Updates from the Field

Week 3 Environmental Camps In addition to online education activities, the broader Three White Cranes education project includes several field activities along the crane flyways in the US and east Asia. Among these activities are annual student environmental camps in Russia and China. Summer camps are a strong tradition in both Russia and China, and through this project we are able to combine this tradition with learning about the environment and cranes. Masha, who we have joined through two previous field updates in Yakutia, Russia (to view these updates, click on the links to the right), participated in a student environmental camp near Yakutsk this summer. Click here to read about her experiences and to meet the Russian students who participated in the camp. Since 2000, the International Crane Foundation has partnered with nature reserves in Russia and China to host international environmental camps along the border of Russia and China. Through these camps, teachers and students from the US, Russia and China learn about cranes and wetlands, along with their shared responsibility in protecting these valuable resources. This summer, several US teachers from Milwaukee, WI traveled to northeast China and Russia to participate in student camps at the Xianghai Nature Reserve (Jilin Province, China) and Muraviovka Park (Amur Region, Russia). Thirty Chinese students and 20 teachers and reserve staff participated in the Xianghai camp, which included training for the local teachers prior to the student activities. Following the Xianghai camp, a group of Chinese teachers and students from neighboring Keerqin Nature Reserve traveled to Muraviovka Park for a second camp involving both Russian and Chinese students. Check out this week’s student activity, Crane Egg Game, which was developed by Jan Weiler, a third grade teacher at Golda Meir School in Milwaukee. Mrs. Weiler participated in the summer camps in China and Russia and led this activity during the camps (above right). Mrs. Weiler notes that the Chinese students and teachers enjoyed competing with each other during the activity, and that the Chinese teachers participated right along with the students! She left the activity materials in Russia and hopes that they can use this activity in future summer camps.

Field Updates Student Activities Yakutian Birds Geography: Taiga and Tundra Ecoregions Field Work in the Tundra Science: Studying Animal Behavior Environmental Camps Team Building: Crane Egg Game Fall Migration Geography: Tracking Cranes Waterbird Lead Poisoning in Yakutia Social Studies: Raising Awareness Northeast China Discussion: Changing Landscapes Songnen Plain Science: Wetlands as Filters Student Exchanges Writing: School News Birding in China Science: Classroom Bird Feeders Bohai Bay Math: Waterbird Populations Poyang Lake Basin

		Four teachers from Milwaukee, WI traveled to northeast China this summer to participate in a student camp at Xianghai Nature Reserve. The US teachers led a training workshop (above right) for the Chinese teachers and reserve staff prior to the camp. During the Xianghai camp, a Chinese student (above) dances like a crane (note the red patch on the top of her head!) Following the Xianghai Camp, students from neighboring Keerqin Nature Reserve traveled to Muraviovka Park in southeastern Russia to participate in an international camp with Russian students (left).