Florida Black Bear Curriculum Guide
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The Florida Black Bear Curriculum Guide is a joint project of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Defenders of Wildlife. The Florida Black Bear Curriculum Guide was created in 1999, with revisions in 2014 and 2017. It is a comprehensive series of lessons on the natural history and conservation needs of Florida's black bear. Designed to educate and stimulate teachers and students in grades 3-8. The lessons were designed to address many subject areas such as reading, language arts, history, geography, social studies, math, art, and science. Each lesson is correlated to Florida State Education Standards for each subject addressed. Although the primary focus of the curriculum is the Florida black bear, the curriculum actually uses the Florida bear as a focal point to address broad and significant ecological concepts including limiting factors, carrying capacity, optimal versus marginal habitat, habitat fragmentation and corridors, habitat mosaics, and umbrella and indicator species. The underlying message connecting all of the lessons in the curriculum is that the best way to conserve a species like the Florida black bear is to restore, conserve, and connect large tracts of undisturbed natural habitat. The 15-minute video below on Living with Florida Black Bears offers a broad background on the subject and is recommended viewing by teachers and students before using the bear lesson activities. |
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Bear activities are organized around a conceptual framework that addresses the following concepts:
DOWNLOADS: Guide, Intro and How to Use Lesson 1 to 10 Summaries |
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Lesson One: What Makes a Bear a Bear?
Lesson Two: The World of Bears Lesson Three: Bear Dilemmas Lesson Four: It’s a Bear’s Life Lesson Five: The Black Bear Necessities |
Lesson Six: Bear Barriers
Lesson Seven: Tracking Bears Lesson Eight: Bear Neighbors Lesson Nine: Population Problems Lesson Ten: Oh Where, Oh Where is Florida’s Black Bear? |
For comments, questions, or suggestions on the Florida specific lessons, please contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at BearManagement@MyFWC.com.
Top Photo: U.S. Air Force | Airman 1st Class Alex Echols