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Exotic Aquatics on The Move |
A
joint project of
Six Sea Grant College Programs
&
Six
Geographic Education
Alliances.
Background |
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Project Goals & Objectives |
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Professional
Development |
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Environmental
Stewardship Component |
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Project Principal Organizations |
Background
Exotic aquatic invaders are impacting all our shores. Invasive species,
including Zebra mussel and green crab, have had serious ecological and
socioeconomic impacts from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the
Atlantic to Pacific oceans - and rivers and lakes in between. For example, the Atlantic coast is also
impacted by exotic species such as the green crab, Carcinus maenas,
and purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria. Important ecosystems such as the
Chesapeake Bay have been invaded by exotic plants and animals that have been
introduced in ballast water dumped by foreign ships. If teachers and students,
along with members of their communities, are more knowledgeable about exotic
species, it is then possible for them to make informed decisions about their
behavior related to the introduction and spread of these exotic invaders.
Currently, teachers are more frequently requesting information on Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) to use in their classrooms. They seek clear, concise lesson plans that include multi-disciplinary concepts to help their students attain high academic goals and meet state and national education standards. This project is designed to assist teachers with research-based information for the classroom.
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Project Goals
Teach educators and their students
about the ecological impacts of exotics and how these students and members of
their community can make environmentally responsible decisions to help prevent
the spread and transport of exotic species.
Objectives
1. Increase the knowledge of grade 6-12 geography and social studies teachers about exotic aquatic species and their impacts on the ecosystem and economy, especially those species threatening our aquatic environments.
2. Help teachers meet National Geography Standards by linking ANS (Aquatic Nuisance Species) activities and projects from this workshop to these standards.
3. Enhance information sharing among students and teachers engaged in the study of geography and social studies.
4. Facilitate community awareness of exotic aquatic species and improve understanding of how these species affect humans and how humans affect their dispersal and population distribution.
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Information Users
1. Geography
and social studies teachers and students in grades 6-12
2. Citizens interested in learning how they can help prevent spread and future introductions of ANS
3. Non-formal educators
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Professional
Development
1. Two
hands-on workshops will be conducted in
the states of Indiana, Louisiana, New York, and Washington, with the initial
workshop most likely held in conjunction with the state Geographic Education
Alliance's Summer Institute in the year 2000.
2. The initial workshop will be a 1-1.5 day session conducted in an extended Day camp format. Experts on exotic species, Sea Grant education and outreach staff, and National and State Park interpreters, State DNR biologists, and Aquarium education staff will introduce 20 educators at this professional development workshop to exotic species resources and educational materials. Indoor and outdoor activities will provide educators hands-on time with curriculum materials developed in science, math, social studies and language arts areas.
3. A follow-up workshop held 3-6 months after the initial workshop will reconvene teacher attendees. This session will provide an opportunity for facilitators to answer questions that have arisen since the initial training. It will also provide an opportunity for facilitators to learn of the progress made by teachers and their students in developing their ANS community awareness projects. Teachers will also have the opportunity to discuss their ideas for new geography activities on exotic aquatic species that can be incorporated into the classroom.
4. The facilitators will gather input from teachers on the new Web pages, "Exotic Aquatics on the Move," that will be housed on the existing Sea Grant Nonindiqenous Species Web site, SGNIS.
5. The follow-up workshop will provide a forum to discuss the format and procedures for submitting student posters of their community awareness projects at a session at a National geography or social studies education conference. Project facilitators will develop poster review criteria, chair and coordinate judging, develop and distribute a poster session flyer to workshop hosts, and assist in marketing the workshops in an effort to identify and invite prospective teachers and educators to attend. The student whose poster is judged as "champion" will be invited to co-present with the teacher their poster activity at a national education conference.
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Environmental
Stewardship Component
Environmental
stewardship is a important component in our workshop. Participants will be
strongly encouraged to develop, environmental stewardship project with students
in their local communities that is focused on the dissemination of the content
of the initial workshop. After the community awareness projects are completed,
the teacher and students will prepare a written description of their project and
a poster presentation. This student activity should illustrate their knowledge
of the exotic species issues in their communities Written descriptions will be
published as a compendium of ideas for environmental stewardship projects on
exotic species both as a hard copy and as a feature of the educational section
of the SGNIS Web site.
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Project Principal Organizations
1. Six Sea Grant College Programs
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2. Six
Geographic Education Alliances
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