette is compiling a list of the Inupiaq Englishand scientific names for refuge songshybirds And the refuge has publishedtwo booklets researched and written bylocal residents One booklet documents the historic range of the arearsquos caribouthe other documents and explainstraditional fishing methods

As he described caribou huntingSelawik elder David Nasragniq Greistspoke words that would make anideal motto for Selawikrsquos Science and Culture Camp ldquoWhat is given in the right way cannot be forgottenrdquo

3 8

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

Nature in the city the garden that an ee partnership Built

By Karen Leggett

longstreth elementary School teacher chuck lafferty who grew up near pennsylvaniarsquos tinicum Marsh now has a kindergarten classroom full of bugs and reptiles itrsquos all part of making the marsh and nearby John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at tinicum key parts of his kindergarten curriculum at the inner-city school where one father says most kids donrsquot have anything to do with nature

Central to Laffertyrsquos curriculum is apollinator garden at the refuge whichthe students started and maintain Lafferty calls the connection betweenthe children and the refuge ldquoa shining example of what is possible when agroup of dedicated and devoted peopleget togetherrdquo Refuge manager Gary Stolz agrees on the importance of partshynering with ldquoteachers who have thespark Then help them get the materialsthey need any way they can You needshared ownership in these projectsrdquo

In addition to the school and the refugeothers involved in the partnership haveincluded the Refuge Friends organizationthe Pennsylvania Horticultural SocietyNational Fish and Wildlife Foundation Penn State University Master Gardenshyers and Project BudBurst For exampleLongstreth Elementary School had a partnership with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society which donated soil for a vegetable garden at the schoolthat was used for native plants bedson the refuge

It all started in 2000 in a vacant lot next to a Longstreth School annexwhich Laffertyrsquos students turned intoa schoolyard habitat with $122 they had collected ndash in pennies In 2001 the

Children carried soil to the raised beds in buckets

school received a Sea World Busch Gardens environmental award for the garden and that same year Lafferty met Jean Diehl of the Friends of Heinz Refuge The Friends offered to sellorganic seeds from the schoolyardhabitat and return half of the profits tothe schoolrsquos other environmental educashytion programs

Humanity for Habitat Lafferty who joined the Friends board jumped at Diehlrsquos suggestionthat the Friends apply for a Nature ofLearning grant from the National Fishand Wildlife Foundation so Longstreth Elementary students could construct a pollinator garden at John HeinzRefuge The grant awarded in late2010 provided funds to purchase more than 2000 native plants nurtured inbeds at Longstreth Elementary and transplanted to therefuge

Pennsylvania is currently developshying statewidestandards for outdoor educashytion Laffertysays LongstrethElementary will

Weeds and old plants went into acompost bin whichlater provided soilto fill the raised beds of the pollinatorgarden

be one of the few schools with its own place to meet standards without leavingschool grounds Native plants grown inthe Longstreth Elementary beds will be made available to other schools in Philadelphia

The children came to the refuge inFebruary 2011 to begin working on the project They cleared everything out of an original habitat garden ldquoWe had 30 kids and eight parents including sixdadsrdquo remembers Lafferty

The native plants from the habitatgarden on the refuge were taken backto the Longstreth Elementary NativePlant Nursery where kindergartenersand their sixth-grade habitat buddiescared for them over the winter Everyshything else went into a compost pile Onthe second visit raised beds were builtto hold the composted soil Parents volunshyteers Friends and refuge staff provided athree to one ratio of adults to kids Even kindergarteners were proudly wieldingtheir own shovels and rakes

The Friends paid for bus transportationfor six field trips and project t-shirtsFive-year-old Shanice Gonzalez drew

USF

WS

USF

WS

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 3

Sixth-gradersproduced abrochure on the benefits of usingnative plants inhome gardening

USF

WS

3 4

USF

WS

USF

WS

Kindergarteners were accompanied on each trip to the Longstreth Elementary School teacher Chuck Lafferty gathers refuge by a class of sixth-graders Everyone had work to do children for an impromptu lesson on the refugein the garden

ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of habitatrdquo says gary Stolz ldquoBy encouraging and helping create schoolyard and backyard habitat partnerships with pollinator gardens on refuges as models we can help restore fragmented wildlife corridors beyond refuge boundaries for the benefit of all Americansrdquo

the winning design for the bright yellow Kindergarteners were accompanied Cornell Lab of Ornithology Lafferty shirts adorned with the phrase Human- on each trip to the refuge by a class of will also conduct teacher workshopsity for Habitat ldquoThis project brings a sixth-graders During each three-hour at Longstreth based on Access Naturesmile to every face It generates good field trip children split their time and the Habitat Project Guidewill and a spirit of togethernessrdquo says evenly between working in the gardenLafferty and taking a guided walk Lafferty The pollinator garden is already having

uses lessons both in the classroom and an impact on the refuge and the com-By spring children were carrying soil on the refuge from the US Fish and munity The Pennsylvania Horticultural to the raised beds in buckets calling Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitat Society honored the refuge and its pol-themselves ldquoantsrdquo as they formed a Project Guide and the National Wildlife linator garden with the 2011 Community steady line between the mound of Federationrsquos Access Nature program Greening Award Diehl for whom the composted soil and the planting beds garden is the culmination of a 30-yearEvery time a youngster discovered a Sixth-graders produced a brochure on dream says ldquothe garden has proved to worm snail or caterpillar there was the benefits of using native plants in be a magnet for guided butterfly andan excited announcement and all work home gardening They also met a school wildflower walks during the refugersquosstopped until a safe new home could be requirement to complete a 20-hour annual Cradle of Birding Celebrationfound ldquoNot one of them would squash service learning project Kindergarten children have bondeda bug or deliberately harm any living with their natural world ndash a lesson that creaturerdquo wrote the Friends in their On June 7 2011 kindergarteners and will not soon be forgottenrdquo project report to the National Fish and sixth-graders put finishing touches onWildlife Foundation the garden as well as a small pond for ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of

wetland vegetation and fish Students habitatrdquo says Stolz ldquoBy encouraging ldquoWith each visit students became more set landscaping rocks around the perim- and helping create schoolyard andeager to see how the garden was doing eter before celebrating with lunch and backyard habitat partnerships withhow their plants looked and what polli- an award ceremony A state legislator pollinator gardens on refuges as modelsnators were visiting the gardenrdquo noted invited to the ceremony later invited we can help restore fragmented wildlifeJohn Heinz Refuge ranger Mariana refuge manager Gary Stolz to talk corridors beyond refuge boundaries forBergerson ldquoThere were also many about the refuge on his radio program the benefit of all Americansrdquo unplanned teaching moments such aswhen the students assembled to take a Whatrsquos Next picture and one little girl proclaimed lsquoI Lafferty is now teaching first-gradejust sat on a turtlersquordquo so about half the youngsters from his

kindergarten class will continue goingwith him to the refuge Laffertyrsquosstudents also will be collecting informashytion for Project BudBurst a citizenscience phenology project through the

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 5

3 6

ldquoWhat is given in the Right Way cannot Be Forgottenrdquo connecting children Nature and culture by teaching cooperatively with Native elders

By Heather Dewar

their grandparents moved across the land with the seasons traveling by dog team in winter to find caribou fishing in the Selawik River in fall returning from their travels to sod houses in small scattered settlements But now Northshywest Alaskarsquos inupiat eskimo people live year-round in permanent houses

Many children in the community ofSelawik Alaska spend months at atime without leaving their village of 900souls and have few chances to learn the skills that have been handed down through generations For centuries the regionrsquos tundra lakes and riversprovided fish and caribou to supportthe villagersquos traditional subsistenceculture The land which became partof the 25-million-acre Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in 1980 still provides abundant fish and game But airplanesand satellite dishes now link the villageto the wider world and money is anecessity Jobs are few and Selawikrsquos people 95 percent of whom are Inupiatstruggle with poverty alcoholism and the loss of young people who leave tofind work

The village elders wanted to keepInupiaq traditions alive while strengthshyening family and community bondsStaffers at Selawik Refuge shared thatgoal said Susan Georgette the refugersquosoutreach specialist The refuge createdin 1980 encompasses 215 million acres of Western Arctic wilderness where native people have lived for more than10000 years Refuge staffers realize they are newcomers by comparisonThey see the sharing of traditionalknowledge as a powerful appropriateand respectful way to connect childrenwith nature ndash and also as a way ofstrengthening bonds between therefuge and the community

Village elders teacholder children how to set and haul nets for whitefish

In 2003 with the refugersquos help thevillage council and other partnersfounded the Selawik Science and Culture Camp where elders workwith refuge employees to teach theyoungsters traditional hunting andfishing techniques as well as scientificmethods in wildlife biology

Each year in mid-September when thecaribou are migrating and wild berriesare ripe students take two days offfrom classes at the villagersquos 240-studentkindergarten-through-12th-grade schooltraveling by boat to a traditional fishingsite on the refuge The camp is partcommunal harvest and part outdoorclassroom where all the lessons are hands-on and scientific learning is woveninto traditional teachings

learning to hold an ulu and a scalpel Village elders teach older children howto set and haul nets for whitefish the staple fish that like salmon in otherparts of Alaska is the essential proteinin villagersrsquo diet Meanwhile refugestaffers talk about ongoing researchinto the fishrsquos life cycle or explore thewaters for aquatic insects with theyounger children

Elders and other community memberstake the lead tailoring activities to theweather and the dayrsquos harvest from the land and sea Refuge staffers consultwith the elders offering lessons andactivities that support and supplementtraditional teachings For example in a typical lesson a village womandemonstrates the use of the ulu thewomanrsquos knife to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gills extract oxygen from water teaches the students how to tell its agefrom its scales and

otoliths anddissects the fishrsquos internal organs

ldquoThey love theheart and the eyeshyballsrdquo Georgette said

Students travel byboat to a tradition-al fishing site onSelawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge refuge staffersconvey the message that these twoways of knowing need not conflict Thechildren are encouraged to feel equallycomfortable holding an ulu or a scalpel

The village of Selawik runs the campwith funding and other support fromthe NANA (Northwest Alaska NativeAssociation) Regional Corporation theNorthwest Arctic Borough the Northshywest Arctic Borough School Districtand Selawik Refuge

Community members built an 18-byshy30-foot framed tent that is the camprsquosonly indoor space The US Fish and Wildlife Service provided a $10000 Challenge Cost Share grant to the tribalcouncil which pays the salaries of acamp manager cooks and boat drivers and provides honoraria for the teachingelders The grant also covers the costof gasoline for the boats which in 2011 cost about $8 per gallon The schoolsystem contributes additional labor andmaterials About half of the refugersquos11 staffers participate in the camprsquos two-week run

USF

WS

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 7

inspiration interest and dash of chaos The curriculum at the Science and Culture Camp is informalldquoItrsquos very unstructured and it can seem a little chaotic to someone from the Lower 48rdquo Georgette said ldquobut itrsquos how villagesteach their youth They believe thatkids will learn when theyrsquore ready tolearnrdquo

The camp is broken into four two-daysessions with 20 to 40 children in each group The youngest students attendthe first session followed by childrenin grades 4-6 junior high and finallythe high school students The villageschool has only one class for each of theelementary grades so the younger stushydents and their teachers attend camptogether Junior high and high school teachers are invited to come to campif they wish ndash and each year severalattend often learning traditional skillsalongside their students

On a typical day the students meet on the riverbank for a 15-minute boat ride to the camp site There one groupaccompanies two or three adults tocheck the fishing nets Other studentscollect buckets and go berry-picking on the tundra learning plant identificationskills along the way Another group listens to an elder talk about the link between subsistence skills and self-respect

The refuge team helps ensure there isenough variety in the dayrsquos activitiesto keep the children engaged For example a refuge employee may pullout print-making materials and teach

the children how to make leaf printsRefuge staffers continually try new activities In the 2011 session refuge employees brought along small aquaticnets and taught the elementary school students how to fish for invertebrates Some children were fascinated and spent hours with their nets whileothers quickly moved on to somethingdifferent

One activity thatrsquos always a favorite isa photo scavenger hunt using digitalcameras provided by the refuge Whilesnapping photos of an insect a circle-shaped object found in nature or anapaaqtuq (a spruce tree) the studentsare learning ecology the Inupiaq language and field observation

The unstructured approach allows thechildren to pursue their own interestsGeorgette said Keeping tabs on the campers is not a problem since plentyof grown-ups are on scene With elders teacher-observers refuge staff boat drivers and cook about 15 adults are usually in camp ndash and by customvillage children are allowed somefreedom from constant close adult supervision

Being the provider When camp ends community membersteachers and students gather for apotluck of caribou soup baked anddried fish and a traditional Inupiaqdessert of whitefish eggs mixed withwild berries The feast gives thechildren ldquothe satisfaction of being the providerrdquo Georgette said ldquoIn northern Alaska therersquos a lot of cultural pride ingetting food from the landrdquo

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

Villagers teachstudents how to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gillsextract oxygen fromwater

The children who attend the campmiss two days of classroom lessonsIn a district where all the schools are struggling to meet the testsrsquo minimumacademic standard that can be a toughsell Yet most local educators strongly support the camp recognizing theimportance of connecting students withtheir cultural heritage and the land

Many of the teachers come fromoutside Alaska and because of theremote setting turnover is high Theteachers who spend time observing students and elders in the camp gainan understanding of village culture anda new insight into studentsrsquo skills andlearning styles said Brittany Sweeney Selawik Refugersquos environmental educashytion specialist ldquoTeachers get a chance to plug in to the outdoor classroom thatis all around them and to see how theycan more effectively reach studentswho function better in this type ofhands-on learning environment than ina classroom settingrdquo Sweeney said

The camp also builds understanding and respect between Selawik elders andrefuge staffers as they learn from oneanother ldquoThe refuge is the traditional homeland of Selawik peoplerdquo Georgette said ldquoso in order for us to be able to do any kind of research you haveto have a good relationship with thecommunityrdquo

Selawik Refuge is working in otherways to support the villagersquos effort toconserve Inupiaq culture Georgette is compiling a list of the Inupiaq Englishand scientific names for refuge songshybirds And the refuge has publishedtwo booklets researched and written bylocal residents One booklet documents the historic range of the arearsquos caribouthe other documents and explainstraditional fishing methods

As he described caribou huntingSelawik elder David Nasragniq Greistspoke words that would make anideal motto for Selawikrsquos Science and Culture Camp ldquoWhat is given in the right way cannot be forgottenrdquo

3 8

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

Sixth-gradersproduced abrochure on the benefits of usingnative plants inhome gardening

USF

WS

3 4

USF

WS

USF

WS

Kindergarteners were accompanied on each trip to the Longstreth Elementary School teacher Chuck Lafferty gathers refuge by a class of sixth-graders Everyone had work to do children for an impromptu lesson on the refugein the garden

ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of habitatrdquo says gary Stolz ldquoBy encouraging and helping create schoolyard and backyard habitat partnerships with pollinator gardens on refuges as models we can help restore fragmented wildlife corridors beyond refuge boundaries for the benefit of all Americansrdquo

the winning design for the bright yellow Kindergarteners were accompanied Cornell Lab of Ornithology Lafferty shirts adorned with the phrase Human- on each trip to the refuge by a class of will also conduct teacher workshopsity for Habitat ldquoThis project brings a sixth-graders During each three-hour at Longstreth based on Access Naturesmile to every face It generates good field trip children split their time and the Habitat Project Guidewill and a spirit of togethernessrdquo says evenly between working in the gardenLafferty and taking a guided walk Lafferty The pollinator garden is already having

uses lessons both in the classroom and an impact on the refuge and the com-By spring children were carrying soil on the refuge from the US Fish and munity The Pennsylvania Horticultural to the raised beds in buckets calling Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitat Society honored the refuge and its pol-themselves ldquoantsrdquo as they formed a Project Guide and the National Wildlife linator garden with the 2011 Community steady line between the mound of Federationrsquos Access Nature program Greening Award Diehl for whom the composted soil and the planting beds garden is the culmination of a 30-yearEvery time a youngster discovered a Sixth-graders produced a brochure on dream says ldquothe garden has proved to worm snail or caterpillar there was the benefits of using native plants in be a magnet for guided butterfly andan excited announcement and all work home gardening They also met a school wildflower walks during the refugersquosstopped until a safe new home could be requirement to complete a 20-hour annual Cradle of Birding Celebrationfound ldquoNot one of them would squash service learning project Kindergarten children have bondeda bug or deliberately harm any living with their natural world ndash a lesson that creaturerdquo wrote the Friends in their On June 7 2011 kindergarteners and will not soon be forgottenrdquo project report to the National Fish and sixth-graders put finishing touches onWildlife Foundation the garden as well as a small pond for ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of

wetland vegetation and fish Students habitatrdquo says Stolz ldquoBy encouraging ldquoWith each visit students became more set landscaping rocks around the perim- and helping create schoolyard andeager to see how the garden was doing eter before celebrating with lunch and backyard habitat partnerships withhow their plants looked and what polli- an award ceremony A state legislator pollinator gardens on refuges as modelsnators were visiting the gardenrdquo noted invited to the ceremony later invited we can help restore fragmented wildlifeJohn Heinz Refuge ranger Mariana refuge manager Gary Stolz to talk corridors beyond refuge boundaries forBergerson ldquoThere were also many about the refuge on his radio program the benefit of all Americansrdquo unplanned teaching moments such aswhen the students assembled to take a Whatrsquos Next picture and one little girl proclaimed lsquoI Lafferty is now teaching first-gradejust sat on a turtlersquordquo so about half the youngsters from his

kindergarten class will continue goingwith him to the refuge Laffertyrsquosstudents also will be collecting informashytion for Project BudBurst a citizenscience phenology project through the

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 5

3 6

ldquoWhat is given in the Right Way cannot Be Forgottenrdquo connecting children Nature and culture by teaching cooperatively with Native elders

By Heather Dewar

their grandparents moved across the land with the seasons traveling by dog team in winter to find caribou fishing in the Selawik River in fall returning from their travels to sod houses in small scattered settlements But now Northshywest Alaskarsquos inupiat eskimo people live year-round in permanent houses

Many children in the community ofSelawik Alaska spend months at atime without leaving their village of 900souls and have few chances to learn the skills that have been handed down through generations For centuries the regionrsquos tundra lakes and riversprovided fish and caribou to supportthe villagersquos traditional subsistenceculture The land which became partof the 25-million-acre Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in 1980 still provides abundant fish and game But airplanesand satellite dishes now link the villageto the wider world and money is anecessity Jobs are few and Selawikrsquos people 95 percent of whom are Inupiatstruggle with poverty alcoholism and the loss of young people who leave tofind work

The village elders wanted to keepInupiaq traditions alive while strengthshyening family and community bondsStaffers at Selawik Refuge shared thatgoal said Susan Georgette the refugersquosoutreach specialist The refuge createdin 1980 encompasses 215 million acres of Western Arctic wilderness where native people have lived for more than10000 years Refuge staffers realize they are newcomers by comparisonThey see the sharing of traditionalknowledge as a powerful appropriateand respectful way to connect childrenwith nature ndash and also as a way ofstrengthening bonds between therefuge and the community

Village elders teacholder children how to set and haul nets for whitefish

In 2003 with the refugersquos help thevillage council and other partnersfounded the Selawik Science and Culture Camp where elders workwith refuge employees to teach theyoungsters traditional hunting andfishing techniques as well as scientificmethods in wildlife biology

Each year in mid-September when thecaribou are migrating and wild berriesare ripe students take two days offfrom classes at the villagersquos 240-studentkindergarten-through-12th-grade schooltraveling by boat to a traditional fishingsite on the refuge The camp is partcommunal harvest and part outdoorclassroom where all the lessons are hands-on and scientific learning is woveninto traditional teachings

learning to hold an ulu and a scalpel Village elders teach older children howto set and haul nets for whitefish the staple fish that like salmon in otherparts of Alaska is the essential proteinin villagersrsquo diet Meanwhile refugestaffers talk about ongoing researchinto the fishrsquos life cycle or explore thewaters for aquatic insects with theyounger children

Elders and other community memberstake the lead tailoring activities to theweather and the dayrsquos harvest from the land and sea Refuge staffers consultwith the elders offering lessons andactivities that support and supplementtraditional teachings For example in a typical lesson a village womandemonstrates the use of the ulu thewomanrsquos knife to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gills extract oxygen from water teaches the students how to tell its agefrom its scales and

otoliths anddissects the fishrsquos internal organs

ldquoThey love theheart and the eyeshyballsrdquo Georgette said

Students travel byboat to a tradition-al fishing site onSelawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge refuge staffersconvey the message that these twoways of knowing need not conflict Thechildren are encouraged to feel equallycomfortable holding an ulu or a scalpel

The village of Selawik runs the campwith funding and other support fromthe NANA (Northwest Alaska NativeAssociation) Regional Corporation theNorthwest Arctic Borough the Northshywest Arctic Borough School Districtand Selawik Refuge

Community members built an 18-byshy30-foot framed tent that is the camprsquosonly indoor space The US Fish and Wildlife Service provided a $10000 Challenge Cost Share grant to the tribalcouncil which pays the salaries of acamp manager cooks and boat drivers and provides honoraria for the teachingelders The grant also covers the costof gasoline for the boats which in 2011 cost about $8 per gallon The schoolsystem contributes additional labor andmaterials About half of the refugersquos11 staffers participate in the camprsquos two-week run

USF

WS

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 7

inspiration interest and dash of chaos The curriculum at the Science and Culture Camp is informalldquoItrsquos very unstructured and it can seem a little chaotic to someone from the Lower 48rdquo Georgette said ldquobut itrsquos how villagesteach their youth They believe thatkids will learn when theyrsquore ready tolearnrdquo

The camp is broken into four two-daysessions with 20 to 40 children in each group The youngest students attendthe first session followed by childrenin grades 4-6 junior high and finallythe high school students The villageschool has only one class for each of theelementary grades so the younger stushydents and their teachers attend camptogether Junior high and high school teachers are invited to come to campif they wish ndash and each year severalattend often learning traditional skillsalongside their students

On a typical day the students meet on the riverbank for a 15-minute boat ride to the camp site There one groupaccompanies two or three adults tocheck the fishing nets Other studentscollect buckets and go berry-picking on the tundra learning plant identificationskills along the way Another group listens to an elder talk about the link between subsistence skills and self-respect

The refuge team helps ensure there isenough variety in the dayrsquos activitiesto keep the children engaged For example a refuge employee may pullout print-making materials and teach

the children how to make leaf printsRefuge staffers continually try new activities In the 2011 session refuge employees brought along small aquaticnets and taught the elementary school students how to fish for invertebrates Some children were fascinated and spent hours with their nets whileothers quickly moved on to somethingdifferent

One activity thatrsquos always a favorite isa photo scavenger hunt using digitalcameras provided by the refuge Whilesnapping photos of an insect a circle-shaped object found in nature or anapaaqtuq (a spruce tree) the studentsare learning ecology the Inupiaq language and field observation

The unstructured approach allows thechildren to pursue their own interestsGeorgette said Keeping tabs on the campers is not a problem since plentyof grown-ups are on scene With elders teacher-observers refuge staff boat drivers and cook about 15 adults are usually in camp ndash and by customvillage children are allowed somefreedom from constant close adult supervision

Being the provider When camp ends community membersteachers and students gather for apotluck of caribou soup baked anddried fish and a traditional Inupiaqdessert of whitefish eggs mixed withwild berries The feast gives thechildren ldquothe satisfaction of being the providerrdquo Georgette said ldquoIn northern Alaska therersquos a lot of cultural pride ingetting food from the landrdquo

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

Villagers teachstudents how to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gillsextract oxygen fromwater

The children who attend the campmiss two days of classroom lessonsIn a district where all the schools are struggling to meet the testsrsquo minimumacademic standard that can be a toughsell Yet most local educators strongly support the camp recognizing theimportance of connecting students withtheir cultural heritage and the land

Many of the teachers come fromoutside Alaska and because of theremote setting turnover is high Theteachers who spend time observing students and elders in the camp gainan understanding of village culture anda new insight into studentsrsquo skills andlearning styles said Brittany Sweeney Selawik Refugersquos environmental educashytion specialist ldquoTeachers get a chance to plug in to the outdoor classroom thatis all around them and to see how theycan more effectively reach studentswho function better in this type ofhands-on learning environment than ina classroom settingrdquo Sweeney said

The camp also builds understanding and respect between Selawik elders andrefuge staffers as they learn from oneanother ldquoThe refuge is the traditional homeland of Selawik peoplerdquo Georgette said ldquoso in order for us to be able to do any kind of research you haveto have a good relationship with thecommunityrdquo

Selawik Refuge is working in otherways to support the villagersquos effort toconserve Inupiaq culture Georgette is compiling a list of the Inupiaq Englishand scientific names for refuge songshybirds And the refuge has publishedtwo booklets researched and written bylocal residents One booklet documents the historic range of the arearsquos caribouthe other documents and explainstraditional fishing methods

As he described caribou huntingSelawik elder David Nasragniq Greistspoke words that would make anideal motto for Selawikrsquos Science and Culture Camp ldquoWhat is given in the right way cannot be forgottenrdquo

3 8

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

USF

WS

USF

WS

Kindergarteners were accompanied on each trip to the Longstreth Elementary School teacher Chuck Lafferty gathers refuge by a class of sixth-graders Everyone had work to do children for an impromptu lesson on the refugein the garden

ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of habitatrdquo says gary Stolz ldquoBy encouraging and helping create schoolyard and backyard habitat partnerships with pollinator gardens on refuges as models we can help restore fragmented wildlife corridors beyond refuge boundaries for the benefit of all Americansrdquo

the winning design for the bright yellow Kindergarteners were accompanied Cornell Lab of Ornithology Lafferty shirts adorned with the phrase Human- on each trip to the refuge by a class of will also conduct teacher workshopsity for Habitat ldquoThis project brings a sixth-graders During each three-hour at Longstreth based on Access Naturesmile to every face It generates good field trip children split their time and the Habitat Project Guidewill and a spirit of togethernessrdquo says evenly between working in the gardenLafferty and taking a guided walk Lafferty The pollinator garden is already having

uses lessons both in the classroom and an impact on the refuge and the com-By spring children were carrying soil on the refuge from the US Fish and munity The Pennsylvania Horticultural to the raised beds in buckets calling Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitat Society honored the refuge and its pol-themselves ldquoantsrdquo as they formed a Project Guide and the National Wildlife linator garden with the 2011 Community steady line between the mound of Federationrsquos Access Nature program Greening Award Diehl for whom the composted soil and the planting beds garden is the culmination of a 30-yearEvery time a youngster discovered a Sixth-graders produced a brochure on dream says ldquothe garden has proved to worm snail or caterpillar there was the benefits of using native plants in be a magnet for guided butterfly andan excited announcement and all work home gardening They also met a school wildflower walks during the refugersquosstopped until a safe new home could be requirement to complete a 20-hour annual Cradle of Birding Celebrationfound ldquoNot one of them would squash service learning project Kindergarten children have bondeda bug or deliberately harm any living with their natural world ndash a lesson that creaturerdquo wrote the Friends in their On June 7 2011 kindergarteners and will not soon be forgottenrdquo project report to the National Fish and sixth-graders put finishing touches onWildlife Foundation the garden as well as a small pond for ldquoRefuges are often isolated islands of

wetland vegetation and fish Students habitatrdquo says Stolz ldquoBy encouraging ldquoWith each visit students became more set landscaping rocks around the perim- and helping create schoolyard andeager to see how the garden was doing eter before celebrating with lunch and backyard habitat partnerships withhow their plants looked and what polli- an award ceremony A state legislator pollinator gardens on refuges as modelsnators were visiting the gardenrdquo noted invited to the ceremony later invited we can help restore fragmented wildlifeJohn Heinz Refuge ranger Mariana refuge manager Gary Stolz to talk corridors beyond refuge boundaries forBergerson ldquoThere were also many about the refuge on his radio program the benefit of all Americansrdquo unplanned teaching moments such aswhen the students assembled to take a Whatrsquos Next picture and one little girl proclaimed lsquoI Lafferty is now teaching first-gradejust sat on a turtlersquordquo so about half the youngsters from his

kindergarten class will continue goingwith him to the refuge Laffertyrsquosstudents also will be collecting informashytion for Project BudBurst a citizenscience phenology project through the

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 5

3 6

ldquoWhat is given in the Right Way cannot Be Forgottenrdquo connecting children Nature and culture by teaching cooperatively with Native elders

By Heather Dewar

their grandparents moved across the land with the seasons traveling by dog team in winter to find caribou fishing in the Selawik River in fall returning from their travels to sod houses in small scattered settlements But now Northshywest Alaskarsquos inupiat eskimo people live year-round in permanent houses

Many children in the community ofSelawik Alaska spend months at atime without leaving their village of 900souls and have few chances to learn the skills that have been handed down through generations For centuries the regionrsquos tundra lakes and riversprovided fish and caribou to supportthe villagersquos traditional subsistenceculture The land which became partof the 25-million-acre Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in 1980 still provides abundant fish and game But airplanesand satellite dishes now link the villageto the wider world and money is anecessity Jobs are few and Selawikrsquos people 95 percent of whom are Inupiatstruggle with poverty alcoholism and the loss of young people who leave tofind work

The village elders wanted to keepInupiaq traditions alive while strengthshyening family and community bondsStaffers at Selawik Refuge shared thatgoal said Susan Georgette the refugersquosoutreach specialist The refuge createdin 1980 encompasses 215 million acres of Western Arctic wilderness where native people have lived for more than10000 years Refuge staffers realize they are newcomers by comparisonThey see the sharing of traditionalknowledge as a powerful appropriateand respectful way to connect childrenwith nature ndash and also as a way ofstrengthening bonds between therefuge and the community

Village elders teacholder children how to set and haul nets for whitefish

In 2003 with the refugersquos help thevillage council and other partnersfounded the Selawik Science and Culture Camp where elders workwith refuge employees to teach theyoungsters traditional hunting andfishing techniques as well as scientificmethods in wildlife biology

Each year in mid-September when thecaribou are migrating and wild berriesare ripe students take two days offfrom classes at the villagersquos 240-studentkindergarten-through-12th-grade schooltraveling by boat to a traditional fishingsite on the refuge The camp is partcommunal harvest and part outdoorclassroom where all the lessons are hands-on and scientific learning is woveninto traditional teachings

learning to hold an ulu and a scalpel Village elders teach older children howto set and haul nets for whitefish the staple fish that like salmon in otherparts of Alaska is the essential proteinin villagersrsquo diet Meanwhile refugestaffers talk about ongoing researchinto the fishrsquos life cycle or explore thewaters for aquatic insects with theyounger children

Elders and other community memberstake the lead tailoring activities to theweather and the dayrsquos harvest from the land and sea Refuge staffers consultwith the elders offering lessons andactivities that support and supplementtraditional teachings For example in a typical lesson a village womandemonstrates the use of the ulu thewomanrsquos knife to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gills extract oxygen from water teaches the students how to tell its agefrom its scales and

otoliths anddissects the fishrsquos internal organs

ldquoThey love theheart and the eyeshyballsrdquo Georgette said

Students travel byboat to a tradition-al fishing site onSelawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge refuge staffersconvey the message that these twoways of knowing need not conflict Thechildren are encouraged to feel equallycomfortable holding an ulu or a scalpel

The village of Selawik runs the campwith funding and other support fromthe NANA (Northwest Alaska NativeAssociation) Regional Corporation theNorthwest Arctic Borough the Northshywest Arctic Borough School Districtand Selawik Refuge

Community members built an 18-byshy30-foot framed tent that is the camprsquosonly indoor space The US Fish and Wildlife Service provided a $10000 Challenge Cost Share grant to the tribalcouncil which pays the salaries of acamp manager cooks and boat drivers and provides honoraria for the teachingelders The grant also covers the costof gasoline for the boats which in 2011 cost about $8 per gallon The schoolsystem contributes additional labor andmaterials About half of the refugersquos11 staffers participate in the camprsquos two-week run

USF

WS

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 7

inspiration interest and dash of chaos The curriculum at the Science and Culture Camp is informalldquoItrsquos very unstructured and it can seem a little chaotic to someone from the Lower 48rdquo Georgette said ldquobut itrsquos how villagesteach their youth They believe thatkids will learn when theyrsquore ready tolearnrdquo

The camp is broken into four two-daysessions with 20 to 40 children in each group The youngest students attendthe first session followed by childrenin grades 4-6 junior high and finallythe high school students The villageschool has only one class for each of theelementary grades so the younger stushydents and their teachers attend camptogether Junior high and high school teachers are invited to come to campif they wish ndash and each year severalattend often learning traditional skillsalongside their students

On a typical day the students meet on the riverbank for a 15-minute boat ride to the camp site There one groupaccompanies two or three adults tocheck the fishing nets Other studentscollect buckets and go berry-picking on the tundra learning plant identificationskills along the way Another group listens to an elder talk about the link between subsistence skills and self-respect

The refuge team helps ensure there isenough variety in the dayrsquos activitiesto keep the children engaged For example a refuge employee may pullout print-making materials and teach

the children how to make leaf printsRefuge staffers continually try new activities In the 2011 session refuge employees brought along small aquaticnets and taught the elementary school students how to fish for invertebrates Some children were fascinated and spent hours with their nets whileothers quickly moved on to somethingdifferent

One activity thatrsquos always a favorite isa photo scavenger hunt using digitalcameras provided by the refuge Whilesnapping photos of an insect a circle-shaped object found in nature or anapaaqtuq (a spruce tree) the studentsare learning ecology the Inupiaq language and field observation

The unstructured approach allows thechildren to pursue their own interestsGeorgette said Keeping tabs on the campers is not a problem since plentyof grown-ups are on scene With elders teacher-observers refuge staff boat drivers and cook about 15 adults are usually in camp ndash and by customvillage children are allowed somefreedom from constant close adult supervision

Being the provider When camp ends community membersteachers and students gather for apotluck of caribou soup baked anddried fish and a traditional Inupiaqdessert of whitefish eggs mixed withwild berries The feast gives thechildren ldquothe satisfaction of being the providerrdquo Georgette said ldquoIn northern Alaska therersquos a lot of cultural pride ingetting food from the landrdquo

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

Villagers teachstudents how to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gillsextract oxygen fromwater

The children who attend the campmiss two days of classroom lessonsIn a district where all the schools are struggling to meet the testsrsquo minimumacademic standard that can be a toughsell Yet most local educators strongly support the camp recognizing theimportance of connecting students withtheir cultural heritage and the land

Many of the teachers come fromoutside Alaska and because of theremote setting turnover is high Theteachers who spend time observing students and elders in the camp gainan understanding of village culture anda new insight into studentsrsquo skills andlearning styles said Brittany Sweeney Selawik Refugersquos environmental educashytion specialist ldquoTeachers get a chance to plug in to the outdoor classroom thatis all around them and to see how theycan more effectively reach studentswho function better in this type ofhands-on learning environment than ina classroom settingrdquo Sweeney said

The camp also builds understanding and respect between Selawik elders andrefuge staffers as they learn from oneanother ldquoThe refuge is the traditional homeland of Selawik peoplerdquo Georgette said ldquoso in order for us to be able to do any kind of research you haveto have a good relationship with thecommunityrdquo

Selawik Refuge is working in otherways to support the villagersquos effort toconserve Inupiaq culture Georgette is compiling a list of the Inupiaq Englishand scientific names for refuge songshybirds And the refuge has publishedtwo booklets researched and written bylocal residents One booklet documents the historic range of the arearsquos caribouthe other documents and explainstraditional fishing methods

As he described caribou huntingSelawik elder David Nasragniq Greistspoke words that would make anideal motto for Selawikrsquos Science and Culture Camp ldquoWhat is given in the right way cannot be forgottenrdquo

3 8

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

3 6

ldquoWhat is given in the Right Way cannot Be Forgottenrdquo connecting children Nature and culture by teaching cooperatively with Native elders

By Heather Dewar

their grandparents moved across the land with the seasons traveling by dog team in winter to find caribou fishing in the Selawik River in fall returning from their travels to sod houses in small scattered settlements But now Northshywest Alaskarsquos inupiat eskimo people live year-round in permanent houses

Many children in the community ofSelawik Alaska spend months at atime without leaving their village of 900souls and have few chances to learn the skills that have been handed down through generations For centuries the regionrsquos tundra lakes and riversprovided fish and caribou to supportthe villagersquos traditional subsistenceculture The land which became partof the 25-million-acre Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in 1980 still provides abundant fish and game But airplanesand satellite dishes now link the villageto the wider world and money is anecessity Jobs are few and Selawikrsquos people 95 percent of whom are Inupiatstruggle with poverty alcoholism and the loss of young people who leave tofind work

The village elders wanted to keepInupiaq traditions alive while strengthshyening family and community bondsStaffers at Selawik Refuge shared thatgoal said Susan Georgette the refugersquosoutreach specialist The refuge createdin 1980 encompasses 215 million acres of Western Arctic wilderness where native people have lived for more than10000 years Refuge staffers realize they are newcomers by comparisonThey see the sharing of traditionalknowledge as a powerful appropriateand respectful way to connect childrenwith nature ndash and also as a way ofstrengthening bonds between therefuge and the community

Village elders teacholder children how to set and haul nets for whitefish

In 2003 with the refugersquos help thevillage council and other partnersfounded the Selawik Science and Culture Camp where elders workwith refuge employees to teach theyoungsters traditional hunting andfishing techniques as well as scientificmethods in wildlife biology

Each year in mid-September when thecaribou are migrating and wild berriesare ripe students take two days offfrom classes at the villagersquos 240-studentkindergarten-through-12th-grade schooltraveling by boat to a traditional fishingsite on the refuge The camp is partcommunal harvest and part outdoorclassroom where all the lessons are hands-on and scientific learning is woveninto traditional teachings

learning to hold an ulu and a scalpel Village elders teach older children howto set and haul nets for whitefish the staple fish that like salmon in otherparts of Alaska is the essential proteinin villagersrsquo diet Meanwhile refugestaffers talk about ongoing researchinto the fishrsquos life cycle or explore thewaters for aquatic insects with theyounger children

Elders and other community memberstake the lead tailoring activities to theweather and the dayrsquos harvest from the land and sea Refuge staffers consultwith the elders offering lessons andactivities that support and supplementtraditional teachings For example in a typical lesson a village womandemonstrates the use of the ulu thewomanrsquos knife to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gills extract oxygen from water teaches the students how to tell its agefrom its scales and

otoliths anddissects the fishrsquos internal organs

ldquoThey love theheart and the eyeshyballsrdquo Georgette said

Students travel byboat to a tradition-al fishing site onSelawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge refuge staffersconvey the message that these twoways of knowing need not conflict Thechildren are encouraged to feel equallycomfortable holding an ulu or a scalpel

The village of Selawik runs the campwith funding and other support fromthe NANA (Northwest Alaska NativeAssociation) Regional Corporation theNorthwest Arctic Borough the Northshywest Arctic Borough School Districtand Selawik Refuge

Community members built an 18-byshy30-foot framed tent that is the camprsquosonly indoor space The US Fish and Wildlife Service provided a $10000 Challenge Cost Share grant to the tribalcouncil which pays the salaries of acamp manager cooks and boat drivers and provides honoraria for the teachingelders The grant also covers the costof gasoline for the boats which in 2011 cost about $8 per gallon The schoolsystem contributes additional labor andmaterials About half of the refugersquos11 staffers participate in the camprsquos two-week run

USF

WS

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 7

inspiration interest and dash of chaos The curriculum at the Science and Culture Camp is informalldquoItrsquos very unstructured and it can seem a little chaotic to someone from the Lower 48rdquo Georgette said ldquobut itrsquos how villagesteach their youth They believe thatkids will learn when theyrsquore ready tolearnrdquo

The camp is broken into four two-daysessions with 20 to 40 children in each group The youngest students attendthe first session followed by childrenin grades 4-6 junior high and finallythe high school students The villageschool has only one class for each of theelementary grades so the younger stushydents and their teachers attend camptogether Junior high and high school teachers are invited to come to campif they wish ndash and each year severalattend often learning traditional skillsalongside their students

On a typical day the students meet on the riverbank for a 15-minute boat ride to the camp site There one groupaccompanies two or three adults tocheck the fishing nets Other studentscollect buckets and go berry-picking on the tundra learning plant identificationskills along the way Another group listens to an elder talk about the link between subsistence skills and self-respect

The refuge team helps ensure there isenough variety in the dayrsquos activitiesto keep the children engaged For example a refuge employee may pullout print-making materials and teach

the children how to make leaf printsRefuge staffers continually try new activities In the 2011 session refuge employees brought along small aquaticnets and taught the elementary school students how to fish for invertebrates Some children were fascinated and spent hours with their nets whileothers quickly moved on to somethingdifferent

One activity thatrsquos always a favorite isa photo scavenger hunt using digitalcameras provided by the refuge Whilesnapping photos of an insect a circle-shaped object found in nature or anapaaqtuq (a spruce tree) the studentsare learning ecology the Inupiaq language and field observation

The unstructured approach allows thechildren to pursue their own interestsGeorgette said Keeping tabs on the campers is not a problem since plentyof grown-ups are on scene With elders teacher-observers refuge staff boat drivers and cook about 15 adults are usually in camp ndash and by customvillage children are allowed somefreedom from constant close adult supervision

Being the provider When camp ends community membersteachers and students gather for apotluck of caribou soup baked anddried fish and a traditional Inupiaqdessert of whitefish eggs mixed withwild berries The feast gives thechildren ldquothe satisfaction of being the providerrdquo Georgette said ldquoIn northern Alaska therersquos a lot of cultural pride ingetting food from the landrdquo

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

Villagers teachstudents how to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gillsextract oxygen fromwater

The children who attend the campmiss two days of classroom lessonsIn a district where all the schools are struggling to meet the testsrsquo minimumacademic standard that can be a toughsell Yet most local educators strongly support the camp recognizing theimportance of connecting students withtheir cultural heritage and the land

Many of the teachers come fromoutside Alaska and because of theremote setting turnover is high Theteachers who spend time observing students and elders in the camp gainan understanding of village culture anda new insight into studentsrsquo skills andlearning styles said Brittany Sweeney Selawik Refugersquos environmental educashytion specialist ldquoTeachers get a chance to plug in to the outdoor classroom thatis all around them and to see how theycan more effectively reach studentswho function better in this type ofhands-on learning environment than ina classroom settingrdquo Sweeney said

The camp also builds understanding and respect between Selawik elders andrefuge staffers as they learn from oneanother ldquoThe refuge is the traditional homeland of Selawik peoplerdquo Georgette said ldquoso in order for us to be able to do any kind of research you haveto have a good relationship with thecommunityrdquo

Selawik Refuge is working in otherways to support the villagersquos effort toconserve Inupiaq culture Georgette is compiling a list of the Inupiaq Englishand scientific names for refuge songshybirds And the refuge has publishedtwo booklets researched and written bylocal residents One booklet documents the historic range of the arearsquos caribouthe other documents and explainstraditional fishing methods

As he described caribou huntingSelawik elder David Nasragniq Greistspoke words that would make anideal motto for Selawikrsquos Science and Culture Camp ldquoWhat is given in the right way cannot be forgottenrdquo

3 8

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

ldquoWhat is given in the Right Way cannot Be Forgottenrdquo connecting children Nature and culture by teaching cooperatively with Native elders

By Heather Dewar

their grandparents moved across the land with the seasons traveling by dog team in winter to find caribou fishing in the Selawik River in fall returning from their travels to sod houses in small scattered settlements But now Northshywest Alaskarsquos inupiat eskimo people live year-round in permanent houses

Many children in the community ofSelawik Alaska spend months at atime without leaving their village of 900souls and have few chances to learn the skills that have been handed down through generations For centuries the regionrsquos tundra lakes and riversprovided fish and caribou to supportthe villagersquos traditional subsistenceculture The land which became partof the 25-million-acre Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in 1980 still provides abundant fish and game But airplanesand satellite dishes now link the villageto the wider world and money is anecessity Jobs are few and Selawikrsquos people 95 percent of whom are Inupiatstruggle with poverty alcoholism and the loss of young people who leave tofind work

The village elders wanted to keepInupiaq traditions alive while strengthshyening family and community bondsStaffers at Selawik Refuge shared thatgoal said Susan Georgette the refugersquosoutreach specialist The refuge createdin 1980 encompasses 215 million acres of Western Arctic wilderness where native people have lived for more than10000 years Refuge staffers realize they are newcomers by comparisonThey see the sharing of traditionalknowledge as a powerful appropriateand respectful way to connect childrenwith nature ndash and also as a way ofstrengthening bonds between therefuge and the community

Village elders teacholder children how to set and haul nets for whitefish

In 2003 with the refugersquos help thevillage council and other partnersfounded the Selawik Science and Culture Camp where elders workwith refuge employees to teach theyoungsters traditional hunting andfishing techniques as well as scientificmethods in wildlife biology

Each year in mid-September when thecaribou are migrating and wild berriesare ripe students take two days offfrom classes at the villagersquos 240-studentkindergarten-through-12th-grade schooltraveling by boat to a traditional fishingsite on the refuge The camp is partcommunal harvest and part outdoorclassroom where all the lessons are hands-on and scientific learning is woveninto traditional teachings

learning to hold an ulu and a scalpel Village elders teach older children howto set and haul nets for whitefish the staple fish that like salmon in otherparts of Alaska is the essential proteinin villagersrsquo diet Meanwhile refugestaffers talk about ongoing researchinto the fishrsquos life cycle or explore thewaters for aquatic insects with theyounger children

Elders and other community memberstake the lead tailoring activities to theweather and the dayrsquos harvest from the land and sea Refuge staffers consultwith the elders offering lessons andactivities that support and supplementtraditional teachings For example in a typical lesson a village womandemonstrates the use of the ulu thewomanrsquos knife to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gills extract oxygen from water teaches the students how to tell its agefrom its scales and

otoliths anddissects the fishrsquos internal organs

ldquoThey love theheart and the eyeshyballsrdquo Georgette said

Students travel byboat to a tradition-al fishing site onSelawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge refuge staffersconvey the message that these twoways of knowing need not conflict Thechildren are encouraged to feel equallycomfortable holding an ulu or a scalpel

The village of Selawik runs the campwith funding and other support fromthe NANA (Northwest Alaska NativeAssociation) Regional Corporation theNorthwest Arctic Borough the Northshywest Arctic Borough School Districtand Selawik Refuge

Community members built an 18-byshy30-foot framed tent that is the camprsquosonly indoor space The US Fish and Wildlife Service provided a $10000 Challenge Cost Share grant to the tribalcouncil which pays the salaries of acamp manager cooks and boat drivers and provides honoraria for the teachingelders The grant also covers the costof gasoline for the boats which in 2011 cost about $8 per gallon The schoolsystem contributes additional labor andmaterials About half of the refugersquos11 staffers participate in the camprsquos two-week run

USF

WS

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 7

inspiration interest and dash of chaos The curriculum at the Science and Culture Camp is informalldquoItrsquos very unstructured and it can seem a little chaotic to someone from the Lower 48rdquo Georgette said ldquobut itrsquos how villagesteach their youth They believe thatkids will learn when theyrsquore ready tolearnrdquo

The camp is broken into four two-daysessions with 20 to 40 children in each group The youngest students attendthe first session followed by childrenin grades 4-6 junior high and finallythe high school students The villageschool has only one class for each of theelementary grades so the younger stushydents and their teachers attend camptogether Junior high and high school teachers are invited to come to campif they wish ndash and each year severalattend often learning traditional skillsalongside their students

On a typical day the students meet on the riverbank for a 15-minute boat ride to the camp site There one groupaccompanies two or three adults tocheck the fishing nets Other studentscollect buckets and go berry-picking on the tundra learning plant identificationskills along the way Another group listens to an elder talk about the link between subsistence skills and self-respect

The refuge team helps ensure there isenough variety in the dayrsquos activitiesto keep the children engaged For example a refuge employee may pullout print-making materials and teach

the children how to make leaf printsRefuge staffers continually try new activities In the 2011 session refuge employees brought along small aquaticnets and taught the elementary school students how to fish for invertebrates Some children were fascinated and spent hours with their nets whileothers quickly moved on to somethingdifferent

One activity thatrsquos always a favorite isa photo scavenger hunt using digitalcameras provided by the refuge Whilesnapping photos of an insect a circle-shaped object found in nature or anapaaqtuq (a spruce tree) the studentsare learning ecology the Inupiaq language and field observation

The unstructured approach allows thechildren to pursue their own interestsGeorgette said Keeping tabs on the campers is not a problem since plentyof grown-ups are on scene With elders teacher-observers refuge staff boat drivers and cook about 15 adults are usually in camp ndash and by customvillage children are allowed somefreedom from constant close adult supervision

Being the provider When camp ends community membersteachers and students gather for apotluck of caribou soup baked anddried fish and a traditional Inupiaqdessert of whitefish eggs mixed withwild berries The feast gives thechildren ldquothe satisfaction of being the providerrdquo Georgette said ldquoIn northern Alaska therersquos a lot of cultural pride ingetting food from the landrdquo

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

Villagers teachstudents how to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gillsextract oxygen fromwater

The children who attend the campmiss two days of classroom lessonsIn a district where all the schools are struggling to meet the testsrsquo minimumacademic standard that can be a toughsell Yet most local educators strongly support the camp recognizing theimportance of connecting students withtheir cultural heritage and the land

Many of the teachers come fromoutside Alaska and because of theremote setting turnover is high Theteachers who spend time observing students and elders in the camp gainan understanding of village culture anda new insight into studentsrsquo skills andlearning styles said Brittany Sweeney Selawik Refugersquos environmental educashytion specialist ldquoTeachers get a chance to plug in to the outdoor classroom thatis all around them and to see how theycan more effectively reach studentswho function better in this type ofhands-on learning environment than ina classroom settingrdquo Sweeney said

The camp also builds understanding and respect between Selawik elders andrefuge staffers as they learn from oneanother ldquoThe refuge is the traditional homeland of Selawik peoplerdquo Georgette said ldquoso in order for us to be able to do any kind of research you haveto have a good relationship with thecommunityrdquo

Selawik Refuge is working in otherways to support the villagersquos effort toconserve Inupiaq culture Georgette is compiling a list of the Inupiaq Englishand scientific names for refuge songshybirds And the refuge has publishedtwo booklets researched and written bylocal residents One booklet documents the historic range of the arearsquos caribouthe other documents and explainstraditional fishing methods

As he described caribou huntingSelawik elder David Nasragniq Greistspoke words that would make anideal motto for Selawikrsquos Science and Culture Camp ldquoWhat is given in the right way cannot be forgottenrdquo

3 8

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

inspiration interest and dash of chaos The curriculum at the Science and Culture Camp is informalldquoItrsquos very unstructured and it can seem a little chaotic to someone from the Lower 48rdquo Georgette said ldquobut itrsquos how villagesteach their youth They believe thatkids will learn when theyrsquore ready tolearnrdquo

The camp is broken into four two-daysessions with 20 to 40 children in each group The youngest students attendthe first session followed by childrenin grades 4-6 junior high and finallythe high school students The villageschool has only one class for each of theelementary grades so the younger stushydents and their teachers attend camptogether Junior high and high school teachers are invited to come to campif they wish ndash and each year severalattend often learning traditional skillsalongside their students

On a typical day the students meet on the riverbank for a 15-minute boat ride to the camp site There one groupaccompanies two or three adults tocheck the fishing nets Other studentscollect buckets and go berry-picking on the tundra learning plant identificationskills along the way Another group listens to an elder talk about the link between subsistence skills and self-respect

The refuge team helps ensure there isenough variety in the dayrsquos activitiesto keep the children engaged For example a refuge employee may pullout print-making materials and teach

the children how to make leaf printsRefuge staffers continually try new activities In the 2011 session refuge employees brought along small aquaticnets and taught the elementary school students how to fish for invertebrates Some children were fascinated and spent hours with their nets whileothers quickly moved on to somethingdifferent

One activity thatrsquos always a favorite isa photo scavenger hunt using digitalcameras provided by the refuge Whilesnapping photos of an insect a circle-shaped object found in nature or anapaaqtuq (a spruce tree) the studentsare learning ecology the Inupiaq language and field observation

The unstructured approach allows thechildren to pursue their own interestsGeorgette said Keeping tabs on the campers is not a problem since plentyof grown-ups are on scene With elders teacher-observers refuge staff boat drivers and cook about 15 adults are usually in camp ndash and by customvillage children are allowed somefreedom from constant close adult supervision

Being the provider When camp ends community membersteachers and students gather for apotluck of caribou soup baked anddried fish and a traditional Inupiaqdessert of whitefish eggs mixed withwild berries The feast gives thechildren ldquothe satisfaction of being the providerrdquo Georgette said ldquoIn northern Alaska therersquos a lot of cultural pride ingetting food from the landrdquo

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

Villagers teachstudents how to scale and cut a fish for drying on an open-air rack Then a Service staffer demonstrates how the fishrsquos gillsextract oxygen fromwater

The children who attend the campmiss two days of classroom lessonsIn a district where all the schools are struggling to meet the testsrsquo minimumacademic standard that can be a toughsell Yet most local educators strongly support the camp recognizing theimportance of connecting students withtheir cultural heritage and the land

Many of the teachers come fromoutside Alaska and because of theremote setting turnover is high Theteachers who spend time observing students and elders in the camp gainan understanding of village culture anda new insight into studentsrsquo skills andlearning styles said Brittany Sweeney Selawik Refugersquos environmental educashytion specialist ldquoTeachers get a chance to plug in to the outdoor classroom thatis all around them and to see how theycan more effectively reach studentswho function better in this type ofhands-on learning environment than ina classroom settingrdquo Sweeney said

The camp also builds understanding and respect between Selawik elders andrefuge staffers as they learn from oneanother ldquoThe refuge is the traditional homeland of Selawik peoplerdquo Georgette said ldquoso in order for us to be able to do any kind of research you haveto have a good relationship with thecommunityrdquo

Selawik Refuge is working in otherways to support the villagersquos effort toconserve Inupiaq culture Georgette is compiling a list of the Inupiaq Englishand scientific names for refuge songshybirds And the refuge has publishedtwo booklets researched and written bylocal residents One booklet documents the historic range of the arearsquos caribouthe other documents and explainstraditional fishing methods

As he described caribou huntingSelawik elder David Nasragniq Greistspoke words that would make anideal motto for Selawikrsquos Science and Culture Camp ldquoWhat is given in the right way cannot be forgottenrdquo

3 8

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

S p e c i A l R e p o R t B R i N g i N g e N v i R o N M e N tA l e d U c At i o N t o d i v e R S e A U d i e N c e S 3 9

the circle of life

Several other Alaska refuges host orsupport camps that meld traditionalknowledge and modern science Since1993 Alaska Peninsula Refuge on the statersquos southwestern tip has sponsoredSpirit Science Camp for high schooljuniors and seniors from native Alutiiqvillages Using a former Bible campas their base as many as 10 students and five elders spend four days inSeptember studying the mammalsbirds plants aquatic life and geologicfeatures of the wilderness surroundingremote Becharof Lake

Spirit Science students learn to identifyplants using the same dichotomouskeys used in botany classrooms ndash andalso learn the plant names in Alutiiqthe language of the Peninsularsquos native people and their value as food andmedicine Students learn basic outdoor skills such as orienteering the use ofGPS and bear safety ldquoAnd they learn how their homeland connects to the

ldquoWhen we grew up our father and uncles taught us how to protect the land and the animals so those spirits would in turn provide food and lands for us this is the circle of liferdquo orville lind said ldquothat is being lostWe want to resurrect that spirit that stewardship so we can have these resources for future conservationists years from nowrdquo

rest of the worldrdquo said camp co-founder Orville Lind In a region that is one of the worldrsquos richest breeding ground formigratory seabirds ldquowe tell them that we have shearwaters that come here from Australia and their jaws droprdquo

Lind a refuge ranger at Alaska Peninshysula Refuge and the son of an Alutiiqchief said the camp has four goalsto integrate traditional and Western teachings to increase studentsrsquo ecoshylogical knowledge to give the studentsoutdoor experiences that build skillsand confidence and to foster a sense of stewardship for the land and thewildlife it supports

By weaving the concepts of Western science into the framework of traditional knowledge staffers at Selawik Refugeconvey the message that these two ways ofknowing need not conflict

Susa

n Ge

orge

tte

USF

WS

Each year in mid-September when the caribou are migrating and wild berries are ripeitrsquos time for the Selawik Science and Culture Camp

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

4 0

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

A Message from the chief National Wildlife Refuge System

Our Conserving the Future vision which will guide national wildlife refuges for the next decade recommends improving and expanding environmental education And for good reason Environmental education is a tool to give people a deeper understanding of their ecological place in the natural world and an avenue to promote an ecological conscience in future conservationists

Our education programs enable us to articulate naturersquos benefits and demonstrate tangible contributions to community schools In these pages you learned about school-refuge partnerships that have already

succeeded in reaching children who donrsquot usually connect with the outdoors Often the collaboration initiated by one committed refuge employee or a single dedicated teacher can influence hundreds of children year after year

Todayrsquos conservation challenges are too big for any one agency or organization to surmount As leaders partners and role models in conservation efforts we can inspire children teachers schools and school districts so together we can leave a legacy of abundant and healthy wildlife and wild lands for future generations of Americans

Jim Kurth

USF

WS

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013

US department of the interior US Fish amp Wildlife Service

wwwfwsgov

Federal Relay 1 800 877 8339 voice and ttY

January 2013