Documents from my Natural Resources course are attached. This class focuses on the universal role of all professionals in natural resources and environmental careers, namely to maximze biodiversity and minimize extinctions. The course focuses first on the roles and processes related to biodiversity, and then proceeds to outline how extinctions occur and their impact. Each of the four main causes of extinction (habitat loss, invasive species, over-hunting, and pollution) are individually investigated to consider their role in reducing biodiversity and the challenges they present to natural resources managers. The course concludes with a brief unit on survival strategies.
Each unit generally consists of the following: PowerPoint notes, Word notesheet that accompanies the PowerPoint and provides guided note-taking, Unit Organizers which summarize the lessons, lab protocols, and applications (techniques, etc.), Lab, and Assessment (quizzes primarily).
Each course begins with an introductory activity or discussion on Monday, PowerPoint notes on Tuesday, Lab activity on Wednesday, Review and Quiz on Thursday, and Career Preparation (resumes, cover letters, job interviews, college applications, etc.) on Friday
NOTE: this is an early version of this course. Updated versions of this course can be found at www.wuhsag.weebly.com . A new research-based version of this course is being developed at Michigan State University through a grant from the National Science Foundation. This curriculum can be accessed as it is being developed and tested at www.factsnsf.org .
Thanks for sharing these documents! I am in my first year of teaching after spending 21 years in the ag sales industry. Are the units listed in the order of how you would teach them? Also, what sort of timeline will these units cover? Thanks again for sharing your information and knowledge. I hope to one day be in a position to add curriculum to this site.