Looking for ideas on how to incorporate Wildlife Center information into your lesson plans? The Wildlife Center has compiled a list of subjects and ideas to showcase how some teachers around the country are already using our patient and education animal information in their classrooms.
Art
- Using images of patients and education animals, students can draw inspiration from a variety of wild subjects and create drawings, paintings, sculptures, collages, and other nature-themed art.
Computer Lab: Depending on set-up, students can practice keyboard/typing skills during moderated discussions.
- Video- and photo-editing skills can be honed using Critter Cam and website content.
- Students may keep online patient journals and medical records using website information or email updates about their Caring for Critters animal.
- Students can gain experience creating PowerPoint presentations on a variety of subjects.
- Creative movie production!
Geography:
- On the moderated discussion, students may learn and map where viewers live.
- Map the geographic range of wildlife patients using rescue location information or even cross-over science lessons about species' habitats, migration routes, and ranges.
- Follow travel maps based on tracking devices on released patients.
Math:
Graphing -- using weights of patients or education animals, students will have real-life data to practice plotting different types of graphs.- Area and Perimeter -- using the measurements of some outdoor enclosures at the Wildlife Center, students will have real-life data and images to make determining the area of an enclosure more exciting.
- Statistics -- using weights of patients or education animals, students will gain more experience with determining averages, means, modes, and trends. The Wildlife Center's annual report is another good source for patient data.
Reading:
- Practice reading patient stories on the "Current Patients" page.
- Mapping and reading timelines
Science:
- Species identification -- using WCV patients and education animals as examples, further study may include characteristics/behavior of species; diet, hunting, predator/prey relationships; habitat and ecosystems; and life cycles. Many assignments can combine natural history facts with student creativity.
- Anatomy -- using labeled radiographs of Wildlife Center patients, students may compare and contrast the anatomy of various species of wildlife to human anatomy.
- Raptor pellet dissection -- teachers may purchase pellets [depending on availability]. Email edu@wildlifecenter.org for more information.
Writing:
Narrative writing -- using wildlife subjects, teachers may emphasize lessons in vocabulary, descriptive words and phrases, and other important components of story-writing while students exercise their creativity.- Poetry -- students may use interesting wildlife information while learning about different styles of poetry.
- Daily journaling assignments based on Critter Cam observation.
Are you already using Wildlife Center of Virginia materials and resources in your classroom? Please let us know, so we can share your classroom projects and experiences with other teachers. Do you have suggestions for other materials and resources that would help you with your environmental and science education projects and classes? We are eager to hear from you! Contact us at outreach@wildlifecenter.org.