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Thematic Unit: The Ecology of Akumal
The purpose of this unit is to provide a teaching and learning tool for young people and adults. The activities were created to stimulate interest in the ecology of Akumal and a desire to preserve its natural resources by teaching an appreciation of water conservation, recycling, the nesting turtles, the coral reef and the tropical forest.
The lessons were created in Spanish for the purpose of stimulating interest among the young Akumal Pueblo residents in the ecology of Akumal and to involve them in the activities of CEA, El Centro Ecológico Akumal. The original project’s mission was three-fold: a cultural and language exchange between a U.S. teenager and teenagers from Akumal Pueblo, the creation and evaluation of a survey of the Akumal Pueblo youth, and the acquisition of knowledge about the ecology of Akumal. The activities evolved to implement these goals and to broaden CEA's outreach in the local community. Landy, Mirjana, Kate and Ann also broadened their knowledge of the Mayan culture, with a Mayan feast and a 3-day tour of the Yucátan Peninsula including visits to Chichén Itzá, Cobá, Valladolid, Mérida, and exploring a nearby cenote.
The lessons worked in conjunction with lectures offered nightly at CEA, a nonprofit organization whose facilities are located at the north end of Akumal Bay. Volunteers from local businesses also provided talks and tours of the tropical forest and the coral reef. Visiting professors provided current data and CEA employees and volunteers took students on the nightly turtle walk during nesting season. The CEA office provided several authentic texts that were used in the created lessons. CEA volunteers provided original drawings and photographs. They collated the results of the survey given to young people in Akumal Pueblo which attempted to assess their current knowledge of ecology in the region, the effect of CEA on their learning and their interest in learning more about taking an active role in preserving their environment and getting involved in the activities of CEA.
The three girls involved in the starter training program included two girls from Akumal Pueblo: Landy and Mirjana. Kate Lawrence is from New York and the lessons were created and taught by Ann Griffiths of Marietta, Georgia. The girls administered the survey to students ages 12 to 17 in Akumal Pueblo and developed activities for a club atmosphere during five evenings in Akumal Pueblo during the month of July to present and practice the knowledge from the five selected topics of :-
water conservation
- recycling
- the nesting turtles
- the coral reef
- the tropical forest
This program was established with the intention that it should be ongoing. Ann Griffiths will be returning to Akumal in June to train a new group of young people. This year’s program will include some new activities as well as service projects. The unit will be available to educators as a complete teaching unit on CD-ROM. For more information please contact Ann Griffiths at agriffit@kennesaw.edu
Funding for the project was provided by Mr. Jim Lawrence.
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