Aiding Educational Curriculums
During the spring of 2000, IFAW scientists worked aboard
s/v Silurian, conducting visual and acoustic cetacean surveys near the
islands of Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, Grenada and Tobago. Two interns
from the University of West Indies, Barbados; a Fisheries officer from Tortola,
BVI; a scientist from the Institute of Marine Affairs, Trinidad; and several
Fisheries officials from Tobago trained and worked onboard. In Dominica, several
college students sailed aboard Silurian to learn data collection
techniques. IFAW also gave school lectures in Dominica, Trinidad and
Tobago.
Over the years, newsletters and textbooks on whales and dolphins, written by IFAW scientists and educators, have been distributed to schools in Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Carriacou, Antigua, and St. Vincent. Audiovisual shows featuring the sounds of dolphins, orcas, and sperm whales, and the songs of humpback whales, were given to more than 22,000 schoolchildren and several community groups in the Eastern Caribbean. Textbooks on whales and the marine environment have been donated to all schools visited to complement the scientific curriculum.
Three children’s activity books — Whales and Dolphins, Jam with Whales, and Jump with Whales — have been published as part of IFAW’s education program. These books are now available on the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Web site so teachers can download them and make copies inexpensively.
UNEP has translated Jump with Whales into Spanish and French for wider distribution in the Caribbean. In addition, annual drawing, poetry and essay contests encourage children to express their artistic talents while raising awareness of marine mammals. Winning entries are published in a poster and calendar, and distributed to schools and non-governmental organizations across the Eastern Caribbean.
Over the years, newsletters and textbooks on whales and dolphins, written by IFAW scientists and educators, have been distributed to schools in Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Carriacou, Antigua, and St. Vincent. Audiovisual shows featuring the sounds of dolphins, orcas, and sperm whales, and the songs of humpback whales, were given to more than 22,000 schoolchildren and several community groups in the Eastern Caribbean. Textbooks on whales and the marine environment have been donated to all schools visited to complement the scientific curriculum.
Three children’s activity books — Whales and Dolphins, Jam with Whales, and Jump with Whales — have been published as part of IFAW’s education program. These books are now available on the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Web site so teachers can download them and make copies inexpensively.
UNEP has translated Jump with Whales into Spanish and French for wider distribution in the Caribbean. In addition, annual drawing, poetry and essay contests encourage children to express their artistic talents while raising awareness of marine mammals. Winning entries are published in a poster and calendar, and distributed to schools and non-governmental organizations across the Eastern Caribbean.
