Kaitlyn and Ronald, two high school students from
Trenton, are chosen to represent their school for a meeting at Grassmere
Wildlife Park. At the park Kaitlyn and Ronald meet students from three
other high schools, as well as Laura Smith, a biologist at Grassmere, and
Alvin Randolph, the park's executive director. Alvin explains that the
students have been invited to participate in a national competition to
create a proposal for funding projects that protect habitat and save
threatened or endangered species.
Laura goes on to say that the competition is being sponsored by Mary
Stewart Downey, a philanthropist interested in environmental issues. One
stipulation of Mary's competition is that wildlife parks must involve
local youth in their projects. That's why Grassmere needs the students. If
the students' proposal is chosen as the winner, they will receive $5,000
to carry it out.
The students watch the first of Mary's videos, which
explains the competition and her rationale behind it. In the video Mary
tells about spending summers with her grandparents and observing wildlife,
such as beavers and eagles. Now, many of these animals can no longer be
found. Mary asks the students to spend 30 minutes observing plants and
animals in their neighborhoods and then to do some research to discover
how the populations have changed over time. Alvin adjourns the first
meeting, and Laura invites the students to walk around the park and
discuss the neighborhood research assignment.
The following week the students gather again at Grassmere to share what
they observed in their neighborhoods and what they learned about the
change in local animal populations over time. Many species have declined
in number, but some have increased. Carine and Ana Marie explain how
biologists conduct censuses and samples of animal populations to estimate
the number of animals in an area. The students then watch the next
installment of Mary's tapes.
Mary says the drastic decrease in population of many species is mostly
caused by loss of habitat. She goes on to explain about land bridges. A
land bridge is a tract of land that creates a potential home for species
that require more home range, or habitat, than small, individual pieces of
land can provide. The land bridge connects the individual pieces into one
large range. She then introduces the proposal specifications. Mary reminds
the students that at least 60% of the total student population of their
schools must volunteer for the projects.
After watching the video, the students begin
considering possible projects. They like the idea of a land bridge, and
they find out that the park already has land set aside for a land bridge.
The park just needs volunteers to plant trees to provide cover for
animals.
The students visit an animal center for injured animals. They learn how
peregrine falcons are being reintroduced to some areas to help decrease
the pigeon population. Kaitlyn comments that as the students learn more
about the environment and animal habitat a theme begins to emerge:
everything is connected. The students also learn that they might volunteer
at the center as another potential project.
The following day the students return to their schools and take a census
of potential volunteers. They're disappointed to discover that only one of
the four schools has enough potential volunteers to meet the 60%
participation requirement. To promote their idea among their school mates
the students decide to produce a video that will illustrate the need for
environmental improvements in Trenton and the benefits of participating in
their proposed projects.
As the students make their video, several possible
projects are presented and explained. One is building bat houses that will
attract bats to combat the excessive mosquito population. Another is
cleaning a ten mile stretch along the banks of a major river in Trenton.
Several local businesses and organizations demonstrate their support of
the students' efforts by donating transportation and materials. Everyone
hopes the video will convince enough students to volunteer that Mary's 60%
participation requirement will be met.
The students go back to their respective schools and show their
promotional video. In lieu of conducting a census, this time the students
save paper and tabulating time by surveying a representative sample of the
student body to see if they have the volunteers they need. Each school
employs a different method for selecting the 75 student sample. After
presenting their results at a final meeting at Grassmere, the students
begin work on the proposal.
Challenge
Create a proposal to submit to Mary Stewart Downey.
Remember to explain why the proposal will have a positive environmental impact.
Kaitlyn and Ronald, two high school students from
Trenton, are chosen to represent their school for a meeting at Grassmere
Wildlife Park. At the park Kaitlyn and Ronald meet students from three
other high schools, as well as Laura Smith, a biologist at Grassmere, and
Alvin Randolph, the park's executive director. Alvin explains that the
students have been invited to participate in a national competition to
create a proposal for funding projects that protect habitat and save
threatened or endangered species.
The students watch the first of Mary's videos, which
explains the competition and her rationale behind it. In the video Mary
tells about spending summers with her grandparents and observing wildlife,
such as beavers and eagles. Now, many of these animals can no longer be
found. Mary asks the students to spend 30 minutes observing plants and
animals in their neighborhoods and then to do some research to discover
how the populations have changed over time. Alvin adjourns the first
meeting, and Laura invites the students to walk around the park and
discuss the neighborhood research assignment.
After watching the video, the students begin
considering possible projects. They like the idea of a land bridge, and
they find out that the park already has land set aside for a land bridge.
The park just needs volunteers to plant trees to provide cover for
animals.
As the students make their video, several possible
projects are presented and explained. One is building bat houses that will
attract bats to combat the excessive mosquito population. Another is
cleaning a ten mile stretch along the banks of a major river in Trenton.
Several local businesses and organizations demonstrate their support of
the students' efforts by donating transportation and materials. Everyone
hopes the video will convince enough students to volunteer that Mary's 60%
participation requirement will be met.