MODEL PROGRAM

Title of Presentation: WILD About Aquatic Education

 Author(s):   Donna Asbury, Director, Project WILD
                     Barbara Bonsall Wood, Ph.D., Project Manager, Project WILD
                    707 Conservation Lane                 Gaithersburg, MD 20879
                    (301)527-8900

Names and Titles of Presenters:  

            Donna Asbury, Director, Project WILD
            Barbara Bonsall Wood, Ph.D., Project Manager, Project WILD

A/V Equipment Needs: Overhead projector and screen, slide projector

Abstract: Take another look at Project WILD Aquatic!  Over the past two years Project WILD has launched an extensive evaluation of its educational programs and materials, updated its learning framework to coincide with today’s educational standards and natural resource issues, and revised its core curriculum materials, including the popular Project WILD Aquatic K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide. 

 Learn about the approach Project WILD took to enhance its programs, from understanding constituents’ needs, to updating its conceptual framework, to developing new activities and revising old favorites.  Surveys of state fish and wildlife agency directors, educators, and academic administrators and a review of current practices led Project WILD to strengthen its Aquatic educational content in key areas such as ecological knowledge, social and political knowledge, and the sustaining of fish and wildlife resources.  These three major sections now form the basis for Project WILD’s conceptual framework, and reflect a developmental structure of increasing complexity.

A dozen new and significantly revised Project WILD Aquatic activities, in addition to thirty-six updated activities, provide opportunities for to learn about changes and adaptation in aquatic wildlife, biodiversity, impacts of political and legislative frameworks on aquatic wildlife; and principles of aquatic wildlife management.  During the session, such new activities as Dam Design, Sockeye Scents, Silt: A Dirty Work, and Sea Turtles International will be highlighted. Suggestions will be given for introducing Project WILD Aquatic to new audiences and using the new curriculum and activity guides for advanced training of educators already familiar with Project WILD.