[vernalpool] Hop Into Action - Amphibian Curriculum by NSTA Press

For those of you who educate youth about amphibians please consider
adding this newly available resource to your library. - Thank You.
Available at www.amphibiancrossing.com or www.hopintoaction.com

Hop Into Action Book Review by Jessica Kratz
Looking to have your students leap from the sidelines to participating
in citizen science? To spring forward from awareness to action? David
Alexander's fun and easy-to-follow curriculum guide Hop Into Action
[NSTA Press, 2010] is a fantastic way for educators, youth leaders,
and naturalists to become informed and involved with frogs,
salamanders, and other amphibians.

Alexander leaves virtually no stone [or log] unturned, approaching the
subject from nearly all angles, and all disciplines. He provides
information on the ethical, practical, and logistical considerations
for the field and the classroom, from handling techniques to finding
or creating an appropriate amphibian habitat. There is an extensive
resource list of related age-appropriate books and materials, a
thorough glossary and index which is immensely helpful for building
science vocabulary, and an elaborate matrix correlating the 20
activities to the North American Association for Environmental
Education [NAAEE] Guidelines for grades K-4. Alexander also offers
ways to adapt the lessons for our youngest naturalists.

Alexander's 20 activities are clearly written, require few additional
materials [which are easy and inexpensive to obtain] and easy to
follow. A friendly frog appears on the introductory page of each
activity. This familiar character instantly welcomes you to each
lesson, dressed and posed to provide a quick and amusing introduction.
From artist to businessman, from diner to singer, our multi-faceted
guide is a welcoming host and reflects how enjoyable and
interdisciplinary the guide is. The clear illustrations and clever
comparisons [i.e., comparing the size of a frog to a tennis ball] make
both teacher and student more comfortable with measurement and help
both ease into scientific procedures. Alexander also offers fresh
approaches to familiar activities [i.e., "Lily Pad Venn Diagrams"] and
fun, modern ways of expressing and exploring ideas, such as "Herp,
Herp Hooray" [amphibian conservation plans] and "Frog Pond Lifeguard"
[aquatic invertebrate survey and ecological health assessment.

With nearly 1/3 of amphibian species known to be threatened or
extinct, and at least 42% of amphibian species declining in population
for reasons such as habitat loss, climate change, and fungal disease,
according to the 2008 Global Amphibian Assessment [...], it is
important to guide children to understand and appreciate amphibians
before it is too late. It also provides an opportunity for students to
connect to a global extinction issue closer to home, using species
they can observe nearby.

Hop Into Action is a fantastic vehicle for getting elementary school
teachers more comfortable with and involved in science. It is also a
convenient reference and source of activities for camps, youth groups,
nature centers, and other non-formal settings. Its lessons can be used
individually, as a building block for a unit, or a foundation for a
year-long investigation. Hop Into Action also makes a fantastic gift
for the educators in your life, and is truly a gift to amphibians
everywhere.

Available at www.amphibiancrossing.com or www.hopintoaction.com