Environmental Science Curriculum for Middle and High School Students

The Eye of the Falcon (EOF) is an interdisciplinary environmental science curriculum for middle and high school students that utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing data, and satellite tracking of wildlife to teach core concepts in the life sciences and to involve students in cutting-edge scientific research and technology. The curriculum draws from a wide range of fields, including ecology, animal behavior, social studies, and geography, and raises awareness about local and global environmental issues. Eye of the Falcon brings environmental science to life as students are engaged in authentic, ongoing research projects and are challenged to use their research results to solve real-life conservation issues.

Through the Eye of the Falcon web site, students can use our “GIS Maps” page to access satellite tracking data that have been collected over the past decade for a wide range of species, as well as tracking data from ongoing projects in near real-time. Students can use our web-based GIS software to generate maps to examine the relationships between animal movements and a wide range of landscape and environmental variables. The web site also features information pages containing detailed background information on avian taxonomy, evolution, migration, ecosystems and biomes, species descriptions, research project descriptions, the technology scientists have developed to study animal movements, and much more.

The Eye of the Falcon CD-ROM is available for schools with no access to the Internet. The CD-ROM contains all of the information on the web site except for the real-time tracking data.
The Teacher’s Resource Guide includes theme-based modules and extensions with opportunities for more in-depth exploration. This structure provides teachers with a wide range of options for implementation of the program: they may choose one module to teach as a stand-alone unit over a short period of time, they may teach several modules as a semester-long curriculum, or they may incorporate different modules into a multi-year program of study. Each module consists of:

1. Easy to follow, 3-step lesson plans: Think-About-It, Activity, and Review/Assessment
2. Lists of learning objectives, vocabulary words, and materials needed
3. References to national standards
4. Experiential learning activities that introduce a topic or concept
5. A field-based research project that focuses on local ecosystems, wildlife and natural resources (including urban ecosystems)
6. A GIS-based activity using the EOF web site or software
7. Student guides and worksheets for each lesson
8. Background information for teachers
9. A list of bibliographic and web-based resources
10. Tools for pre and post-assessment

Notice, February 22, 2012:

The Eye of the Falcon program is currently on hold. State and local governmental budgets have undergone disastrous reductions as revenues have declined, and educational resources have unfortunately been affected. Although we would have very much preferred to absorb EOF operating costs and keep the program available without interruption, subscription commitments and our own budget were insufficient to do so. If you have interest in a resumption of EOF and a subscription, please give us your contact information. When we have sufficient potential subscribers we can provide a sustainable cost structure for your review. Thank you for your understanding.