Students in Stormy Fish’s third/fourth grade classroom are learning more than reading, writing and ‘rithemtic as they work to help lions and tigers (sort of) and bears…oh my!
After hearing from another teacher about the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, AR, the 16 students in the class wanted to do something to help one of the big cats there. Turpentine Creek is home for abandoned or abused lions, tigers, leopards, cougars and other “wild” animals that in most cases were purchased as pets by unprepared owners who eventually surrendered them.
What really caught the students’ attention was a liger named Brady. Brady’s father was a lion and his mother was a tiger.
The students set a goal to raise $150 to “adopt” Brady. The funds will help cover veterinary and food expense. They easily raised that with a bake sale, collecting spare change, and selling rubber band bracelets. They’re also collecting pop cans for the nickel deposit.
Having raised the first $150, the students are now working to raise another $150 to adopt a bear at the sanctuary.
Fish has used the project for lessons in many areas. The students split up duties; fourth grader Sadie Williams offered to be publicist. She contacted local media, including GreeneCountyNewsOnline, to talk about the project. Sadie said the class has learned about setting a goal and working toward it. “We really have to work as a team to get that done,” she said. “We all think it’s not the right thing to have wild animals as pets. We want to help.”
The class has written persuasive letters, computed math problems, and done science lessons about wild life refuges, all as part of the project. The students are looking forward to having a picture of Brady, and eventually a bear, for their classroom.
