Ask Our Environmental Education Expert

In this area we invite questions from anyone about South Florida ecosystems. We will do all we can to get an authoritative answer from an expert and we will put it on-line, together with your question. Please note that we reserve the right to edit the question for brevity, and to reject one if it is inappropriate.

Please send your questions to: Ask an Environmental Educator, Don Deresz. E-mail address is: deresz_d@popmail.firn.edu.

Q: What efforts is the government making to preserve the everglades in South Florida? Thank you, From: Peter, a high school senior.

A: Good question! The most recent comprehensive efforts being advanced by the government to preserve the Everglades can be found at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) website for the restoration project:  http://www.restudy.org.

The Corps are one of the original plumbers of the Everglades/south Florida, beginning in the early 1930's. Their goal many years ago was to change the natural water flow to prevent flooding of farms, rural homesteads and cities. There was a complete disregard, due to ignorance, for the interconnected natural systems of the earth. Nowadays, the Corps' restudy recognizes environmental concerns for loss of habitat (Everglades and Florida Bay), however, there are the additional competing interests/needs of farmers [I mean Big $ugar bu$ine$$ farmer$] and realtors/construction (residential and commercial). The government agency that supervises the distribution of water in south Florida is a State bureaucracy that can be found on the web at:  http://www.sfwmd.gov.

The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) collects over $40.00 per year from every household in all of south Florida to do whatever they do; part of which is to make sure that y'all have enough water, but not too much. Their website has a student page that offers student internships. Check it out for a job. Ironically, the SFWMD spends all kinds of money each year on advertising (propaganda) to theoretically educate young children to conserve water "when they brush their teeth" or whatever. Meanwhile, both the SFWMD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plumbing system of canals and levees DUMPS (get ready for this - ) OVER 1.7 BILLION GALLONS OF FRESH WATER EVERY DAY INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN OR THE GULF OF MEXICO. This is wasted water that is needed for the ecosystem and regional water supplies. The water problems of south Florida appear to stem from improper management, planning, and engineering. But, don't forget - the government is us! Get involved. Try and learn what the engineers and the cientists of the Corps and SFWMD know and do. E-mail them questions! Give them your ideas.
Don Deresz for the Center for Environmental Education

Q: Dear Center for Environmental Education, Where can I find a listing of environmental careers and job opportunities? Sincerely, A High School Senior

A: Check out the monthly periodical, "National Environmental Employment Report" newspaper from your library. If it's not available, you can subscribe by writing to: Environmental Careers World, 100 Bridge St., Bldg. A, Hampton, VA 23669. A 3-month trial subscription is about $19.00. Ask your librarian for other books and publications about environmental careers. An internet search may provide the most recent job opportunity data. Don Deresz for the staff at the Center for Environmental Education

Q: Dear Environmental Educator, How can I improve the reading skills of my students in our science classes such that they can all learn? Alfreida Joseph-Goins

A: Here's a paper concerning your query that was written in preparation to secure the funding of a summer science inservice institute:

READING IN THE CONTENT AREA:   A Review of the Literature
by Don Deresz, December 1997

Fruitful learning occurs when the learners make connections between prior conceptions (assuming that the prior conceptions are not misconceptions) and new information. There is always a need to preview the text to get a reading purpose. All of this helps toward motivation.

The '70's and '80's... Reading in the content area instructional tools for functional level readers: Determine readability of a textbook; cloze procedure textbook readability assessment; text preview; (1) directed reading lesson; directed reading-thinking activities; grouping; study guides; SQ3R; PQRST; graphic organizers (these have many, many other names); I-charts; K-W-L Plus; and many, many more. All of the models suggest or beg the elucidation of "prior knowledge" with the students and to "preview" the text in order to attempt to provide a motivation to read.

The '90's...(2) Analogies are helpful when the existing conceptions are in harmony with the new information. But, the existence of misconceptions on the part of the student negatively complicates the use of the analogy; open discussion of the student's misconception is warranted. Engagement with reading and with learning more generally is likely to lead to greater success in school. Consequently, a major goal should be to discover ways to cultivate engaged readers.

The engagement perspective views readers as motivated, strategic, knowledgeable, and socially interactive. When the classroom and/or home setting is appropriately supportive and inviting, engaged readers are motivated to read, to use prior knowledge, to employ cognitive strategies, and to interact socially as members of a literate community. Engaged readers are motivated to read for diverse aesthetic and academic purposes, such as gaining knowledge, interpreting an author's perspective, escaping into the world of literature, performing a task, and participating in a social group.

Engaged readers activate knowledge gained from previous experiences to construct new understandings, and they use cognitive strategies to regulate comprehension so that goals are met and interests are satisfied. Engaged readers participate in productive social interaction, such as constructing, sharing, and extending the meaning of texts. Further, such readers integrate reading and writing with oral discourse and with various learning experiences to pursue personal interests.

Diverse instructional contexts can better prepare (cultivate) students for reading in a wide range of situations, as expected in literate societies. Motivating contexts for reading literacy learning are: "appropriatechallenges," providing opportunities for students to make a "choice" about their learning task, and the employment of "collaboration" or grouping.

The emphasis has switched from reading in the content areas to reading as a tool to foster growth in content knowledge. The skills and strategies of reading are taught, but as a means to get at greater learning of subject content. Critical approaches to content area reading are imperative for learning.

(3) Whole language vs. traditional directed reading lesson: Research examining the impact of both approaches fails to conclude a preferred method. In one study, lower scoring students in the whole language classes exhibited higher levels of engagement and marked improvement of reading achievement scores. Another study reported positive effects gained by disadvantaged children subjected to traditional directed phonics instruction. Actually, teachers are eclectic in their approach to reading instruction.Whole language classrooms spend a greater proportion of class time attending to nonbook print, using invented spelling, and dictating stories. Phonics-oriented classes spend a greater proportion of time looking through books on their own; copying letters, words, and sentences, and completing worksheets.

(4) The traditional direct-instruction model makes clear assumptions about learning, based on behavioral roots. Direct-instruction proponents assume that reading can be decomposed into identifiable subskills that, when taught directly, will improve children's reading ability. Of course, there are many, varied instructional models in reading, most on the elementary level. >From a content area standpoint, there is argument for empowering teachers to be in charge of their own literacy instruction. There is no model that is a superior to any other reading instructional model; in fact, under certain circumstances, instructional models inhibit instruction is provided by independent, enterprising, entrepreneurial teachers who view instructional models as ideas to be adapted rather than as tenets to be followed. The crucial challenge is not to identify the best instructional model but, rather, to put teachers in cognitive to be aware of the various models to choose from.

Don Deresz for the Center for Environmental Education

REFERENCES (1) Herber, H.L., (1978). Teaching reading in content areas. Englewook Cliff, NJ: Prentice-Hall. (2) Baker, L., Afflerback, P., & Reinking, D. (Eds.) (1996). Developing engaged readers in school nd home communities. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associated, Publishers. (3) Sacks, C.H. & Mergendoller, J.R. (1997). The relationship between teachers' theoretical orientation toward reading and student outcomes in kindergarten children with different initial reading abilities. American Educational Research Journal, 34, 721-739. (4) Stahl, S.A., Hayes, D.A. (1997). Instructional models in reading. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Vacca, R.T., & Vacca, J.L. (1996). Content area reading. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers.

A: We admire your efforts as a volunteer and hope that we can help you with your task. The most comprehensive and user-friendly link that we have found related to the topic of environmental education programs (which include the study of wildlife) the North American Association for Environmental Education at: .

You'll find their Table of Contents on: http://eelink.umich.edu/expand.html.

This webpage lists the vast EE-Links with self-help search directions, classroom resources,contacts, references.

QFrom: quinto1@pacbell.net Subject: this istory of environmental educators What is the background of the environmental educators?

A:Environmental educators usually study the sciences in a university for about four years and receive a "Bachelor of Science (B.S.)" degree after about four years of study. An ecology cochemistry, geology, landscape architecture and quite a few others, that have an emphasis in ecology or environmental science. Check the web more information. If you plan to be a state-certified teacher, you will also need to study certain educational courses in curriculum, teaching methodolgy, psychology, sociology, and more. Hence, you can teach "formal" environmental education (EE). If you do not teach formally in a classroom, for example, a county nature center, your venue is usually labeled as "Educators of Florida at: http://indian-river.fl.us/fl/leef/index.html.

Environmental science technology is a fast-growing field with a potential of good-paying jobs. Contact university faculty in civil and environmental engineering or the applied sciences. Ask them for the names of some companies that you can visit. Florida International University (FIU) has an interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Department: 

• http://www.fiu.edu/~envstud

Don Deresz for the Center for Environmental Education

Q:From: John Gargiulo JDG1@uno.cc.geneseo.edu Subject: environmental regulations and labor I would like to know what effect, if any, that raising emission standards for atumobiles and creating tighter environmental regulations (i.e, what type of jobs would be lost, etc.)

A: Thank you for an interesting question. Raising emission standards for automobiles and the creation of tighter environmental regulations on business can create jobs in the research and development as well as in the production and manufacturing of anti-pollution equipment. Some organizations and businesses claim that a cleaner environment and a healthy standard of living may necessitate a loss of jobs. This"catastrophe threat" was created by self-serving businesses that do not want to make an investment in environmentally safe equipment or make modifications to their manufacturing processes. Companies that re-engineer their technology may result in a process that not only pollutes less but lowers costs or improves quality. It has even been proposed that the use of natural resources and other environmental assets should be accounted for in the "bottom line" of corporate expenditures and profits (See "Scientific American", April, 1991, p. 168 and June, 1992, pp. 94-100). You can find statistics that state that jobs will increase as a result of regulations that promote healthy environment. You will find statistics that will be contradictory. Of course, all of these statistics are speculative. If you are looking for statistics, try these super-duper web search engines:  

• http://ericir.syr.edu
• http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/stb/iliad.html

Don Deresz for the Center for Environmental Education

From: J. Brockman Subject: Environmental Magazine For Students - Grades 7-9

Q:Dear "Ask the Environmental Educator," Is there a magazine published for students (approx. grades 7 - 9)that relates solely to environmental issues - perhaps similar to Science World and Science News? Thank you.

A:Dear Ms. Brockman, There is a wealth of ON-LINE magazines that focus on current environmental issues. A couple of places to begin would be Earth Systems Science at: 

• http://www.usra.edu/esse/essonline
• http://www.globalresponse.org
• http://www.enviroliteracy.org/resources.html

The Environmental Education and Training Partnership provides an organized listing of resources including HARDCOPY newsletters, journals, and a few magazines published by various global environmental education organizations. Look for the Environmental Education Providers Directory link within the text at: 

• http://www-comdev.ag.ohio-state.edu/eetap/publications.htm
• http://www-comdev.ag.ohio-state.edu/eetap/publications.htm

I do not know of any published magazines such as "Science World" and "Science News" that are dedicated specifically to environmental issues. (Maybe a reader can help us out?!) Is there a market for this product in the middle school and/or senior high grades? Maybe you're onto something, Ms. Brockman! Hope this helps and thank you for your inquiry to "Ask An Environmental Educator.".

Best Regards, Don Deresz, Environmental Ed. Specialist, Miami-Dade County Public Schools' Center for Environmental Education

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES*

Construed Understanding

• Animals are all of those organisms that cannot make their own food and move.
• Plants are all of those organisms that make their own food and do not move.
• Organisms interact with many different organisms.
• Animals cannot exist without plants, because they cannot make their own food.
• A community refers to all the populations of living things within an ecosystem.
• Ecosystems change over time. This is because changes in one population or in one part of the system affect many other populations or factors in the system.
• Food is any source of energy taken in by an organism.
• Plants make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. Soil and fertilizers provide minerals, but no food for plants.
• In food chains, an organism gets the energy, as well as most of the material it needs from the plants or animals it eats.
• Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen cycle through the environment. They are present in air and they are incorporated into the molecules of
• living things.
Plants give off the oxygen that they produce from photosynthesis. They take up oxygen for respiration.
• Water evaporates from large bodies of water, moist soil, and living things; condenses and falls to earth again as precipitation.
• Many common materials come from plants, animals, or products made from them.
• Humans, like all living things, interact with many other living things. Therefore, most of our actions have ecological consequences.

Misconstrued Understanding

• Animals and vertebrates are synonymous.
• Plants, trees, and weeds are all separate categories of organisms.
• Organisms interact through food chains where the eaters benefit from the eaten.
• Animals cannot exist without plants. However, predators can exist as long as their prey are plentiful.
• Community and population mean the same thing.
• Populations refer only to people.
• Ecosystems are static.
• Changes in one population affect the populations of only those organisms that feed or are food for it.
• Food is anything taken in by an organism.
• Soil, fertilizer, water, carbon dioxide, heat from the sun are all food for plants.
• In a food chain, the food of the prey, becomes the food of the predator.
• Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen cycle through the environment always in the form of CO2, nitrogen gas, and oxygen gas.
• Oxygen is given off by plants and taken up by animals. It is not used by plants.
• Water evaporates from large bodies of water and condenses over land and falls as rain or snow.
• Many things (such as plastics) are man-made and have nothing to do with plants or animals.
• People’s actions affect only people’s world which is separate from the natural world.

*Gallagher, J. (1997). Improving teaching and learning using assessment in middle school science: Ecology. Lansing: Michigan State University

Last Updated:  April 7, 2005 M-DCPS
Division of Mathematics and Science Education
Miami, Florida