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Use animal rights and environmental issues to engage students

by Alan Haskvitz

One sure fire way to get students interested and involved is using lessons and issues related to the environment and animal rights. I started a 527 Wildlife Club. It was named for the dominant Yellowstone female wolf killed in Montana. She was wearing a radio collar and shortly thereafter most of her group were also killed. This and major kills in Idaho took place after the gray wolf was removed from the endangered species list by the Secretary of the Interior. After reading the story of 527's life, students were eager to take action. They wrote letters, signed petitions, sponsored a wolf at the Wolf Mountain Sanctuary and sent money to Defenders of Wildlife. They were empowering themselves. They were motivated to learn and to use the system appropriately.

When students came to class, the regular lessons were waiting, and they gulped down the material eagerly after checking what the current events board and e-mail. Not only were students motivated, but they started to get their parents involved.

Clearly, this issue was controversial as many feel the wolves threaten livestock, and some claim wolves are causing the elk population to fall. So it was important to show both sides of the issue. That being said, there are less controversial issues students can adopt. But the way 527 was killed stirred a fire under students as few other issues have ever done. Using the teachable moment ideas here, I was able to integrate the curriculum and keep the fires burning while still following the required course of study.

If you want to learn more about 527, here are some articles of interest. Also listed are a variety of educational environmental sites. All these are worthwhile and true to the goal of education, which is to create lifelong learners and good citizens. We even used these resources to bring in guest speakers to help inform students.

Wolf 527/Photographer: Daniel Stahler
The story of 527 and her killing

Montana Wolf Hunt is Stalked by Controversy

Wolf Mountain Sanctuary
We adopted a wolf from this site. Other wolf adoption sites may be closer. Students loved the fact these wolves were the models for the ones in Twilight-New Moon.

International Wolf Center Wolf Cam

Animal Rights Organizations

Animal Welfare Sites

Bird Sites

The Environment Directory – Wildlife
Huge link site by issue, animal

ESPECIES Animal Fact Sheets

International Wolf Center
Teaching the world about wolves

Pack of Wolf Links

PNW Native Plant & Wildlife Organizations

Wildlife Organizations
In alphabetical order from Animal Planet

Wolf Organization Address List

Wolf Organizations and Facilities