Title

Cougars and the community

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Publication Title

Science Teacher

Department

Education

Abstract

In a research collaboration with government biologists and university educators, K-12 students in the Cle Elum-Roslyn (CER) School District in eastern Washington are investigating where cougars ("Puma concolor") go when their habitat gives way to new housing developments. Now in its seventh year, Project Cougars and Teaching (CAT) is taking the education and science partnership a step further by incorporating civics into the environmental education curriculum. Through this model, students become civically engaged by conducting field investigations of the indigenous cougar's ecology and making public presentations to the community. This article describes the project's use of two curriculum models--one for field investigations and one for civic participation--in the context of studying human/cougar interactions. These models can also be used to guide other community studies. In addition, the curriculum is a prime example of how a community wildlife problem is bringing together diverse community interests to address a given need. (Contains 3 figures.)

Volume

75

Issue

4

pp.

36-40

ISSN

0036-8555

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