…an integrative science education program designed to teach elementary students about the Mojave Desert and its inhabitants. The project centers around a television show created in collaboration with UNLV TV and the Clark County School District. Each episode focuses on a particular Mojave Desert organism and how it survives in the desert. Episodes are driven by questions acquired from local fourth and fifth graders after they have participated in Desert Survivors: The Classroom Experience.
| Once questions are collected from local students, we design the shows to specifically answer their questions and give background and critical information about the organisms. Field footage is collected to allow kids to take a look into the Mojave Desert like they have never seen it before! |  |
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Each show features at least one special guest who is an expert on the focal organism. Many of our experts have been professors from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, while others have been park rangers, retired professors, PhD students, and scientists unaffiliated with the university. |
Each show features an in-studio portion and at least one field portion. Allowing students to view the animals in their natural hab The studio is located at UNLV TV on the UNLV Campus. |
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This project began in Summer, 2005. When completed, it will include: twelve Desert Survivors television episodes, a complete version of this website, curricular guides to support each episode, and various supplemental teaching aides.
This project was funded by National Science Foundation grant DBI-0448396 awarded to Dr. Frank van Breukelen.
Bill Carrol of UNLV TV, Dr. Brian Hedlund of UNLV Biology, Jenifer Utz of Desert Survivors and UNLV School of Life Sciences, Candice Rausch of Desert Survivors and UNLV School of Life Sciences, and Nancy Hadlock of the National Parks Service and Ash Meadows.