TCHS Service Learning Academy Zoology teacher, David Gardner with his wife, Elise, the academy's American Sign Language teacher.
November 2007
Mr. David Gardner's amazing Zoology Class has been surveying the reptiles and amphibians at the TCHS wetlands for four years. Mr. Gardner is a herpetologist (a scienticist who studies reptiles). His environmental service-learning projects are funded by a Service Learning Academy mini-grant.
Students in Mr. Gardner's classes identify and tag snakes and reptiles to keep track of how the encroaching Avalon Park development has affected the wildlife in the area. They have also studied Florida's endangered species. There are 59 endangered and threatened animal species in Florida. Protecting their habitat is essential to ensure their survival. Some species that live in the Florida wetlands include black racers, water snakes, toads, lizards, frogs, skinks, sirens, anhingas, ducks, and various other water birds including cranes, and egrets.
Service Learning Academy students have worked in the wetlands, and at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford to remove non-native, invasive or exotic plant species that crowd out indigenous plants and upset the ecology of an area. Invasive, non-native plants can upset the natural biodiversity, choke out native plants, and interfere with the food supply of animals. Some problem plants in Florida are the Brazilian pepper, malaleuca, air potato, carrotwood, kudzu, and Chinaberry. Water hyacinths are clogging Florida's waterways. Exotic plants are introduced from nurseries, individuals, or storms. The University of Florida has a web site dedicated to identifying and controlling invasive and exotic plants.
Service Learning Academy students have studied Florida's sea turtles and launched a campaign to educate younger students about their habitat, preservation, and protection. Students travel to the Ponce Inlet Marine Science Center and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center every year to learn about the turtles, clean the beaches, and explore the turtle habitat with the teachers at the center. The field trips are aligned with the Florida Sunshine State Standards and offer an eco-walk and hands on activities while learning about Florida's endangered species and environmental topics.
This fall, 86 Service Learning Academy students completed a two-month research and environmental writing project. Students selected an ecology or environmental issue, researched it and created a coloring book or reading book for an elementary aged student. TCHS Principal John Wright, Media Specialists Dr. Vicky Seavers and Pat Franklin, Assistant Principal Mr. Jeff Boettner, and Dean Tony Bolyard judged the students' books and selected three to be published. A set of the three published books will be donated to every elementary school in Orange County. The winners were: first place winner, Melody the Manatee Gets Lost, by Kaley Laine Wyker; second place winner, Timmy the Turtle's River Rescue, by Carla Ortiz, and thrid place winner, Saving Energy with Aaron the Ant, by Becky Boss.
The Service Learning Academy has joined with the school's Green Team to plan a five-school, week-long celebration of Earth Day. The events will take place April 21-25 and include an environmental student film festival with partners, Global Peace Film Festival and Enzian Theatre, and a day-long Earth Day Celebration in the TCHS courtyard with partners, displays, films and speakers. Focus will be on endangered species, recycling, energy savings, canvas not plastic for grocery bags, protecting coral reefs, and global warming.
Photos by W.L. Doromal (From top to bottom): Louise the snake and friend, twins Vickee and Nickee collecting air potatoes from the Central Florida Zoo, Jeremy removing invasive grasses from the zoo, digging out invasive grass, snake with conference participant, siren, Mr. Gardner and students in the wetlands (with plastic bags over their shoes), Ponce Inlet pier, Marine Science Center.
Students in Mr. Gardner's classes identify and tag snakes and reptiles to keep track of how the encroaching Avalon Park development has affected the wildlife in the area. They have also studied Florida's endangered species. There are 59 endangered and threatened animal species in Florida. Protecting their habitat is essential to ensure their survival. Some species that live in the Florida wetlands include black racers, water snakes, toads, lizards, frogs, skinks, sirens, anhingas, ducks, and various other water birds including cranes, and egrets.
Service Learning Academy students have worked in the wetlands, and at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford to remove non-native, invasive or exotic plant species that crowd out indigenous plants and upset the ecology of an area. Invasive, non-native plants can upset the natural biodiversity, choke out native plants, and interfere with the food supply of animals. Some problem plants in Florida are the Brazilian pepper, malaleuca, air potato, carrotwood, kudzu, and Chinaberry. Water hyacinths are clogging Florida's waterways. Exotic plants are introduced from nurseries, individuals, or storms. The University of Florida has a web site dedicated to identifying and controlling invasive and exotic plants.
Service Learning Academy students have studied Florida's sea turtles and launched a campaign to educate younger students about their habitat, preservation, and protection. Students travel to the Ponce Inlet Marine Science Center and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Center every year to learn about the turtles, clean the beaches, and explore the turtle habitat with the teachers at the center. The field trips are aligned with the Florida Sunshine State Standards and offer an eco-walk and hands on activities while learning about Florida's endangered species and environmental topics.
This fall, 86 Service Learning Academy students completed a two-month research and environmental writing project. Students selected an ecology or environmental issue, researched it and created a coloring book or reading book for an elementary aged student. TCHS Principal John Wright, Media Specialists Dr. Vicky Seavers and Pat Franklin, Assistant Principal Mr. Jeff Boettner, and Dean Tony Bolyard judged the students' books and selected three to be published. A set of the three published books will be donated to every elementary school in Orange County. The winners were: first place winner, Melody the Manatee Gets Lost, by Kaley Laine Wyker; second place winner, Timmy the Turtle's River Rescue, by Carla Ortiz, and thrid place winner, Saving Energy with Aaron the Ant, by Becky Boss.
The Service Learning Academy has joined with the school's Green Team to plan a five-school, week-long celebration of Earth Day. The events will take place April 21-25 and include an environmental student film festival with partners, Global Peace Film Festival and Enzian Theatre, and a day-long Earth Day Celebration in the TCHS courtyard with partners, displays, films and speakers. Focus will be on endangered species, recycling, energy savings, canvas not plastic for grocery bags, protecting coral reefs, and global warming.
Photos by W.L. Doromal (From top to bottom): Louise the snake and friend, twins Vickee and Nickee collecting air potatoes from the Central Florida Zoo, Jeremy removing invasive grasses from the zoo, digging out invasive grass, snake with conference participant, siren, Mr. Gardner and students in the wetlands (with plastic bags over their shoes), Ponce Inlet pier, Marine Science Center.
