Students in Churchville-Chili High School’s Wildlife Ecology class, taught by Paula Mir and Matt DiGiambattista, welcomed a group of odd guests to their classroom on March 30: a spotted turtle, a snake, a marine toad and a very personable mallard duck. The visitors’ handlers, Seneca Park Zoo’s Wegmans ZooMobile Interpretive Specialist Britt Benjamin and Lead Interpreter Karen Wu, were on hand to help the students understand some of the driving forces behind species extinction.
The students are currently studying endangered species. “Extinction affects all of us,” said Mir. “Students learn that we should respect both plants and animals, and the Earth as a whole. The ecosystem is important for our jobs, medicines, economy and recreation.”
ZooMobile presenter Wu broke the class up into four groups, with each concentrating on understanding a challenge endangered species face — poaching, loss of habitat, the illegal pet trade or pollution. Each group presented their findings to the class, and Wu illustrated each problem with stories about endangered creatures, represented by one of the visiting animals. Students learned about the actions and choices they could make to combat the threats to wildlife and to the environment.
After the presentation, students followed up with persuasive and well-researched letters to their local congressional representatives, requesting information on what steps they are taking to protect our biosphere.
“Events like this help students connect to what they are learning about ecosystems and science in the classroom, and empower them to take action,” said Mir. “They are introduced to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers. We are very fortunate that our community and our school district are committed to supporting rich educational opportunities like this for our students.”
The Seneca Park Zoo’s Wegmans ZooMobile program has been providing educational outreach services to area schools and other institutions since 1986. Their mission is to instill an understanding and appreciation of the Earth’s biodiversity and to provide community members with the education, skills and motivation to act on behalf of the environment. Visit http://senecaparkzoo.org/education/zoomobile/ for more information.
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