Our mission is to educate the public about the care and the necessity for the preservation of all wildlife. It is our belief that through hands-on experience with the animals at the Everglades Outpost, and through our interactive educational programs, the public will become more enlightened about the importance of our wildlife and their habitats.
Threatened, endangered, and extinct are words that have become all too common in our current vocabulary. The natural process of species evolution, taking hundreds and thousands of years, has accelerated rapidly in the past century.
Today, because of man's need for land and raw materials, his continued pollution and indiscriminate hunting, many plant and wildlife species are on the brink of extinction. Nowhere is man's impact on other species more evident then here, in Florida's River of Grass, the Everglades, where 51 species of plants and animals are endangered and 20 more are threatened. One of these, the Florida Panther, has the distinction of being the most threatened species in the United States, with less than 50 of these beautiful animals left in the wild.
Why is this important? …Because the biodiversity on this planet is being destroyed. We all share this planet and the extinction of one species impacts and threatens all life on the planet. We must all shift our vision from the egotistical viewpoint, where we humans "own" the earth to a viewpoint of "earth literacy". We are all connected.
But attitudes do not change without education, and we must begin the process with our children.
The educational programs at the Everglades Outpost are Kindergarten-12th grade environmental and conservation programs, emphasizing awareness, appreciation and understanding of wildlife and natural resources. They are designed to promote positive behaviors and policies toward wildlife and the environment. By working to preserve wildlife and habitats and by promoting core humane values, our efforts not only aid wildlife and habitats, but they also help mankind.
Young people seem to be drawn to animals. We capitalize on the natural interest that children have in wildlife, providing hands-on activities that enhance student learning in all subject and skill areas. Many students have never seen these kinds of animals, and most have only second hand information from lectures, books, television or computers. As urban development continues to expand, children are becoming increasingly isolated from the natural world. We believe it is through personal interaction with nature that people develop a true understanding and respect for the planet.
All programs include live animals as a central theme. The information discussed comes from basic science and has its source in the anatomical, physiological and behavioral features of the animals that are presented. Students couple basic scientific phenomena with observations about the animals. Presentations are informal, and encourage questions, empowering students of all ages with observational and investigation skills in order to encourage a more interactive, authoritative relationship with the environment and wildlife.
The result for the student is an interdisciplinary body of knowledge and the development of scientific observation and interpretation skills.
And it's fun. The limitations of the classroom are expanded and the process of learning becomes an enjoyable, lasting experience. We create a learning environment where students can develop an appreciation of natural habitats and animals, and are inspired to protect and conserve. This outdoor classroom provides opportunities for exciting, hands-on, real world learning activities with students and teachers.
How can the Everglades Outpost help infuse your classroom with energy and excitement and add new life to your curriculum?
A discussion about observing animal behavior can lead to the importance of developing good science inquiry skills. When students begin to ask questions about their observations, a logical next step is to develop a process to discover the answers for themselves. The scientific method is a universally accepted process for answering questions about the unknown.
While they are at the Outpost, students should spend some time observing the animals, collecting data and examining the results of our studies. Some questions to assist in these tasks include:
- Observe the animals. What kinds of behaviors do you see them doing?
- How do they interact with other animals? With the exhibit itself?
- What does the data show?
- What conclusions can be drawn from the data?
- Are there additional questions the Everglades Outpost should ask to help clarify the information?
- Do you think we would get the same results studying these animals in the wild?
- What are some of the factors that affect the behavior of animals in captivity compared to those in the wild?
Here are some ways animals can be used as a central theme to help teach components of your curriculum:
- Science - How do the systems of Earth change over time and how can you predict those changes? Why do the "fittest" survive? What adaptations aid the species in survival? What are the living and non-living aspects of an ecosystem? What are their similarities and differences? What is a habitat and what is its history? What are the basic needs of all living things? How do changes in the environment influence the size, number, or diversity of organisms in an area? What is the proper procedure when a sick or injured animal is found? What resources are renewable? How do human activities alter the equilibrium in an ecosystem?
- Geography - Where in the world does this animal live? How would you describe its habitat? What other plants and animals live there? Why is this animal found in that particular region, and not somewhere else?
- Mathematics - Animal measures - how big is this animal? What is its length, height, weight? How large an area does it need to survive? How does this animal compare to other animals?
- Social Studies - Which human cultures live near this animal? How do the people and the animals interact in their habitat? What ideas do you have to help people and animals coexist? How have people altered the physical environment of Florida? What are the cultural and physical differences between an urban and rural environment? How do different cultures use similar resources? How does the state of Florida allocate and use natural resources? How can community service benefit both the volunteer and the recipient?
- Language Arts - What are the legends and stories about this animal? What would you talk or write about this animal in an oral or written report, or a poem?
- Fine Art - Which characteristics of this animal really stand out? Is it the pattern or texture of its skin, the animal's coloring or its background habitat? How would you feature that characteristic in a drawing or a sculpture?
It is interdisciplinary and supplementary, which means it can be used to teach basic learning skills in science, social studies, language arts, math, art, music and physical education. With an unbiased approach to basic wildlife management practices, we teach young people:
- how to think about wildlife, not what to think
- a set of fun, hands-on, easy to use educational activities
- helpful, scientific background information preceding all activities
- powerful techniques and methods for teaching problem solving and decision-making skills
- a program that is kid-tested and teacher approved
And such approach will also increase students' enthusiasm for learning and impact self esteem. When viewing wildlife, whether it's as large as a bear or as small as a mouse, keep in mind that watching animals is both a science and an art. Science takes into account the natural history and physiology of the animal you're watching, including how the animal senses predators, what comprises its diet, and where it lives. The artistic side of wildlife watching comes from knowing how close you can get to the animal without disturbing it or causing it any harm.
