Rocky Brushy Creek Watershed Mgmt. Plan (2007) -- Part 2

CHAPTER 8• Developing and supporting a cadre of skilled facilitators, most of whom are classroomteachers, to deliver workshops.• Developing materials and workshops that link environmental education with Sunshine StateStandards.• Collaborating with Area Centers for Educational Enhancement to improve teaching andenhance student performance.• Assisting post-secondary educators in integrating environmental education concepts andmethods in their teaching.Materials developed by the program of the Office of Environmental Education are distributed at nocost to the public.Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission implements several programs state-side,including Hillsborough County and the Rocky Creek - Brushy Creek watershed:1. Project WILD is a supplementary, interdisciplinary instructional program for teachers ofkindergarten through high school age students. It is a way for teachers to incorporateconcepts related to people, wildlife, and a healthy environment into major school subjectsand skill areas. WILD activities are organized around a conceptual framework thataddresses awareness and appreciation of wildlife, human values and wildlife, wildlife andecological systems, wildlife conservation, cultural and social interaction with wildlife, wildlifeissues and trends, and responsible human actions. Project WILD is one of the most widelyused conservation and environmental education programs among educators. It is based onthe premise that young people and educators have a vital interest in learning about ournatural world. The program emphasizes on wildlife because of its intrinsic and ecologicalvalues, as well as its importance as a basis for teaching how ecosystems function. ProjectWILD addresses the need for human beings to develop as responsible citizens of ourplanet.2. FWC Schoolyard Wildlife Project is an environmental education program that teachesteachers, parents, and students how to turn school grounds into an effective outdoorsclassroom. The Schoolyard Wildlife Project’s resources help incorporate Florida’s naturalhistory into school curricula to teach environmental awareness, problem-solving, basicbiology, and ecological principles. Two types of hands-on, interactive, one-day workshopsare offered: Schoolyard Activities & Ecology and Schoolyard Ecosystems. A combinationweekend workshop is offered twice a year. The Schoolyard Activities & Ecology workshopprovides teachers with high quality, Florida-specific natural history and ecology lessons,and natural science explorations. This four- to six-hour workshop targets educators ingrades K-6. The Schoolyard Ecosystems workshop teaches educators about localecosystems and how to involve their students in the creation, restoration, or enhancementof native wildlife habitats on school grounds. This six-hour workshop targets educators ingrades K-12. The Schoolyard Wildlife Activity Guide and Schoolyard Ecosystems book canbe received only by attending the workshop.8-55Rocky/Brushy Creek Watershed Management Plan