Bioregion
Shark Valley Bicycle Ride

Objectives

Green (Earth Literacy Goals)

1. Students will learn the significance of the Everglades to our bioregion.
2. Students will learn what flora and fauna are indigenous to the Everglades.
3. Students will learn the impact of exotic flora and fauna.
4. Students will learn the impact of development on the Everglades.
5. Students will compare this unique biological niche to others in South Florida.
6. Students will compare this area to others from their native countries.

 

ESL

1. Students will learn map skills and directions.
2. Students will learn practice reading interpretive information and connect it to what is being experienced.
3. Students will increase academic vocabulary.
4. Students will use question asking skills to gain clarification and information.
5. Students will use command forms for appropriate communication.
6. Students will learn to modulate voice volume for appropriate use and settings.

Materials

Materials

• CD South Florida’s Natural Environment: Ecology and Issues 2002 (see resources below)

• Signed Release forms (see copies)

• Handout about what to take and wear handout (see copy)

• Information on Shark Valley from this link:  Everglades National Park, Shark Valley, Everglades City

• Request for entrance fee deferment (see copy)

• Personal Bicycle (or you can rent one there)

• See the list of things to bring (and NOT to bring) attached or at the bottom of this page.

• Instruct students to get directions from Mapquest at www.mapquest.com so that each will have specific directions from their own chosen starting point. This also increases reading and map skills and following written directions.

 

 

Time

3  hours in the park (approximately 45 minutes travel each way to and from park)

 

Class Preparation

There is no special or prior permission necessary from Shark Valley. 

1. Determine a date that will be not only convenient to the curriculum but will be good weather and bug-less. Late in fall semesters and early in spring. Summers are generally not good. Good weather here means cooler temperatures and less rain and bug-less is a relative term not to be interpreted as bug-free but as fewer bugs.

2. Inform your chairperson in writing of the details of the trip.

3. Once the date is determined, contact the Shark Valley Park Ranger’s Office and establish that you wish to come and to receive a waiver on the park entrance fees. Phone numbers are on the example below. You can fax the request to the number on the example.  Be sure to include the information about dates, school, college tax number, number of participants, contact information, and who is in charge of the field trip.  The rangers prefer a minimum of two weeks of advanced notice but will reluctantly work within less time

4. Students must fill out and turn in to you a release form (see copy) prior to participation. You must have those for every person who goes. So if a spouse of a student goes along, at your discretion, that person will have to sign a release. This is necessary for college liability issues. You must keep these on file. Take extra blank ones along with you in case a student has a last minute change of heart and shows up.

You should NOT allow students to participate without the releases.

5. Preliminary discussions should talk about what is appropriate behavior on the trip. This is less an issue of discipline than one of how to work together to have an enjoyable and educational experience. Discussion topics should include:

• A discussion of quietness and the advantage it provides for seeing and hearing animals. 

• Staying together and being aware of were everyone is. Discuss how to react to seeing animals, and specifically, big alligators. Talk about what to do and not do.

• Discuss fears and clarify those that are reasonable and those that are irrational.

• Show students how to communicate to others silently when they see something interesting. 

• Talk about staying on the path and why.

• Discuss racing the bicycles and why it is not allowed in the park and why it is contrary to the intent of the experience.

• Talk about cell phones, radios, beach toys and how they should be left at home.

• (You might wish to have a cell phone for emergency purposes and let them know that the phone you have is only for such a case.)

• Let them know that while it is outside and an excursion,  it is still a class, so while dress may be casual, behavior and language still follows classroom rules.

• Discuss what is appropriate for collection and release; what is appropriate for collection and removal; and what may not be collected in any manner and should only be observed.  For example, small animals such as snails, insects, etc. may be held temporarily and should be release close to the collection point. Fallen flowers and leaves and of course trash may be collected and removed. Flowers on the plant, plants, larger (use your hand as a measure of large and small) animals should be left to observation only.

Talk about the back packer’s ethics:

• What you bring in you take out.

• Leave no trace that you were there.

• Explain what the implications of these are; such as, taking out our own trash and not marking the environment. They should take back memories, notes, photos, recordings and leave the rest as found.

 

Steps/procedures

 Show Prof. Migliaccio’s presentation The Natural Environments of South Florida one or two classes in advance of the trip.

Part 1:

• The park opens at 8:30 am. It will take about two hours of leisure riding to complete the trail and with stops for talking, picture taking, and observation add another hour. It is a good idea to eat lunch at the tower before returning which adds another half-hour. The experience is about 4 hours.

• After eating, the following has been a valuable supplemental activity.

• Ask students to find a quiet place to be alone with nature. They should sit quietly and become aware of their surroundings and their responses to nature. This is a reflective time for them to connect with the quietness of the everglades and to still themselves. This is often the basis for their reaction papers to Shark Valley.

• This exercise does not get discussed unless the students generate a talk. It is an exercise that allows nature to speak to the students and the students to listen. What they hear is often very personal.

• When everyone has finished their communion with nature, the ride back starts. Make sure everyone has made it back to the parking lot and is ok before leaving. If someone has trouble, including flats, the rangers will retrieve the person and bicycle and assist with other problems.

• Pictures and reaction papers make a good web page for the course or the department.  See example at this Website. http://www.mdcc.edu/Kendall/esl/IntensiveESL/SharkValley/index.htm

Vocabulary

heron	alligator	crocodile	nest
vulture	hawk	turtle	gar
fish	deer	spider	web
coot	reed	hammock	canal
aquifer	tram	wren	snake
saw grass	trail	cat fish	eagle
Tamiami Trail	egret	human-made	Miccosukee
Seminole	chickee	hole	path
splash	anhinga	blackbird	herd
crow	crane	flock	clutch
panther	bobcat	raccoon	preserve
protect	endanger	extinct	Audubon

Resources:

To learn everything you might want to know about Shark Valley, go to this Website:  http://everglades.fiu.edu/education/enp/svguide/index.html

CD South Florida’s Natural Environment: Ecology and Issues 2002, this is a CD produced by Prof. Prof. Migliaccio at M-DCC. Among other resources, it contains three PowerPoint Presentations:

• Water Flow

• The Environmental Destruction of South Florida
• The Natural Environments of South Florida 

Prof. Migliaccio has copies available for distribution and use.

• Everglades: The Official Map and Guide, at all available at all the visitor centers.

• The stores at the visitor centers are full of other resources.

What to Wear, Bring, Do (not do)

Do Not ...

• bring tobacco, firearms, or alcoholic drinks.

• leave cell phones, radios, and beepers in the car.

• throw trash on the trails. Carry it out of the park and depose of it in park receptacles or at home.

Do Wear

• comfortable clothes, such as shorts and tee shirts, sneakers,

• a hat

• sunglasses

• a light wind breaker jacket (if the weather is cool)

Do Bring

• A daypack (book bag)

• Sunscreen

• Snacks

• Water

• Camera and film or other medium

• Money

• Small (pocket sized) notebooks

• Mechanical pencils with retractable leads.

• Non-aerosol insect repellent

• Shoes for walking that can get wet if necessary.

• A wristwatch

• A plastic bucket for holding collections.

• Towel (if you are doing the Mangroves and Tidal Pool activity along with this one)

Do Prepare before the trip

• Check that all the equipment is usable.

• If we are biking, ride the bike several days before.

• Make sure the bike is working and the tires aren’t flat, and make sure that you remember how to handle it.

• Check to see that you have everything you need before leaving the house.

• Arrive early.