A picture is worth a thousand words. I am also hoping this picture is worth a blue ribbon at our summer county fair. And I plan to use it on a set of future handcrafted holiday cards!
As I mentioned in a previous blog, my husband and I ran into dozens of wild elk on a drive through Elk County, Pennsylvania (that’s a well named county). I knew nothing about elk, but after seeing these gorgeous animals I did quite a bit of research. They are actually members of the deer family.
I can think of many driving questions and projects involving elk. The question that got me doing research was why were we seeing so many elk out in the early spring? We had done this same drive during the summer and did not see one elk. Now we were seeing them everywhere, including in many front yards of homes. Can you imagine walking out your front door and finding 25 elk standing there?
I wish everyone could see these majestic animals in person in the wild, but for many this would need to be a virtual experience. This is not the same as an in person, wild encounter. Even a zoo is not the same. So, if a virtual experience is not authentic enough to engage your learners, with a little research you should be able to find other animals that are indigenous to your local habitat. Good luck, and I would love to see photos of what engages your learners.
The Educational Journey 