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Curriculum Guide to The Bear Book

  • 8 science-based, project-based lessons rooted in bear research and ecology
  • Targets learners in grades 9-12
  • Lessons address STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) goals and meet National Science Standards
  • Free
  • GOAL:   to help youth develop conservation awareness through scientific inquiry
  • We are currently conducting a PILOT STUDY to test The Curriculum Guide to The Bear Book.  If you would like to participate in this pilot study, and/or receive FREE materials for you and your classroom, please contact Dr. Melissa Reynolds-Hogland.  melissa@beartrust.org (406) 523-7779

 

If you are a teacher participating in the pilot study and need information, please click HERE

Lessons in the Curriculum Guide include the following:

Lesson 1A: Students read and discuss a chapter in The Bear Book about a potential new bear species

Lesson 1B: Students examine bear chromosomes, answer questions about species relatedness, create a cladogram of bear species, and figure out how to determine if a new bear species has been discovered

Lesson 2A: Students read and discuss a chapter in The Bear Book about conducting den work on wild bears

Lesson 2B: Students read, summarize, and discuss findings from a research study on bear denning, using the original scientific paper.  Students develop hypotheses and predictions.

Lesson 3: Students break into 3 groups and piece together an ecological puzzle

Lesson 4: Students read and discuss a chapter in The Bear Book about human-bear conflicts

Lesson 5: Students summarize tables and graphs from a scientific paper on testing aversive conditioning methods to reduce human-bear conflicts.  Students develop hypotheses and predictions, and critically evaluate methods and results.

Lesson 6: Students research methods for reducing human-bear conflicts in their own region

Lesson 7: Students read a chapter in The Bear Book about establishing a bear sanctuary in Equador.  They answer questions about culture and bear conservation, and discuss the chapter.

Lesson 8: Students examine and discuss results from a survey on human attitudes towards bears and conservation.  Then, students develop and implement their own surveys.