|
Mr. Flynn's fourth grade students in Stokes School have been learning about conservation and the interdependent relationships that exist among living things.
They explored the Smithsonian's Institute's
website and have enjoyed the enriching online activities on Conservation Central,
an educational resource created by the National Zoo. Conservation Central is an educational program that explores conservation and the ecosystems that are home to a variety of plants and animals. The habitats explored include temperate forests, which are critical to the survival of the Giant Panda. These websites are also listed on
the ITSD Elementary Links.
One of the interactive activities is "A Walk in the Forest", where students virtually walk
through a forest with a scientist and learn how to identify trees by observing and classifying
their parts. Other virtual tours include "Dirt Detectives", "Seasonal Changes" and "Forest Layers".
Another favorite online activity is "Designing a Panda Habitat". The students learned
what goes into creating an animal home at the National Zoo. They found that it was not easy
to balance the needs of the pandas, visitors, and staff. Most importantly students appreciated
learning about the natural world through technology. As a result, they developed an awareness of
conservation and realized how it can have an impact on their lives.
|
