Learning about the natural world around us can deepen our appreciation and respect for wildlands and wildlife. For many students across the Mojave ecoregion, their introduction to the wonders of the desert consists of a few pages in an Earth sciences textbook. They are unlikely to develop a deep understanding or appreciation for their wild neighbors if those few pages are the entirety of their academic exposure to the Mojave.
Deserts in an elementary school textbook.
Weaving the Mojave into lesson plans is not always easy for educators. Very few resources exist to help educators incorporate the Mojave into lesson plans. That is why the Mojave National Preserve Conservancy has assembled the Mojave Explorers Wildlife Guide and a Curriculum Guide that provides students and educators with a starting point. The Wildlife Guide introduces students and educators alike to the Mojave landscape and its wild inhabitants. And the Curriculum Guide provides ideas for specific lesson plans that are aligned with curriculum standards in Earth and life sciences and activities that can bolster critical thinking skills. Both resources can be applied to in-person and remote learning.
To learn more about our efforts to help educators bring the Mojave into their classrooms and remote learning plans, check out our Resources for Educators page.
When it is safe to do so, the Conservancy also looks forward to bringing students back to the Mojave National Preserve for overnight camping trips where they can directly observe the biological and physical components of the ecosystem they have learned about in school.