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Common Ground in
Conservation
Common Ground in
Conservation (CGC) is a new project run through the
Kids Do Ecology program of the National
Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS).
The basic idea behind CGC is that endangered species
occur everywhere, although the specific creatures
change from place to place, and that the processes and
biology contributing to endangered species are
universal. This conservation education project strives
to emphasize the common themes in conservation that
are faced by people in different places. The goal is
to introduce students in grades K-12 to both local and
global threats to biological diversity by opening a
dialogue between students and an ESER biologist, as
well as a partner school in a different place.
The project is designed
to be simple, making few demands on time and
resources. The idea is that an ESER biologist visits a
classroom in the community and gives a presentation
about a local endangered species, emphasizing biology
and the processes that are threatening the species.
The students then share what they have learned with a
partner school. This can be done in various ways, such
as a report, artwork, poem, etc. The partner school
will have done the same thing with their local
scientist. Once the information is exchanged between
the classrooms, the ESER scientist comes back to hear
what the students have learned about their partner
school's endangered species. This discussion
incorporates some of the similarities and differences
between the species.
The
school participating in ESER's pilot CGC Program for the school year 2001-2002 was
Stuart Elementary in Shelley. Five third classes
were taught by an ESER scientist about sage
grouse. View their sage
grouse
projects.
To participate in the
Common Ground in Conservation Program with your
classroom, please contact Alana
Jensen (ajensen@stoller.com). Classes from first
grade through high school are encouraged to
participate.
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