Imagine not knowing your entire life had been spent in the largest region of protected lands in the continental US! My school district lies within the Adirondack State Park- yet the majority of students think only of parks in terms of a main entrance, picnic area and playground.
Fostering a connection between my students and the unique region they call home has been a focus of my 7th grade life science curriculum.
I do this by creating a classroom where students discover, explore and understand the relationship they have with their environment. Students collaborate to explore issues and propose solutions. Nearly every aspect of our curriculum is tied to the Adirondacks.
Our school is a small and rural. Students and their families have been in the region for generations. They live, work and play in the Adirondacks. Hunting and fishing is how they put food on the table. Logging is how bills are paid. The Adirondack park is the largest state park in the contiguous United States, and sheer size makes its role as a protected land unfathomable to many of my students. It is necessary for them to understand the significance of the region and their role as ambassadors for its future protection.
My Project
Fly fishing has a long history in the Adirondacks, and an equally large role in its conservation. The skills of a successful fly fisherman are synonymous with the traits of a concerned conservationist. The ability to read the land, water and organisms that call the stream home are necessary for both. My students spend the year immersed in the study of the Adirondacks with Spring culminating in tying a set of flies that mimic the various hatches of the Mayfly life cycle. These materials will make it possible for my students to continue tying flies and test their skills fishing on the Saranac river. Tying a set of flies is no easy task- it requires an understanding and application of classification, entomology and ecology. Testing out these flies through fly fishing provides tangible feedback of the students individual success. Fly tying, and fly fishing connects these students to generations who have come before, fished these rivers, and protected these mountain streams.
Donations to this project will promote a connection between students and their environment in a way that traditional education cannot.
"It's not enough to fight for the land, it's even more important to enjoy it while you can, while it's still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around. Ramble out yonder, explore the woods, encounter a grizz, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep that yet sweet, lucid air."
- "I Don't Mind" The Tabasco Donkeys
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Shuman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.