SUPPORT

Student reflection activity:

Prompt students to think about the following:

  • Why did the government establish two Executive Orders for preserving coral reefs?
  • Why did the Coral Reef Task Force recommend that another EO be established for preserving the coral reefs of Kailua Bay?
  • How do government organizations work together to preserve the coral reefs?
  • What government organizations are involved in preserving the coral reefs?

Assessment:

  • Check the descriptions about the key members and their roles of Coral Reef Task Forces in student journal.
    • Federal Government:  President,  Department of the Interior,  Department of Commerce,  Department of State
    • State Government: Hawaii Governor, Government in the state of Hawaii
    • Government agencies: NASA, NSF, EPA
  • Check the result of group investigation about the efforts of governments for preserving the coral reefs of Kailua Bay.

Ideas for math lesson connections

  • Students practice communication skills by creating graphs of various variables in order to interpret the role of the members in the Coral Reefs Task Force play.

Related National Education Math Standards

Ideas for geography lesson connections

  • Students investigate the Hawaiian Islands. For example, the students might create a report describing the location, climate, history, culture, and geography of the island.
  • Students investigate the relationship between the coral reefs, the ecosystem and the roles different government organizations that are members in the Coral Reefs Task Force.

Related National Education Geography Standards

Ideas for technology lesson connections

  • Word processing: Students create their own electronic journal for keeping notes on KaAMS project.
  • Database: Students create a database of vocabulary words and terms they will learn throughout KaAMS.
  • Presentation software: Students create a short presentation on their understanding of airborne remote sensing.

Related National Education Science Technology Standards

 Activity Sheet 1: Coral Reef Task Force Research (G-1)

 

 

1.        When was the U.S. Coral Reef Tasks Force (CRTF) established?

 

The U. S. Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) was established by President Clinton in June 1998 through Executive Order #13809 on Coral Reef Protection to lead the U.S. response to growing, global environmental crisis to the coral reefs.

 

 

2.        What are the responsibilities of CRTF (Please write at least 3 responsibilities)?

The CRTF is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Executive Order and developing coordinated efforts to 1) map and monitor U. S. coral reefs, 2) research the causes and solutions to coral reef degradation, 3) reduce and mitigate coral reef degradation from pollution, over fishing and other causes, 4) implement strategies to promote conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs internationally.

 

 

3.        Who are the members of CRTF? (Please write the members of at least 5).

Department of the Interior

Department of Commerce

Environmental Protection Agency

Department of Agriculture

Department of State

National Science Foundation

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Guam

Hawaii

 

 

4. How can you group the members of CRTF and which organizations do they belong to?

  1. Federal Government:  President,  Department of Interior, Department of Commerce, Department of State

  2. State Government: Hawaii Governor, Government in the state of Hawaii

  3. Government agencies: NASA, NSF, EPA

 

 

Activity Sheet 2: Exploring the government’s efforts in
establishing the Executive Order (G-2)

Role (Circle your role):

Federal Government, State Government, Government Agencies

Team Member:

Why should the EO for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reefs be established?

    • Geological record

    • Support dynamic reef ecosystem

    • Cultural significance

    • Preserve America's natural wonders for future

2. What is the role of your group? Define the mission in your group.

1) Federal Government

    • President: The head of U.S. federal government.
    • Department of the Interior: The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nation's natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to tribes
    • Department of Commerce: The mission is to describe and predict changes in the Earth's environment, and conserve and wisely manage the Nation's coastal and marine resources
    • Department of State: U.S. diplomacy is an instrument of power, essential for maintaining effective international relationships, and a principal means through which the United States defends its interests, responds to crises, and achieves its international goals. The Department of State is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy, a mission based on the role of the Secretary of State as the President's principal foreign policy adviser.

2) State Government

    • Governor: The head of state government of Hawaii
    • State Government of Hawaii: State Government of Hawaii is the government organization to oversee the coral reefs of Hawaii islands.

 

     3) Government Agencies

    • National Science Foundation the National Science Foundation is an independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting science and engineering through programs that invest over $3.3 billion per year in almost 20,000 research and education projects in science and engineering.
    • National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA mission is to (1) Explore, use, and enable the development of space for human enterprise; (2) Advance scientific knowledge and understanding of the Earth, the solar system, and the universe and use the environment of space for research; and (3) Research, develop, verify, and transfer advanced aeronautics, space, and related technologies.
    • Environmental Protection Agency: The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment - air, water, and land - upon which life depends

 

3.  How is the mission of the group you chose related to the coral reefs problem?

1) Federal Government

    • President: President signs the Executive Orders on Coral reef protection
    • Department of the Interior: Coral reefs are one of U.S. Nation's natural resources and we need to protect our trust responsibilities to tribes
    • Department of Commerce : Coral reefs ecosystem are in danger and therefore need to be wisely conserved as a Nation's coastal and marine resource
    • Department of State: Preserving coral reefs can be more effectively achieved by international efforts between countries because coral reefs are distributed the all around world.

2) State Government

    • Hawaii Governor: Hawaii governor is one of the members who is in the CRTF and has the responsibility to preserve the coral reefs of Hawaii islands
    • State Government of Hawaii: Because the reserved areas in the second EO are in Northwestern area of the islands of Hawaii, the state Government of Hawaii is responsible for preserving the coral reefs of Kailua bay.

 

     3) Government Agencies

    • National Science Foundation: Because coral reefs are one of the main topics in science, the research on coral reefs should be promoted by NSF.
    • National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Investigations on coral reefs are done by the airborne remote sensing mission scientists.

 
Activity Sheets 3: Finding the government's tasks as defined by the new Executive Order for Kailua Bay (G-3)

 

1. What is the mission of the CRTF?

CTRF is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Executive Order, and developing and implementing the coordinated efforts to a) monitor coral reefs, b) research the coral reefs, c) implement strategies to promote conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs.

2. Why do we need to establish the reserve for the coral reefs of Kailua Bay?

Because the CRTF suggested a new recommendation that another EO should be established for preserving the coral reefs of Kailua Bay

3. Who are the members in the CRTF? Why did you choose an organization in your Task Force

    •  One of the organizations at the federal government Level such as Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce, Department of State, etc.
    • State Government of Hawaii
    • One of the organizations at the government agencies such as National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration

4. What will your group do to preserve the coral reefs of the Kailua bay? Please write a two to three sentence essay.

Our team is composed of different government organizations including the federal government, Hawaii state government, and a government agency such as NASA. For solving the coral reefs problem, each government organization will work together under the direction of the department of Interior and Commerce. Specific tasks that we will do included considering if we should establish another EO for preserving coral reefs of Kailua Bay and decide which activities (if any) should be restricted around the coral reefs of Kailua Bay to insure their lasting protection, etc.

 

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rev October 12, 2002