Introducing a New Teacher’s Guide: “Ecosystems of The Bahamas”

June 13, 2024

Written by Amy Heemsoth

We are thrilled to announce that our partners, Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS), have launched Ecosystems of The Bahamas, the newest teacher’s guide highlighting the Bahamian environment. Designed for use in high school classrooms, Ecosystems of The Bahamas contains background information, labs, and classroom activities that comprehensively cover the major Bahamian ecosystems, highlighting key species, ecosystem services, threats, and conservation measures. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is proud that a couple of our lesson plans on mangrove forests are included in this teacher’s guide, which will be used in high school science classrooms across the country.

*The cover of “Ecosystems of The Bahamas” beautifully illustrates the vibrant marine ecosystems of The Bahamas in the foreground, with land-based ecosystems in the background.*

We are part of a diverse group of contributors to this guide, each bringing unique expertise to illuminate Bahamian ecosystems. Fellow contributors include the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS), the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and many more.

*Discover the Pine Forest Ecosystem section within “Ecosystems of The Bahamas,” offers insights into the distinctive pine forests of The Bahamas and its resident wildlife.*

The lesson plans we provided were originally developed for our Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) program, which we have run with Friends of the Environment in Abaco since 2015. This two-year program provides high-school students with education and restoration activities focused on mangroves.

The “Stringing it Together” activity, featured in Ecosystems of The Bahamas, is part of our B.A.M. program curriculum. Through this activity, students examine the feeding relationships in a mangrove ecosystem, model energy flow, and learn about disruptions threatening the stability of this vital food web.

Forest Heights Academy’s B.A.M. students engage in the “Stringing it Together” exercise, illustrating how energy is transferred along the mangrove food web by passing a string from one organism to another.

The guide also includes a laboratory activity from our Mangrove Detectives program, a citizen-science initiative created by the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) and Dr. Ryann Rossi. In this lesson, students collect, process, and analyze potentially diseased mangrove leaves to identify pathogens and explore possible causes of the disease.

B.A.M. students ready their possibly-infected leaves before placing them in petri dishes. they will regularly monitor the dishes and study any growth within. By the experiment’s conclusion, the students will identify any disease-causing fungi that have developed on the petri dishes.

FRIENDS will distribute free copies of the guide to high schools in the Bahamas nationwide before the new school year. But you can download the digital version now, which is easily accessible on their website. Although it was designed for high school teachers, it is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about the Bahamian environment Be sure to check it out today!

View the Educator’s Guide

Ten Years of B.A.M.: Rooted in Partnership, Growing in Purpose

Ten years ago, the Bahamas Awareness of Mangroves (B.A.M.) program began with a simple but meaningful commitment: to connect Bahamian students with the mangrove ecosystems that shape and protect their island home.

Since 2015, B.A.M. has been implemented in partnership with Friends of the Environment, whose dedication to environmental stewardship in Abaco has made this program possible year after year. Together, we have worked alongside Patrick J. Bethel High School and Forest Heights Academy to bring hands-on mangrove science into classrooms and out into the field.

What makes ten years remarkable is not just longevity — it is consistency…

From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey

Some students I remember for their grades, their quick answers, or a moment that made the whole class laugh. Others I remember for the way they stepped into the mangroves.

Desta was the kind of student who thrived outdoors. While some students hesitated at the edge of the mud, he walked right in. And when he inevitably got stuck — because everyone does — he didn’t get frustrated. He laughed. Covered in mud, holding mangrove propagules in his hands, he embraced the experience fully.

Even then, it was clear that he was connecting with the environment in a way that went beyond the lesson plan…

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Ten Years of B.A.M.: Rooted in Partnership, Growing in Purpose

From Mangrove Mud to Meaningful Work: Desta’s J.A.M.I.N. Journey