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Project Synopsis

Our Land Book series:Environmental Education Books

for Pohnpei, Kosrae, Chuuk and Yap

Objective:

Island Research & Education Initiative (IREI) is creating a set of books that teach young Micronesian children

about the important environmental diversity contained within their home islands. The books are intended primarily

as educational resources to support environmental education in schools throughout the four FSM states.

Versions:

Our Land Book will be published in four distinct versions: Yapese, Chuukese, Pohnpeian, and Kosraean. Each

of the four is bilingual with content in both the indigenous language and in English. Each book describes the

key environments and habitats found on a given island: Yap, Chuuk lagoon, Pohnpei, and Kosrae, and is fully

customized content-wise and language-wise for that island.

Content:

Books are hard-back with high quality white glossy paper pages and full color printing. Each set of facing pages

introduces a distinct terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, or marine habitat. The specic environments and habitats

presented vary with book versions (because of the differences in environmental geography of Yap, Chuuk,

Pohnpei, and Kosrae), but the broad selection includes: cloudforest/rainforest, valley forest, grassland/savanna,

rivers/streams, agroforest/garden, taro patch, mangrove forest, seagrass beds, lagoon, and the coral reef. Each set of

facing pages includes bilingual text about a given habitat, a high-quality informative photograph of that landscape,

and attractive artwork depicting a contour drawing of the islands prole that identies where that particular habitat

occurs. The book repeatedly emphasizes the ridge-to-reef concept and the environments and habitats presented in itfollow the order from highest elevations (for example, cloudforest on Pohnpei) down-slope through the natural and

man-made habitats toward the coast and beyond to the outer reef.

Educational value:

These books not only help children understand the beautiful diversity of their islands, but also emphasize that

this diversity coexists on one islandwhat affects one habitat will affect the others. A contour drawing of the

islands prole is included at the bottom of each set of facing pages. This innovative feature serves as a guide to

help children locate each habitat. Its both a powerful visual expression of the connections between all the habitats

on one island and a conceptual map showing parts of their island children may never have visited. In addition,

thanks to bilingual and island-specic content, young Micronesian readers can practice valuable reading skills in

their native language and English. What theyre reading will add to their knowledge and appreciation of the world

outside their doors.

Integration with curriculum and development strategies:

The FSM National Education Standards for both Science and Social Studies highlight teaching local

environmental awareness and protection. Regional development strategies like the Micronesian Challenge

emphasize the importance of preservation of habitats from the Ridge to the Reef. Our books complement these

efforts by deepening childrens understanding of their environment, its complexity, connections, and importance.

The better the children understand their environment, the better they will want and be able to care for it.

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Logistics and costs:

IREI handles all book creation and publishing. We are collaborating with knowledgeable local individuals and

groups, notably language arts specialists and the conservation societies and environmental NGOs on each island,

to ensure that the content and language are accurate and relevant. Once book content is nalized, we will proceed

with the books printing off-island and their shipping to the FSM. Since the project is managed by volunteer effort,

the total cost of development and publishing is relatively low and almost exclusively limited to indispensible

supplies and direct priting and shipping costs. The initial development up to prototype stage is supported by EU/MCT grant. The subsequent publication of the books is pending the order by the FSM National DOE. For itemized

budget please see enclosed separate document.

Timeline:

The work on the books content will be completed by May 1st, 2010. Prototype specimens will be provided to

the donors (EU/MCT) by May 15th, 2010. Following this initial development, the books will be published as per

order by the FSM National DOE, who will pay only for direct printing and shipping costs. The published books

are deliverable within 2 months of agreement with the National DOE. Following the books delivery to National

DOE and their subsequent distribution in schools and other places, IREI team will provide freely downloadablesupporting materials for teachers and educators to ensure that the books are used effectively in classrooms

throughout the nation.

Island Research & Education Initiative (IREI) is a Micronesian NGO based in Pohnpei, FSM.

It carries out meaningful multidisciplinary scientic research throughout the region

and creates innovative educational resources tailor-made for Micronesia.

www.islandresearch.org

Fig. 1: Conceptual diagram of a set of facing pages.