Invasive Species Community Mentor Training
Workshop Description: Capstone students and university researchers formed focus groups to incorporate both western science and traditional ecological knowledge into a new education initiative at Stone Child College. Four Natural Resources Capstone Students, Tashina Russette, Jonathon Four Colors, Nathanial Windy Boy, and Curtis Windy Boy, hope to serve teachers, parents, and community youth as mentors and trainers. The workshop is the first step to establish a mentor program and prepare for community outreach at Rocky Boy Reservation near Havre, Montana.
Workshop Purpose: InterMedia’s partnerships coordinator and research project principal investigator, Carla Hoopes, wanted to improve two existing youth environmental education programs and develop a mentor program in Tribal communities. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sponsored Invasive Species Research and Education for Native American Students and Stone Child College sponsored the initial mentor component pilot on July 19, 2010. Stone Child College Professors included Natalie Flores, Mary R. St. Pierre, and Doug Crebs. Stewardship Partners’ trainer Ciara Wolfe conducted the training.
Cooperators: Larry Beneker, Bureau of Indian Affairs; Ron Swan, Rocky Boy Noxious Weed Supervisor; Duane Gopher, Rocky Boy Wetlands Coordinator; and Terry Turner, Hill County Weed District.
Invasive Species Community Mentor Training Workshop Agenda:Customized for Stone Child College Natural Resources Capstone Students
Introduction. Workshop participants introduce themselves and the environment in which they will use the materials for the community service learning initiative.(10 minutes)
Aquatic Invasive Species Overview. Read the children’s book applying inquiry-based teaching to encourage students to think about how experiences in their every day life connect with the story.Role model the active inquiry-based learning method, and benefits of using the method in the outdoor classroom. Provide a handout on Active Inquiry Based Learning. (30 minutes)
Introduce the Activity Guide. Walk through the layout and uses of the guide. (5 minutes)
Activity #1. Play the game, Macroinvertebrate Mayhem
Introduce concepts and the game.Provide background on Eurasian watermilfoil. Guide students in identification. Play Macroinvertebrate Mayhem. (30 minutes – Guide Pg. 41). Tie the game back to the guide (pg. 41) and children’s book (Pg. 8). Relate back to the importance of cleaning materials ( Ask students questions to debrief about students’ experiences playing the game.
Activity #2. Play the games, Equate Relate(40 minutes – Pg. 48) and Osprey/Trout/Spore(20 minutes - Pg.38). Introduce concepts and activities. Provide background on whirling disease and various ways that aquatic nuisance species spread (Guide Pp. 48-50). Play Equate Relate. Play Osprey/Trout/Spore. Tie the activities back to the children’s book and teacher guide. Ask students questions to debrief about students’ experiences playing each game.
Activity #3. Engage in the activities, Parts of a Plant(10 minutes) and Mapping and Controlling Purple Loosestrife (60 minutes – Guide Pp. 18-20). Introduce concepts and activities. Provide background on Purple Loosestrife. Implement Parts of a Plant identification and song, debrief and implement Mapping and Controlling Purple Loosestrife. Tie the activities back to the children’s book (Pg. 4) and the Guide (Pgs 18-20). Ask questions to debrief about students’ experiences learning to teach the activities.
Wrap-Up.Play Be A Stream to demonstrate how fun it is to reenact a story about an invasive plant establishing along a stream (Read the story in the Guide Pg. 7)
Materials: Green flagging for the playing field for both Macroinvertebrate Mayhem and Osprey, Trout/Spore; Name tags for Macro-Mayhem: caddisfly, mayfly, stonefly, Eurasian watermilfoil; Journals for mapping, Pencils; Blue crepe paper streamers to represent water level in Be A Stream
Overview Other Available Resources and Questions
Our Wetland Project children’s book and teacher guide; Flash Cards, National Invasive Species Library content references.