Environmental Education in Environmental Education in BelizeBelize

Melody Bessett, Kate Riley, Kaetlyn KerrMelody Bessett, Kate Riley, Kaetlyn Kerr

The Issue:The Issue:

•Lack of appreciation for Lack of appreciation for biodiversity.biodiversity.

•Lack of education about Lack of education about environmental importance in environmental importance in Belize.Belize.

The Goal:The Goal:

• Educate children about their natural Educate children about their natural environment.environment.

• Encourage exploration of new Encourage exploration of new environmental topics.environmental topics.

• Create a program that will be Create a program that will be continued.continued.

Contributing to the MDG’sContributing to the MDG’s

• MDG’s- Ensuring environmental MDG’s- Ensuring environmental sustainability.sustainability.

• Our Project-Our Project-““Integrate the principles of Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country sustainable development into country policies and programs; reverse loss of policies and programs; reverse loss of environmental resources”environmental resources”

• http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/#http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/#

Background ResearchBackground Research

• Catherine McLinn’s study- no Catherine McLinn’s study- no environmental curriculums in all of Cayo.environmental curriculums in all of Cayo.

• Belize Botanical Garden and Valley of Belize Botanical Garden and Valley of peace.peace.

• Plenty Belize- organic gardens in Toledo.Plenty Belize- organic gardens in Toledo.• Sustainable Schools Project- educating Sustainable Schools Project- educating

teachers.teachers.

Addressing the Problem:Addressing the Problem:

1.1. Develop a curriculum for all schools Develop a curriculum for all schools in Belizein Belize

2.2. Help bring environmental projects Help bring environmental projects to schoolsto schools

3.3. Expose children to their natural Expose children to their natural environment through hands-on environment through hands-on experience and field tripsexperience and field trips

Project Partners:Project Partners:

•St. Barnabas Primary School: St. Barnabas Primary School: Create a three week curriculum for Create a three week curriculum for standard I/IIstandard I/II

•Belize Botanic Garden: Belize Botanic Garden: Gain Gain information and organize a field tripinformation and organize a field trip

•BENPROBENPRO: Will receive curriculum : Will receive curriculum binder to continue out reach binder to continue out reach programsprograms

Project Description:Project Description:

The Pilot Curriculum:The Pilot Curriculum:– Three in-classroom lessons, Three in-classroom lessons,

each 90 minutes each 90 minutes – The program concluded with a The program concluded with a

field trip to Belize Botanic field trip to Belize Botanic GardensGardens

Lesson ContentLesson Content• Each lesson explored three Each lesson explored three

environmental topics:environmental topics:

Lesson 1- Ecosystems, Biodiversity Lesson 1- Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Endangered Animalsand Endangered Animals

Lesson 2- The Water Cycle, Pollution Lesson 2- The Water Cycle, Pollution and Global Warmingand Global Warming

Lesson 3- Life Cycles, Plants and Lesson 3- Life Cycles, Plants and SymbiosisSymbiosis

Lesson 1- EcosystemsLesson 1- Ecosystems• EcosystemsEcosystems

– food chain and food websfood chain and food webs– relationships between plants and animalsrelationships between plants and animals– ecosystems in Belizeecosystems in Belize

• BiodiversityBiodiversity– Two postersTwo posters

• Endangered SpeciesEndangered Species– How and Why animals become How and Why animals become

endangeredendangered

• Game- illustrated 4 necessities in Game- illustrated 4 necessities in ecosystemsecosystems

Lesson 2Lesson 2

• Water CycleWater Cycle– Poster Poster

• Water and Air PollutionWater and Air Pollution– PosterPoster

• Climates and Global WarmingClimates and Global Warming– Differences between weather and Differences between weather and

climate.climate.– Thermometer Worksheet.Thermometer Worksheet.

Lesson 3Lesson 3

• Life CyclesLife Cycles– Frog and Butterfly worksheet.Frog and Butterfly worksheet.

• Plants and AnimalsPlants and Animals– DifferencesDifferences– SymbiosisSymbiosis– Importance of Plants- poster.Importance of Plants- poster.

•Xate PlantingXate Planting

Botanical Garden Field Botanical Garden Field TripTrip

•Tour of native plants of Tour of native plants of BelizeBelize

•Made RicadoMade Ricado

•Scavenger huntScavenger hunt

•ExposureExposure

Effective Teaching Methods:Effective Teaching Methods:

• Interactive Visual Aids Interactive Visual Aids

• Verbal InstructionVerbal Instruction

• WorksheetsWorksheets

• Hands-on projectsHands-on projects

• Group Work and discussionsGroup Work and discussions

• Outdoor GamesOutdoor Games

Success!Success!

A foundation for future environmental A foundation for future environmental education in Belize includes:education in Belize includes:

– A preliminary curriculum that can be A preliminary curriculum that can be expanded uponexpanded upon

– A Written report A Written report – An opportunity for future environmental An opportunity for future environmental

UVM projectsUVM projects

Results-What They LearnedResults-What They Learned• Students were enthusiastic for each Students were enthusiastic for each

lesson lesson

• Students were introduced to new ideasStudents were introduced to new ideas

• Retained knowledge from one week to Retained knowledge from one week to the nextthe next

• Appreciated and enjoyed lessons and Appreciated and enjoyed lessons and field tripfield trip

Results- What We LearnedResults- What We Learned

• Patience.Patience.

• Creating partner relationshipsCreating partner relationships

• Skills for planning lessonsSkills for planning lessons

• Organization and Budgeting skillsOrganization and Budgeting skills

Future Future RecommendationsRecommendations• Create lesson plans for older groups.Create lesson plans for older groups.

– Expand on previous topicsExpand on previous topics– Pursue topics in more detailPursue topics in more detail

• Field trip- serves as a reward Field trip- serves as a reward – Santa Familia Environmental Education CenterSanta Familia Environmental Education Center– Belize Botanical GardenBelize Botanical Garden– Guanacaste National ParkGuanacaste National Park

• More lessons over a longer period of timeMore lessons over a longer period of time

• Different schoolsDifferent schools

Possible Future LessonsPossible Future Lessons

• Permaculture Permaculture – Organic food productionOrganic food production– AgroforestryAgroforestry

• ClimatologyClimatology– ClimatesClimates– Hadley cellsHadley cells

• EcologyEcology– Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels– Carbon CycleCarbon Cycle

Program BinderProgram Binder

•Guide for future UVM groups and Guide for future UVM groups and partners.partners.

-Background information.-Background information. -Future suggestions.-Future suggestions.

•UVM Service Learning ClassUVM Service Learning Class•St. BarnabasSt. Barnabas•Belize Botanic GardenBelize Botanic Garden•BENPRO- Santa Familia Environmental BENPRO- Santa Familia Environmental Education CenterEducation Center

Binders Include:Binders Include:• Introduction- Mission StatementIntroduction- Mission Statement• List of partners, schools, and contactsList of partners, schools, and contacts• Our 4 lesson plansOur 4 lesson plans

– WorksheetsWorksheets– Poster layoutsPoster layouts– Game descriptionsGame descriptions

• Topics for future lesson plansTopics for future lesson plans• Places for future field tripsPlaces for future field trips• Websites and references for helpWebsites and references for help• CD with photos and power point CD with photos and power point

presentationspresentations

Lesson 1

To all of our partners;

St. Barnabas

Belize Botanic Garden

Professor Gary Flomenhoft

Fellow Students

And…

Thank You!

Standard I and II! Standard I and II!