We're pleased to provide six curricula, below, that integrate science and social studies. Each one was designed to support a classroom-based assessment (CBA), and aligns with Washington, Oregon and Idaho state science standards. These curricula highlight how scientific evidence and stakeholder input help our policy makers and managers to decide on regulations and other actions to conserve and manage the resources for which we're responsible.
We hope to share the complexity of considering the views of all parties involved. These include government agencies at the county, state, federal and in sometimes the international level, plus the people, businesses and organizations that are directly involved in the issues. We want to emphasize that the efforts and expertise of these stakeholder groups all contribute to establishing sustainable practices and effective ecosystem management systems.
Each curriculum has four lessons with which the teacher engages the students in the content and issues. If possible, a NOAA representative will come in for the fifth lesson to reinforce information and emphasize the importance of how individuals within a watershed can be involved in the process. However, any of these lessons can be modified to fit into pre-existing curricula, or to pick and choose to meet the needs of your students and classroom. We can also come in and support topics that are relevant to your needs. We want to highlight research projects that are happening locally, and help emphasize why this work is important to the protection, conservation and health of the ecosystems around us.
Our content focuses on killer whale recovery, sustainable halibut fisheries and salmon issues. However, any of these topics can be linked to larger issues, such as global warming or other concerns facing our marine and aquatic environments. We hope to reinforce how important it is to know the many diverse factors that influence a system. We want to share with young people that protecting our oceans, estuaries, and local environment can start with a strong foundation in science, but there are many different career opportunities and pathways that support their interests.
Please e-mail us if you want to brainstorm ways that we can support teaching and learning in your school. We're still in the pilot phase and would love to hear from you about what you like or want to see to help students succeed.
This portion of the NWR Website is intended for students and their educators. Information within this Web section should not be cited in scientific journals or publications.
