Project WILD

What is it? Program for environmental education— focuses specifically on wildlife issues. Interdisciplinary curricula. Emphasizes active involvement. Targets K – 12 th grade learners.

What are some of its features? Managed and funded through US state agencies but its themes are globally relevant. Lessons can be used sequentially as primary curricula or as supplements to other curricula. Classroom tested.

Florida Project WILD Check out –Spanish Supplement –SSS correlations

WILD Framework Ecological Knowledge Wildlife Populations Habitats, Ecosystems, and Niches Interdependence Changes and Adaptations Biodiversity Social and Political Knowledge Cultural Perspectives Economic, Commercial, and Recreational Considerations Historical and Geographic Development Sustaining Fish and Wildlife Resources Attitudes and Awareness Human Impacts Issues and Trends Wildlife Management Responsible Action and Service

Related Curricula National projects –Project WET –Project Learning Tree –Flying WILD –WET in the City Florida projects –Florida Schoolyard Wildlife Project –Florida Black Bear Curriculum

Should environmental education be a priority in science classrooms?

ALL THINGS ARE INTERCONNECTED. EVERYTHING GOES SOMEWHERE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH. NATURE BATS LAST.

Let’s get started with a classic… Oh Deer

Oh Deer! In this activity, we will be simulating a natural deer population. What do organisms need to survive? a. food b. water c. shelter/space Count off; 1 – 4 1’s will be DEER; 2-4 will be habitat elements (food, water, shelter)

How does this activity model wildlife populations? How does the model break down? What kinds of concepts could be taught with this activity? What modifications could be made to teach other kinds of content?

Important concepts emerging from Oh Deer! Carrying Capacity & limiting factors How can these concepts be assessed without asking students for definitions to be remembered? –Create graphs –Describe how limiting factors affect carrying capacity –Respond to a scenario which describes a natural population

How have birds adapted?

Bird Feet BirdAdaptationAdvantage Duck Crane Chicken Hawk Robin

Bird Beaks BirdAdaptationAdvantage Duck Pelican Wood Pecker Hawk Hummingbird

Task Select and describe a habitat (natural or man- made). Design an imaginary organism specifically adapted to that environment. Consider the following issues for your organism: What will it eat? How does it move? How does it reproduce? How are offspring raised?

Birds of Prey… An ecological whodunit Examine the population graph for prairie falcons and ground squirrels… 1)What is happening to the populations? 2)What do you think caused the drop in populations? 3)How are the populations related? 4)What might have caused these changes?

Ground Squirrel and Falcon Populations in Southwest Idaho

Climate Data for Southwest Idaho

What are possible explanations for the population changes?

When temperatures reach at which it is too hot for the squirrels to stay above ground, they move underground and undergo “aestivation” or summer hibernation. What happens to the falcons? –Within days of the squirrel aestivation, the entire population move to higher, cooler elevations?

Important Concepts and Practices Making empirically based hypotheses. Integrating mathematics & science. Understanding the significant interrelationships between biotic and abiotic factors within an environment.

First Impressions Write down the first thing that comes to mind when you see each picture. How do our reactions affect our behavior towards wildlife? What roles do the 3 organisms which elicited your strongest reactions play?

What you wear is what they were. Brainstorm a list of materials used for the production of clothing & accessories Divide your list into materials that were once living vs. nonliving Divide your list into renewable vs. nonrenewable Divide the living list into plants vs. animals

Some questions to consider… Which materials consume resources which cannot be replaced? Which materials require killing an organism? Which materials are byproducts of other products? Should any of these determinations affect your buying patterns?

Animal Charades On one card write your name on one side and a WILD animal on the other side. On the other card, write your name on one side and a DOMESTICATED animal on the other side. We will select random cards and “act out” that animal. All you can tell the audience is whether your animal is domestic or wild.

Turtle Hurdles (p. 158: Aquatic WILD) Review of sea turtle natural history and environmental challenges. Game set-up: Turtles & Limiting factors Detailed rules.

Goals of the Activities Oh Deer! –Introduce concepts Adaptation Artistry –Apply understanding Birds of Prey –Using data to make hypotheses First Impressions –Becoming more reflective re: emotive responses What you wear is what they were –Stimulate discussion of social & ethical issues Turtle Hurdles –Learn about turtle natural history and population challenges in an interactive format.

Project WILD Activity Guides Guides are organized by 1- Elements of the framework (i.e., Ecological knowledge, Social & Political knowledge…) 2- Grade level appropriateness Take a look at “Color Crazy” p. 2-3 Appendices are very useful (pp ) Skills & Topics Indices (pp )

Scavenger Hunt Where can you find “Drawing on Nature?” Identify a high school activity which can be done in 45 min (or less) that targets biodiversity. Identify an activity appropriate for middle school learners which integrates science and language arts. What WILD concepts are addressed in “Hazardous Links, Possible Solutions?” Interpret the Conceptual Framework Topic Reference for “Time Lapse.”

For Next Week… By Thursday night, send me two activities that you would like to walk the class through from Project WILD Activity should be appropriate for high school audience. Plan to take 5-10 minutes leading the activity or carefully describing how the activity could be used; what content could be covered; what modifications would need to be made; etc.