UC Davis Animal Ambassadors–Bridging Youth and Science!
February 8, 2009
What a great idea and we can’t wait to find out more. UC Davis has a program called Animal Ambassadors, that studies and implements concepts of using animals as a bridge between youth and science. See http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vetext/AnimalAmbassadors/ for more information.
The Mission of the program is to use the world of animals, both domesticated and wild, as a ‘bridge’ to help youth develop an interest in science and acquire critical thinking and life skills. By building a foundation of care and responsibility toward animals, children develop the same connections to themselves and other humans.
Right now the Animal Ambassadors Program is a curriculum development, training, and dissemination effort that will complement school science courses, enrich and expand the offerings of non-formal youth education programs (e.g., 4-H; YMCA; museums), and enhance outreach efforts by campus and community professionals (e.g., Veterinarians).
The curricula being developed are age-appropriate and designed specifically for three different grade levels: lower elementary, ages 5-8; upper elementary, ages 9-11; and, middle school, ages 12-14. Activities utilize a hands-on, inquiry-based approach, emphasizing animal care and responsibility. Community action follow-up activities and technology extensions are included to promote real-world applications of concepts and family involvement.
To help make the curricula interactive, they are organized into loaner learning kits that include corresponding hands-on materials. Once published, kits will be made available on loan from County 4-H offices, school districts, and California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) offices.
The Animal Ambassador Project will be disseminated statewide through school districts, non-formal education programs, and professional associations, reaching audiences in rural, suburban, and urban settings. An accompanying training program for school and community-based educators, university staff and students, and community-based professionals (e.g., veterinarians) is under development to help ensure statewide and national sustainability and institutionalization.
Tell us what you think about these innovative programs as we develop PACKS Rescue to implement similar concepts with youth in Sacramento!
