Monarchs, gorillas and conservation, oh my!
Another local program focused on conservation, the Oklahoma City Zoo now offers a free digital toolkit providing STEM-focused curriculum for educators and parents. Created in partnership with Oklahoma’s Own News 9, the online lessons are ideal for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Each grade-specific lesson features engaging resources, detailed facilitator guides, downloadable worksheets, video links and more to assist educators and parents with communicating about wildlife conservation in a concise, memorable way. “This curriculum is designed to spark classroom conversations, curiosity and encourage these young Oklahomans to take action for wildlife and wild places,” said Dr. Rebecca Snyder, OKC Zoo’s senior director of conservation, science and education. Why monarchs and gorillas? The iconic monarch butterfly migrates annually through the Sooner state. Populations have decreased by about 90 percent over the last 20 years, according the OKC Zoo. An endangered species as of 2014, monarchs face
a number of threats to their populations, including habitat loss and the use of pesticides. The OKC Zoo is helping monarch populations by creating habitats for pollinators throughout the park and serving as a resource for the public on establishing pollinator habitats in their own backyard or community. The Zoo also provides the OKC Living Classroom Grant Program, encouraging local schools to apply for funds to create pollinator gardens, which are used as living classrooms to connect students with nature. Gorillas are another endangered species in need of conservation support. The OKC Zoo supports the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, which uses science- based conservation to study and protect mountain gorilla populations in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Conservation efforts have proven successful as mountain gorillas are the only great ape population that is currently increasing, from 620 in 1989 to more than 1,000 today. The OKC Zoo is home to 10 Western lowland gorillas that live in two troops at the Great EscApe habitat. To view OKC Zoo and News 9’s teacher toolkit in its entirety, visit news9.com/ teachertools.
Innovative local school recognized The metro’s Odyssey Leadership Academy was one of 64 education providers nationwide to receive a coveted 2023 Yass Prize. Awardees are recognized for sustainable, transformational educational opportunities that personalize students’ experiences. The Yass Prize is a program of the Center for Education Reform that seeks to reward and expand best-in-class education organizations from every sector. OLA earned $100,000 to continue their work in reimagining education. “Being part of the Yass family is a huge honor as it gives us the chance to continue doing the transformative work we do as a school to change lives and tell a better story for students,” said Dr. Scott Martin, executive director of OLA. “This opportunity helps us further our mission to be a hub of innovation, creativity, purpose and meaning that helps students pursue their passions and dreams.” Odyssey Leadership Academy serves students in grades 6 through 12 in Oklahoma City.
PHOTOS BY JENNIFER D., COURTESY OF OKC ZOO
METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / JAN-FEB 2024 13
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