Document Type

Graduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

Summer 1999

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Andrea Bowman

Second Committee Member

Steven A. Schmitz

Third Committee Member

Bruce Palmquist

Abstract

A popular set of "Discovery Boxes" are used by educators across North Central Washington. These boxes are administered by the U.S. Forest Service and focus on such themes as wolves, bears, fire, plants and forests. These boxes are available to be checked out to educators for two-week periods, and reach approximately 9,000 students annually. Each box contains "hands-on" props which enhance the learning of each theme. Some of the boxes have activity guides in them to assist the educator in teaching the theme and thus using the box to its full potential. Two of the most popular boxes, the wolf and bear box, currently do not have an activity guide. The purpose of this project was to develop activity guides for the bear and wolf boxes owned by the Leavenworth Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service. The activities developed for this project incorporated aspects of the bears and wolves of Washington State and are to be used with the bear and wolf boxes. The activity guides were targeted for grades 3-6, the most popular grades that use the box. The guides are interdisciplinary in nature. Background information about bears and wolves were incorporated into the guides and each guide was aligned with the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements. The lessons were reviewed by four North Central Washington teachers (grades 3-5), tested in the classroom for their usefulness, and modified as needed. iv

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