About the CTAP/PORTS project
Fifteen 7th grade teachers from CTAP Region IV gathered this fall to learn about Año Nuevo State Reserve elephant seals Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS) Video Conferencing Project. Funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation allowed the State Parks Department to partner with CTAP Region IV and SBC to supply each teacher a Polycom video conferencing Unit and the training needed to bring the Año Nuevo unit intotheir classroom
On the first day of training the teachers arrived at the workshop with their district tech support person. While the teachers were receiving instructions on how to use video conferencing to provide instruction in the content areas, the technicians were at a presentation on how to configure you network for video conferencing. On a second day, the teachers came alone and became familiar with the Elephant Seals unit and using the video conferencing equipment. This unit of study introduces students to the evolutionary history and adaptations of the northern elephant seals of Año Nuevo State Reserve
http://www.ports.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23103
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The highlight of the unit is a video conference between students and a park ranger. The ranger acts as guide for a virtual tour of the rookery and discusses the evolutionary history and adaptations of elephant seals with students. The teachers will deliver the Año Nuevo Elephant Seals unit during November and December. For more information visit http://www.ctap4.org/ports/ or contact Jim Freese at 510.670.7715 (ph) jfreese@acoe.k12.ca.us
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