Environmental study guide to: Buck Island Reef National Monument

Smith, Steven

In using the attached guide, you will be exploring reefs, shorelines, a salt pond, and a dry forest. In preparing to visit these sites I suggest that you and your class review Seashores by Herbert Zim and Lester Inble (a Golden Guide) and the bird and plant checklists found in A Guide To The Natural History of St. John by Doris Jadan. You should also acquaint yourself with the attached guide and try some of the suggested pre-visit activities. The pages of the guide are divide in half- the left half providing information about each stop, the right half student involvement suggestions to drive the points home. In most of the activities, I suggest that students work in groups of four. Rather than getting bogged down with plant and animal identification, I suggest that you use the STRAND approach of which a discussion and examples occur on pages 7-10. Strand examples are also scattered throughout the guide. If identification of plants and animals is needed, refer to the Identification Section at the end of the Guide, A Guide To The Natural History of St. John by Doris Jadan, and Seashores by Herbert Zim and Lester Ingle. Students should bring along with them the following items: lunch, water, insect repellent, swimming suit and towel, paper and pencil, and an inquisitive mind. They should wear long pants and shoes that they can get wet and muddy. To carry out the activities suggested in the guide, the class should bring along(one each for four children) the following: snorkel mask and tube, clear container such as a jar, thermometer, two open ended cans, magnifying glass, white plastic container, strainer, and ruler. Also bring along: dark colored. crayons, diluted acetic or hydrochloric acid (optional), light meter, and binoculars (optional). Keep the following DANGER POINTS in mind: Watch the children closely as they unload and load on the small finger pier at Buck Island as well as during the shoreline activities. They will also have to be watched closely while swimming at the beach - use a buddy system. Avoid contact with or eating fruits of manchineel trees (gray bark, shiny-light green leaves with toothed edges) - found in both picnic areas. Also avoid contact with poison ash (Salt pond area) - a small shrub having holly-like spine tipped leaves - causes an irritating rash. Sections of the trails are rough so no running. If you should not want to hike to the top of the island and the bird rookery, you may omit Stops 5, 6, 7, end 8. However, I suggest that you hike up the trail far enough to acquaint the students with the dry forest. To become effective, this guide needs your input. What worked; what didn't; what would you like to add or see deleted. Forward your comments to the ESP office. Have a good trip.