McGuinty Government Launches New Program For Elementary Schools

SUDBURY— Elementary school students can now learn about black bears and their behaviour thanks to a new teacher's guide developed by the Ontario government.

The Black Bear Ecology Education Program for grades 2, 4 and 7 was developed in partnership with the Trent Centre for Community-Based Education and Trent University. Linked to the Science and Technology curriculum, it provides teachers with background readings, lesson plans and classroom activities about black bear biology, why human-bear interactions happen and how they can be prevented.

Teachers who piloted the program in schools in Englehart and Peterborough gave it excellent reviews. The program has also been recommended by Curriculum Services Canada, and is available at ontario.ca/bearwise. Hard copies were distributed to schools north of Highway 7 by the end of February 2008. Click here for the full press release.