Creating a Cooperative Living Habitat: A Community Service-Oriented Participatory Citizenship Project Lesson Plan #: AELP- ENV0200 index  - stem initiative  -  cati  -  env0200 An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan Submitted by: Dr. Richard Oakes Peters Email: docdk39@hotmail.com School/University/Affiliation: Augusta (GA) State University Date: October 18, 1999 Grade Level: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Subject(s): Science/Environmental Education Duration: 10 months Description: Students are engaged in a process of creating a model COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT in the local community. Goals: As a result of their direct involvement in a school year-long service project, students will be able to: 1) explain the concept: COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT, 2) identify the characteristics of a COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT, 3) engage in the process of creating a COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT, and 4) become aware of the process of maintaining a COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT. Objectives: Students will: 1) interact with community resource people, 2) interact with a selected natural environment site, 3) read about conservation/stewardship/management practices and programs, 4) map the natural environment site, 5) collect (on film and video tape) data, 6) analyze data, 7) evaluate alternative strategies re: site management, 8) select a preferred site management strategy, and 9) design/implement a detailed site management plan. Materials: Community resource people a natural environment site sketch pads/pencils compasses reference materials (print/non-print and software) still/motion picture cameras and video tape equipment (for data collection purposes) water testing kits soil testing kits Procedure: Working with their social studies and science teachers, students are introduced to the concept: COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT. A 'CLH' is a given area in which MAN and NATURE coexist and mutually prosper -- as a result of human efforts to 1) create a quality life space, 2) protect natural phenomena/processes, 3) protect the health and well-being of humans, and 4) balance the interests of MAN and NATURE. Students are introduced to a selected natural environment site in the local community/region. The site is 'adopted' by the student -- becoming their community service project for the school year. Working with community resource people, e.g., soil conservation/wildlife management/forestry department/water management personnel, students learn about site management strategies. A management plan is designed/implemented, by the students, to: 1) improve/eliminate environmentally-destructive conditions, 2) remove natural debris, 3) remove human-caused litter, 4) conduct an environmental impact study, 5) design a nature trail system -- to be used by K-12 students as a field-based learning laboratory, and 6) create/maintain a COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT at the selected natural environment site. Assessment: Students will demonstrate the ability to: 1) explain the concept: COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT, 2) discuss concepts, e.g., conservation, stewardship, resource management, 3) draw maps, 4) use compasses, 5) collect data at field-based sites, 6) analyze data, 7) make decisions, 8) create audiovisual presentations, 9) participate in the creation/maintenance of a COOPERATIVE LIVING HABITAT at a selected natural environment site, 10) write essays about field-based experiences, 11) correctly answer 90% of matching, multiple choice, and completion (supply) test items, 12) test water samples, 13) test soil samples, 14) analyze rock samples, write science lab reports. Useful Internet Resources: * National Council for the Social Studies http://www.ncss.org * North American Association for Environmental Education http://www.naaee.org * National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org * United States Environment Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov * World Wide Fund (WWF) Global Network http://www.panda.org * Rainforest Action Network http://www.ran.org * The Nature Conservancy http://nature.org/