Classroom Investigation: Wild and Scenic Rivers Teaching Guide for Middle School: Notice of Availability
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
August 28, 2018
In Reply Refer To:
1115 (420) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 08/31/2018
Information Bulletin No. 2018-074
To: All Field Office Officials
Attn: Education and Interpretation Staff
From: Assistant Director, National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships
Subject: Classroom Investigation: Wild and Scenic Rivers Teaching Guide for Middle School: Notice of Availability
The Classroom Investigation: Wild and Scenic Rivers teaching guide for middle school is available to support Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s marking of the 50th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Act). Rivers are important sources of food and water for people as well as for wildlife, and provide habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. Rivers also offer recreational opportunities and reinforce Americans’ connection with nature.
In 1968, Congress recognized the need to protect rivers on behalf of future generations and passed the Act, creating the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to preserve certain rivers with outstanding conservation values in free-flowing condition. When passed, the Act gave immediate protection to portions of eight rivers and land along the rivers’ banks. The Act also named 27 rivers as potential additions to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and provided a process for future designations.
The activities in the Classroom Investigation: Wild and Scenic Rivers teaching guide encourage students to analyze excerpts of the Act, use a story map to examine the river values that form the basis for the Act, and navigate an interactive map to find the wild or scenic river nearest to their school. The unit concludes with students reading published poems about rivers and crafting a poem. The guide also shares information regarding the importance of the wild and scenic rivers. It is downloadable from https://www.blm.gov/learn/teachers/classroom-investigations; an electronic version is also attached.
A printed edition of the teaching guide will be available in September. We encourage you to coordinate with your office Forms Manager to order printed copies (up to 100 per order) free of charge from the BLM Printed Materials Distribution Services (PMDS) at the National Operations Center, at blm_oc_pmds@blm.gov. The PMDS item number is EE2042F.
BLM teaching guides serve the American family and engage communities in shared conservation stewardship by supporting outreach to schools and educators. Booklets may be distributed to BLM staff who work with schools or made available at other appropriate education venues.
For further information, please contact Scott Richardson, BLM Education Specialist in the Division of Education, Interpretation, and Partnerships, at srichardson@blm.gov or (202) 912-7078.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Christopher J. McAlear Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director Division of IT Policy and Planning,WO-870
National Conservation Lands and
Community Partnerships
1 Attachment
1 - Classroom Investigation: Wild and Scenic Rivers teaching guide (24 pp)