Feral Robotic Dogs

Dferal robotic dogsenvironmental mapping & exploration

feral robotic dogsenvironmental mapping & exploration

>>welcomeDo you think dogs have a good sense ofsmell? Well you haven’t seen anything yet.

CONTRIBUTORS & CONTENT:

Dr. Natalie JeremijenkoChristopher Kennedy

Copyright 2007

feral robotic dogsenvironmental mapping & exploration

OUT THERE, in happy family homes, in the offices of corporate executives, in toy stores through out the globe, is an army of robotic dogs. These semi-autonomous robotic creatures, though currently programmed to perform inane or entertaining tasks: begging for plastic bones; barking to the tune of national anthems; walking in circles; are actually fully motile and AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

Welcome to Feral Robotic Dogs a curricula based off the work of techno eco-artist Dr. Natalie Jeremijenko. Using the widley popular robotic dog toys found in most toy stores around the country, Jeremijenko has reimagined these devices as a way to “sniff” out environmental toxins in the soil or ambient air in and around known brownfield and superfund sites by equipping these robotic devices with simple toxin sensors. In this guide, teachers and students alike will have the opportunity to make their own versions and coordinate a robotic dog launch of their own. Filled with ac-tivites and instructions, Feral Robotic Dogs is meant to inspire interactive mapping and brings the real of environmental justice into the classroom in an innovative and easy reproducible way.

>>contentsintroductionOverview and GoalsStandardsBackground

Preparations

the launchHow to Build a Feral Robotic DogLaunch Overview

Launch Examples

activitiesElementary - Talking to the BirdsMiddle School - Walking with the Birds

High School - Speaking Up for the Birds

appendix

>>contents >>overview & goalsOverview The primary goal of the Feral Robotic Dog curricula, is to engage students in hands on participatory ac-tivities and lessons that provide links to environmental awareness and build on cognitive and developmental. Think of Feral Robotic Dogs as a doorway, something tangible to start an ascent to new forms of education that prize experience, participation and their inherently holistic and inclusive frameworks. The main goal of the project is to interweave interdisciplinary connections throughout the school and to participate in a hands on project that will aid in restoring, identifying or drawing attention to a site of environmental contamination in the local community.

ObjectivesPragmatic Skill Building- A basic understanding of electronics- A basic understanding of robotics- basic mechanics, motor functions

Mapping and Exploration- developing interactive mapping skills and inquiry- the ability to extrapolate data based on site condi-tions and components- bioregional inclusions that aid in linking students to community

Interactive Learning- the project is incredibly hands on and participatory- the curricula is adaptable and has value in any set-ting- provides a tangible link to community, ecological res-toration and scientific skills

Science that Matters - the feral robotic dog curricula aids in linking students to projects that have immediate and lasting impacts in their community in terms of ecology and social justice- Redefining what scientist means empowering the community to take the initiative and understand how industries and developmental pressures are affecting their communities in the here and now.

SectionsEmpathy: Communing with Animals in the Home and in the EnvironmentExploration: Mapping Inequality in the Built and Natu-ral EnvironmentAction: Feral Robotic Dogs for Eco-Justice

Learning Outcomes• Students will take on the role of investigators and citizen scientists making observations and asking questions organically as they arise.• Students will learn pragmatic technical and me-chanical skills • Students will develop an understanding of complex relationships in the built & natural environment • Students will gain skills in analysis and extrapolation of data and real-world math skills can develop.• Students will have the opportunity for social action and ecological restoration in an immediate, localized context

>>standards

LANGUAGE ARTS 4COMMUNICATION SKILLSStudents adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language to communicate effectively with a variety of audi-ences…4APPLYING KNOWLEDGEStudents apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions, media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.4EVALUATING DATAStudents conduct research on issues and interests by gen-erating ideas and questions, and by posing problems…

SCIENCE (Elementary) 4LIFE SCIENCEThe characteristics of organismsLife cycles of organisms Organisms and environments4SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYAbilities of technological designUnderstanding about science and technologyAbilities to distinguish between natural objects and objects made by humans

SCIENCE (Middle School) 4LIFE SCIENCEStructure and function in living systemsPopulations and ecosystems

SCIENCE (High School) 4SCIENCE AS INQUIRYAbilities necessary to do scientific inquiryUnderstandings about scientific inquiry4PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVESPersonal and community healthNatural resourcesEnvironmental quality

The following is a list of National U.S. Education Standards that can be met through the use of this curricula resource. Use the three components, launch, design/build and activity to guide you

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>>standards >>standardsMATH 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITYFormulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answerApply transformations and use symmetry to analyze mathematical situationsDevelop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data4 CONNECTIONSRecognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of math-ematics. 4 REPRESENTATIONSCreate and use representations to organize, record, and commu-nicate mathematical ideas;Select, apply, and translate among mathematical representations to solve problems;

TECHNOLOGY 4 BASIC OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTSStudents demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.Students are proficient in the use of technology. 4 SOCIAL, ETHICAL AND HUMAN ISSUESStudents understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.Students practice responsible use of technology systems, infor-mation, and software.Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity. 4 TECHNOLOGY COMMUNICATION TOOLSStudents use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.4 TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH TOOLSStudents use technology to locate, evaluate,and collect informa-tion from a variety of sources.Students use technology tools to process data and report results.4 TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM- SOLVING AND DECISION-MAKING TOOLSStudents use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.

The following is a list of National US. Education Standards that can be met through the use of this curricula resource.

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>>background

Overview Feral robotic dogs are a collection of various robotic dog models developed as toys for kids, complete with sensor technology that allows them to act individually or collectively based on set stimuli. Adapted in this cur-ricula to act as tools to detect sources of environmental contamination such as brownfields, superfund sites or other locations with noticeable environmental degrada-tion. The robotic dogs can serve as ways to inform the public of dangers that would otherwise go unnoticed or as learning tools in understanding sensor technol-ogy and mapping.

Several models of robotic dogs exist and have differ-ent motor funtctions and capacities. However, each can be modified to achieve specified mapping or logic functions. They are portable, lightweight, contain in-terchangeable parts and relativelly cheap sesnor func-tions.

An Open Source robotics project providing resources and support for upgrading the raison d’etre of com-mercially available robotic dog toys; and facilitating mediagenic Feral Ro-botic Dog Pack Release events. Be-cause the dogs follow concentration gradients of the contaminants they are equipped to sniff, their release renders information legible to diverse participants, provides the opportu-nity for evidence driven discussion, and facilitates public participation in environmental monitoring and reme-diation.

>>background >>backgroundHow to create a mediagenic event & how the toy industry can provide a cheap source of interchangeable parts for building robots.

Exploiting the markets of scale of the toy industry, specifically in the realm of entertainment robotics; the hardware distribu-tion power of national and multinational corporations (and the cultural imperialism); to provide a readymade, inexpensive and highly distributed hardware platform. The robotic dogs currently on the international market provide the most inex-pensive source of compatible motors, actuation, and sensing mechanisms available [$15-$200 for the dog adaptation].

To use this distributed hardware platform to build a net-worked (knowledge) community interested in the transforma-tion of robotic dogs from their intended entertainment use to activists instruments for exploring (and contesting) local ma-terial conditions. The web-based community openly shares low cost adaptation strategies and techniques for updating the rationale (i.e. hacking) of these and similar toys. This is a community that is built on a particular post-purchase activ-ity with the toy rather than the act of consumption itself in contrast to a community of SONY AIBO owners, and it is designed to exploit the popular culture references of these toys to involve youth in the interpretation of environmental conditions and a critique of the corporate imagination.

The feral dogs have a simple communication system added in their adaptation, that allows the coordinate behavior of a pack. The dogs will cover different portions of a terrain (main-taining a radius) for effective space filling, but will converge if one dog gets a particularly strong signal. This functional-ity is intended to provide information that is displayed in a form that is legible to diverse participants i.e. the movement of the dogs. The dogs paths provide immediate imagery to sustain discussion and interpretation of an otherwise imper-ceptible environmental condition of interest (e.g. radioactivity; air quality issues and the re-opening of English powersta-tion; class-based environmental discrimination). Because the dog’s space-filling logic emulates a familiar behavior, i.e. they appear to be “sniffing something out”, participants can watch and try to make sense of this data without the technical or scientific training required to be comfortable interpreting a EPA document on the same material.

Furthermore, I argue that by using the movement of the dogs as the display this renders the information at an appropri-ate level of accuracy (the data looks fuzzy). An emblematic feature of the adapted dogs is placement of the webcams in the non-barking end of the dogs, whereas traditional robot-ics and AIBO place the cameras in the ‘eyes’ of the agent. The rear end placement in the Ferals collects footage of the spectators and their actual interpretation of the dog’s behav-ior, privileging this as information rather than just the data collected and stored onboard for later interpretation. The feral dog pack event is designed as an opportunity to en-able public discourse and open-ended interpretation of the evidence at hand, and an opportunity to coordinate diverse interpretations (for instance at the English Power Station re-lease attendees invited include activists who have opposed the reopening, residents, politicians, and power company representatives). The display of the empirical evidence on the local pollutant is intended to enable and change typical lay-expert communication patterns, by raising the standards of evidence, or at least changing who produces this evidence.

DR. NATALIE JEREMIJENKO

>>preparations- Conduct brainstorming sessions with all faculty members about topics and lesson plans- Hash out the logistics of a curricula introduction- Create a time-table and layout some clear-cut im-mediate and long term goals- Outline community, art and educational connec-tions that can be used to bolster support- Get the parents involved! Conduct surveys, have a teach-in and gather consensus from parents and evaluate their opinions.

Next, introduce the curriculum changes to primary administrators in the form of a short and long term proposal. Have concerns like materials needed, time estimates and contact info clearly outlined and described. Make sure, above all, to stress the need and benefits of experiential education, its adapt-ability and low cost. Cite examples of similar pro-grams and develop a way to measure results and success beyond standardized tests.

If you can’t get something instated that semester, plan for next year and keep trying. Gather continual community support; start small and grow your pro-gram when possible!

Is everyone going to think I’m crazy?

Kids need to go outside more and finding any innova-tive way to do that will not make you seem crazy. Stu-dents need ways to explore, to interact and to develop a wonder with natural spaces. This is where learning happens and even just as important, this is where in-quiry and critical thinking skills are built naturally. So why not foster it through this curricula?

But remember, this is simply a starting point, an idea for inspiration. To transform your school into one that uses the outdoors and the community for learning. The real challenge is transforming the learning environment n your school from the bottom up! And you can start here using this as a perfect example of possibilities.

Some steps to get started: an eco-based school

Starting any new program at a school can be a chal-lenge in any context. However, creating an open dia-logue between students, teachers and administrators can lead to some amazing outcomes. When introduc-ing the idea of adding, changing or altering core-cur-ricula to be more inclusive of experiential education make sure to have some strategies and connections already solidified:

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>>preparations

D the launch

how to build a robotic doghow to organize a launch>>

>> how to build a robotic dogoverviewThis is a big project and so organization is key. Here are some overall steps you and your students will need to consider and undertake:

1. Site and Contaminant Selection2. Building, Designing and Testing your robotic dogs3. Site Survey and Field Sudies4. Launch, observation and data collection5. Final Report and extrapolation of the data

lets get started!

Ok, so before we start, there are two main consider-ations you need to address before building your feral robotic dog and conducting a launch: (1) What kind of contaminant are you trying to sniff out and (2) what kind of robotic dog model will you be working with?

pollution sources and sites in your area!To get a more specific overview of superfund sites and sources of pollution in your area please take advantage of the many organizations and databases available. Most require simply that you input your zip code and a list of sites will appear within a proximity of the school or community you are in.

SCORECARDwww.scorecard.orgScorecard is the web’s most popular resource for information about pollution problems and toxic chemicals. Find out about the pollution problems in your community and learn who is re-sponsible. See which geographic areas and companies have the worst pollution records. Identify which racial/ethnic and income groups bear more than their share of environmental burdens. Then take action as an informed citizen - you can fax a polluting company, contact your elected representa-tives, or get involved in your community. Scorecard provides the facts about pollution for free.

CENTER FOR LAND USE INTERPRETATIONwww.clui.orgThe Center for Land Use Interpretation’s Land Use Database is an on-line computer database of unusual and exemplary sites throughout the United States. It is a free public resource, designed to educate and inform the public about the function and form of the National landscape, a terrestrial system that has been altered to accommodate the complex demands of our society.

SUPERFUND 365www.superfund365.orgSuperfund365, A Site-A-Day, is an online data visualization application with an accompanying RSS-feed and email alert system. Each day for a year, starting on September 1, 2007, Superfund365 will visit one toxic site currently active in the Superfund program run by the U.S. Environmental Protec-tion Agency (EPA). We begin the journey in the New York City area and work our way across the country, ending the year in Hawaii. (We will need a beach vacation by then!) In the end, the archive will consist of 365 visualizations of some of the worst toxic sites in the U.S., roughly a quarter of the total number on the Superfund’s National Priorities List (NPL). Along the way, we will conduct video interviews with people involved with or impacted by Superfund.

>> how to build a robotic dogsensors for your pupListed to below are some common environmental contam-inants found in the soil and surrounding areas of the over 3000 superfund and brownfield sites around the country.

Natural Gases and Methane

The simplest hydrocarbon, methane, is a gas (at standard temperature and pressure, STP) with a chemical formula of CH4. Pure methane is odorless, but when used commercially is usually mixed with small quantities of odorants, strongly-smelling sulfur compounds such as ethanethiol (also called ethyl mercaptan), to enable the detection of leaks.

MTBE MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) is a chemical compound that is manufactured by the chemical reaction of methanol and isobutylene. MTBE is produced in very large quantities (over 200,000 barrels per day in the U.S. in 1999) and is al-most exclusively used as a fuel additive in motor gasoline. It is one of a group of chemicals commonly known as “oxygen-ates” because they raise the oxygen content of gasoline. At room temperature, MTBE is a volatile, flammable and color-less liquid that dissolves rather easily in water.

PCBsPolychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of organic com-pounds with 1 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl and a general chemical formula of C12H10-xClx. Most PCB congeners are colorless, odorless crystals. PCBs were com-mercially produced as complex mixtures containing multiple isomers at different degrees of chlorination. The major North American producer, Monsanto, marketed PCBs under the trade name Aroclor from 1930 to 1977. General Electric mar-keted a similar product under the trade name Pyranol. These were sold under trade names followed by a 4 digit number.

>> how to build a robotic dogenvironmental sensors

SENSOR EQUIPTMENT

FIGARO Sensors | http://www.figarosensor.com/

Our main resource for a variety of small compact easy to wire sensors. Figaro Gas Sensors are prominently featured in gas detection equipment throughout the world in the fields of safety, health, control systems, and instrumentation. Popular applications of Figaro Gas Sensors include residential and commercial/ industrial alarms for toxic and explosive gases, breath alcohol checkers, automatic cooking controls for microwave ovens, air quality/ventilation control systems for both homes and automobiles.

Once you have selected the contaminant you are trying to “Sniff” out, you can then begin to purchase the appropriate sensor equiptment to put onto your robotic dog. Below is just one of many companies that specialize in industrial and residential sensor technology.

hardware componentsBelow and to the side are the main components of most ro-botic dog toy models. This particular model is the MegaByte II model available at many online toy stores. Follow the steps below for assembly.

1. Deconstruct the plastic housing (A) and motors (B)2. Attach sensor equipment to the robotic dog including cen-tral logic component (D) and (E) RC Unit, which includes re-mote sensoring technology to store and interpret data3. Attach extra power sources as needed.4. Secure a receiver mechanism to collect data like a sound mechanism (F)5. Reconstruct the robotic dog plastic housing and motor functions6. Release multiple robotic dogs and analyze results

>> how to build a robotic doghardware assembly

PLASTIC HOUSING

MAIN MOTORS

LOGIC BOARD

RC UNITSPEAKER IN/OUT

>> how to build a robotic dog >> the launch

organizing a robotic dog launch!A Feral Robotic Dog Launch can have many impli-cationsnd provide a number of experiential forms of learning. The basic gist is as follows. One identifies a problem area, environmentally, socially or a mix of the two and Robotic Dogs, equipped with sensors are de-ployed in the natural environment to seek out sources of pollution, environmental contamination or a whole range of other “sinks”. The dogs are released, a team of participants then observes their behavior, record-ing data and extrapolating this information to identify where the major causes of pollution reside and what the concentration might be. The robotic dog launch can be one single robot or an entire pack of dogs, each demonstrating unique behavioral patterns.

The amazing thing about the launch is it (1) encourages kids to participate in the natural environment, (2) a visu-al reference is given to students that aid in understand-ing abstract concepts of environmental degradation, (3) provides tactile and experiential means of learning about how to record data about something that mat-ters in their local community and (4) consequently al-lows and empowers participants to make change after collecting data about a site that requires remediation.

LET’S GET STARTED

Once you have your robotic dogs built, its time to setup a launch or series of launches with your Ro-botic Goose. The first thing you need to do is select a site, preferably with goose or wildlife present and then organize and prepare your students. Here are some things to consider.

SITE SELECTION & SURVEY

With students select a site in a nearby park, greens-pace or space with a water body. Make sure that this is a space where wildlife will be present. Conduct some initial field study observations before conduct-ing a launch to get a feel for the space.

STEP ONE

Preliminary Considerations:

One of the first considerations in organizing a launch is to have students answer and discuss some simple questions that will clarify some main goals of the launch: (1) What do you hope to accomplish from the launch itself, (2) What do you want the students to learn during, after and before the launch (3) How can you make it as engaging and participatory as possible?

STEP TWO

Thus, after those preliminary questions have been answered, site selection is key. Based on the parameters of the lesson, one needs to select a site that will be inclusive of those fac-tors. I recommend using the resources located in this guide such as Scorecard and the Center for Land Use Interpreta-tion Database to find a site that is local and applicable to a Robotic Dog Launch. If one does not exist within reach of the school, organize a mock launch on the school grounds, locating a contaminant or degradatory “sink” of your choice.

STEP THREE

In class, at least a few weeks in advance, begin a lesson plan that relates to the overall Robotic Dog Launch project. Start investigating the site, asking questions and start a data col-lection journal for each student to begin work on. Have stu-dents make observations, start writing down some hypoth-eses and expected conclusions. Conduct test runs in the classroom and make sure all equipment is running smoothly. Assign roles like primary data collector, master mapper, lab assistant, robotic dog mechanic and field investigators to make sure the launch goes smoothly and that all observa-tions are made.

STEP FOUR

After going through preliminary equipment checks organize your actual dog launch on site. Have students do a quick lesson that acclimates them to the site before starting and do some really physical exercises to get the juices flowing. Or-ganize media, parents and other faculty members to be apart of the launch, making sure to outline the main objectives to each group. Then let the fun begin. Conduct a number of dog launches and have students rotate major roles in the launch. See what happens and try again and again if the launch is not running smoothly. The most important component of the launch is that the students are able to engage in the natural world and are using this time to make some critical observa-tions and consequent extrapolations of what they are seeing, sensing and feeling all around them.

STEP FIVE

After the launch is complete make sure to collect all robotic dog parts and data. In class in the following weeks have the students engage in discussion groups to think about the launch and what happened. Divide students into design teams and have them write up brief descriptions, reports and proposals that outline the launch results and recommenda-tions for remediation.

>> the launch

>> the launchMAPPING AND VISUALIZATION

Here is an example mapping output visualization of dogs thats were looking for contaminants on a specific site. In the middle is the strongest concentration of contamination. One can see the robotic dogs slowly making their way toward this saturation point.

>> the launch >> the launchwhat will a launch look like?EXAMPLE LAUNCH:

A dozen afterschool students bewteen the ages of 12 and 16 met for three months at the Bronx River Art Center to be apart of a series of launches in 2003. Their dogs were looking for Volatile Organic Solvents and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

Assembly and building Launch Observation and Data Collection

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>> the launch

D activities

Communing with Animals in the Home and in the EnvironmentMapping Inequality in the Built and Natural EnvironmentFeral Robotic Dogs for Eco-Justice>>

D elementary school

Communing with Animals in the Home and in the Environment>>

elementary school

>> communing with animals>> IntroductionAGE GROUP - Ages 3 - 9

Animals are an integral link to connecting with students, using biophilic associations to harbor empathy for wildlife and their habitats. The goal of this first section is to use the world of animal communication to instill ecological literacy, sensory connections and create a lasting impact on stu-dents regarding their bioregion. Also, integral to this lesson is the world of robotics, to use students inherent fascination with robots and also their pets. Through the Feral Robotic Dog curricula, the aim is to re-vision how students per-ceive their local environment through the lens of hands-on participatory investigations, mapping and learning about environmental threats via contaminants in the ambient en-vironment.

>> Goals and Objectives

>> Bioregional ConsiderationsBefore introducing lessons and activities from the curri-cula, determine the bioregion that the school is within. A bioregion classifies the kind of ecosystem that defines the location based on topography, hydrology, weather pat-terns, geology, animal and plant life. Introduce these de-fining characteristics and set the stage for investigations into the local habitats and wildlife that surround your school and community. The Feral Robotic Dog curricula also em-phasizes mapping and seeking out sites of environmental contamination or places that are under threat from devel-opment or industrial sources. Using scorecard.org and the Center for Land Use Interpretation to determine local sites of concern and to weave this into the following curricula.

>> activities & projectscommuning with animals

ANIMAL COMMUNICATIONSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: animal sounds and recordings

Collect different animal sounds, books and other materials that mesh well with the bioregion the school is located in. Have students listen and talk about these sounds in differ-ent groups, asking them to match sounds with pictures. Provide each student with a workshop with a picture of a dog and a word-bubble, ask each kid to write down what they think the dog is saying. Then provide different con-texts, backgrounds for the dog to be involved with and ask again for verbal interpretation. Perhaps a dog next to a deforested landscape, a dog next to a factory with smoke coming out or a traffic jam in a busy city. Note the differ-ences in responses and ask the students to share what they think animals are feeling about natural issues.

Pets around the globeSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: suggested reading, internet access

Have the students start a pen pal relationship with chil-dren of the same age around the globe! Have the theme be about pets and especially pets. Have them write a short letter to their pen pals explaining what pets are like here in the US and ask for an interpretation of what pets are like overseas. Talk about the vast differences in conditions that pets around the globe live in.

Dog packs – defining community interactionSuggested Time: One – Two sessionsMaterials Needed: robotic dogs and wildlife

Release several feral robotic dogs in a classroom or out-door experiment. Observe pack behavior and contrast it to a single robotic dog behaving. What happens and what can that tell you about community and ecosystems where lots of different kinds of animals interact. Do humans only interact with other humans? If not, then who do we interact with, what happens when we do? Develop a math exercise using dogs and their interactions as lesson tools.

How do robots and real dogs interact?Suggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: volunteers from Humane Society, ro-botic dogs

Ask a member of the Humane Society to come in and be a guest speaker at a class session. Ask them how they think real and robotic dogs would interact. After the dis-cussion, set up an experiment that has the robotic and real dog interact. What happens, what information can be extrapolated from the interaction? Encourage students to write down observations and talk about the behavior. (http://www.hsus.org/)


robots in pop culture Suggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: art supplies, charcoal, recycled paper

Have students draw a personal rendition of a robot and then construct schematics for the robots out of recycled materials. Spend several sessions constructing the robots and have each student outline materials used, what the robots can do, name the robots and then display around the school. As an extra add on, have each student write a story about the robot including the local ecosystem, biore-gion as the setting.

Animals and therapy – youth visit to a senior care centerSuggested Time: One – Two sessionsMaterials Needed: pets

In this activity, encourage the school, class or students to organize a collaboration between a local animal shelter and organize trip to a local senior center. Bring an animal that needs a home to the senior center to bond with the elderly, have the children explain all about the animal: what it likes to eat, what’s its name, why it needs help and encourage participation between the seniors and students. Organize consistent site visits and keep a progress report of the newly adopted animal. Interweave a history lesson that plays on first hand accounts form the seniors.

Where are animals from? Bioregional considerationsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: books on pets, internet access, local animal organizations

Conduct a local history lesson about where pets from the bioregion are from. Trace the origins of local dogs to the local places the school or community resides within. Talk about how the ecology of the region affects how and what type of dog likes to be in that bioregion. Take the class out exploring downtown in an urban or suburban center. Look for dogs and other pets, have the students carry clip-boards and have them interview pet-owners to see where they got their pets from. Document several cases and then discuss! Doggies like clean air and water too!

More than petsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: time

Conduct a pet survey in class! Ask how has a pet, what animal it is and where they live. If a student does not have a pet, what kind of animal they would choose if they had the choice. Stir a discussion about the roles of pets, what makes them happy, what do you think they are trying to say to us and what makes them sad. Ask each student to write a small narrative about their pets, and ask them to describe where their pets originated from. Scottish terri-ers from Scotland, iguanas from south America or rabbits from the Midwest. Ask open-ended questions like what habitats do pets come from, and why do we have them here in America. Stress the importance of looking at pets as more than something we feed everyday, but as some-thing that is apart of the natural environment, something that is connected to a larger ecosystem despite being in their homes.


Sensual recognition – using animals to detect strong/weak scents or odorsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: time

Conduct a pet survey in class! Ask how has a pet, what animal it is and where they live. If a student does not have a pet, what kind of animal they would choose if they had the choice. Stir a discussion about the roles of pets, what makes them happy, what do you think they are trying to say to us and what makes them sad. Ask each student to write a small narrative about their pets, and ask them to describe where their pets originated from. Scottish terri-ers from Scotland, iguanas from south America or rabbits from the Midwest. Ask open-ended questions like what habitats do pets come from, and why do we have them here in America. Stress the importance of looking at pets as more than something we feed everyday, but as some-thing that is apart of the natural environment, something that is connected to a larger ecosystem despite being in their homes.

Sensual recognition – using animals to detect strong/weak scents or odorsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: pets from the community

Talk about the anatomy of dogs, stressing their strong sense of smell. What makes is so strong, what do they use it for. Conduct a scent experiment outside! Have students go around to natural space in and around the schoolyard and have them record their observations. What kinds of smells did they encounter, what were the sources and why do you think some are more pungent than others. If you are in an area without access to natural scents or its too cold, set up a scent testing center in the classroom and perform the same experiment. After journal recording, discuss the results and reasons for scents!

Developing relationships with animalsSuggested Time: One or Several Field TripsMaterials Needed: farm animals, time

Organize a collaboration with your local 4H, farm or nature center. Adopt an animal(s) the whole class can take care of. Bring the animal in the classroom, organize multiple vis-its and develop a relationship with the animal. Talk about its behavior, its sounds, its smells and what it likes to eat. Talk about how it is apart of the local ecosystem and think about what would happen if environmental resources were scarce for the animal. What would happen, how would that affect the animals health and what can be done to stop the resource decline?

Finding bait – pet mice in the classroomSuggested Time: One – Two sessions (Semester Long Pets!)Materials Needed: mice, cage, mouse pellets, fruit and produce

Conduct an experiment that allows children to get a handle of sensory mapping. Organize an age-old experiment of a mice trying to find cheese in a maze. Construct the maze with students out of recycled or found materials. Then try different stimuli like mouse pellets, apples, carrots etc. How do the mice behave? What changes and what the most common observations. Compare and contrast the different materials, make a large chart and discuss with the class. Talk about ecological niches, how animals find food in the wild and connect that to the locality of the school.

>> activities & projects >> activities & projectscommuning with animals

Invisible contaminants game – explaining the idea of radioactive materials through magicSuggested Time: One class periodMaterials Needed: magic props

Understanding gases like radon, methane or carbon diox-ide is incredibly tricky for smaller students to understand. Elucidate this through magic. Have a magician come in and talk about these invisible gases in terms of magic tricks to clarify just how hard it is to see and feel these toxic gases. Then talk about the effects of such gases on the natural

and built environments.

>> resourcescommuning with animals

>> Organization

4 H Clubwww.4hclub.org

>> Suggested ReadingMaestro, Marco and Giulio. Geese Find the Missing Piece: School Time Riddle Rhymes. HarperTrophy (August 31, 2000)

DK Publishing. Black Geese: A Baba Yaga Story From Russia. Harcourt (1994)

King, Deborah. The Flight of the Snow Geese. Orchard Books (NY); 1st American ed edition (September 1998)

Anne, R. and June Cameron. The Gumboot Geese. Har-bour (June 1992)

Lewis, Mary. Olle and the wild geese. Washburn (1964)

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>> resources

D middle school

Mapping Inequality in the Built and Natural Environment

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>> environmental mapping>> IntroductionAGE GROUP - Ages 9-13

The second section of Feral Robotic dogs will concentrate heavily on the concepts of exploration in the natural and built environment. Using the robotic dogs as a means to understanding methods of mapping and identifying en-vironmental impacts within a certain geographical realm, watershed or ecosystem. The robotic dogs can serve as a hands-on tool to get students outside, making observa-tions and exploring natural and man-made territories and areas that they would normally not be exposed to.


>> Bioregional ConsiderationsSince exploration is the main objective of this section, high-lighting what a bioregion is and its qualities is of paramount importance. Compare and contrast local and global eco-systems to see what the main differences are and think about how a community affects a bioregion. Ask and dis-cuss how the local community surrounding the school, or event the school itself affects the people, organisms and plants that are within the bioregion.

>> environmental mapping >> activities & projectscommuning with animals

MappingSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: maps and internet access (greenmap.org)

Conduct a brief tutorial on the concepts and methods in-volved in mapping. Using symbology and local resources have students construct a map of their locality including natural resources and man made features. Develop, as a class, different symbols to delineate different features and attributes of the bioregion surrounding the school. Hold in-teractive sessions that visually display how natural elements are cycled throughout the region that is being mapped. Outline the watershed, show geographical features, explain nutrient cycles from industrial, agriculture and commercial industries. Hold skits and write stories about these areas and discuss as a class the impacts on the region and on each individual community and person in the bioregion.

Hands on mechanicsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: sensor equipment, soldering iron, elec-trical supplies

Give a tutorial on how to outfit a Feral Robotic Dog with sensors that can detect certain environmental stimuli. Go over the basic mechanical outfitting of the robot and ex-plain the process visually and through hands on projects that mock some of the basic functions of the robot. Take students outside to test their robotic creations and com-pose a journal to record observations and behaviors of the robots. Extrapolate the data into something visual and meaningful for students. Make sure to include the school and local community in the process.

Community Environmental impacts of developmentSugSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each ses-sion)Materials Needed: people from the community

Invite different speakers to discuss the makeup of the local area in terms of industry and other interests. Divide stu-dents into negative and positive impact research groups. Have each compose a proposal that would either expand or downsize a particular industry based on their groups emphasis (positive or negative). Hold a debate, exchange proposals and do an overall assessment of community im-pacts. Also hold field trips to visit local sites that are being discussed such as a construction site, a factory or a farm. Look for environmentally impactful conditions like storm water runoff. Trace those impacts to local ecosystems like that of a river. Don’t be afraid to get students out their ex-ploring and asking questions. Where do the sewers actu-ally lead to? Where does this runoff actually go to? What is that black smoke coming out of a stack actually made out of? What makes it black and does that mean its necessar-ily a bad thing? Compose a stream of questions that will spark student’s interest.


A Dog’s eye viewSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: paper and pencil

Have students compose a story, poem, narrative or histori-cal account from the perspective of a dog in the local com-munity. Ask students to consider not only what the dog would see or act, but what does the dog hear, smell or feel? Get the students outside on all the knees and hands and consider the different lines of sight that is evident when standing as opposed to being on all fours. What are the dif-ferences in perception? How does this impact how a dog behaves? Read the stories aloud, go outside and inves-tigate what actual dogs are doing. Where do they like to go and what constraints do pet-owners seem to put on dogs?

More than toys – the world of mass production – eco-im-pactsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: internet access

Organize a study of where toys come from. Have each student choose a particular toy or product and compose design teams to investigate where the toys are made and what they are made of. Break the toys down to component parts like plastics, metals and synthetic materials. Investi-gate what ecological impacts these toys have during their production. Also include the social implications of the toy industry in the investigation. Have the students develop a brief portfolio that explains their toy and submit the find-ings to the manufacturer. Document all correspondence between student and toy-maker.

Exploring for ecological impactsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: internet access

Conduct an experiment that has students looking for a source of ecological impact in their own homes. Identify the source (ie. Laundry detergent via surfactants, bug spray via DDT, garbage via leachate etc.) and have students re-search the cause in depth. If they identify a product that is ecologically unfriendly, where is the product produced? What kind of impact does it have on the local, regional or global ecosystem. How does it impact wildlife and what can be done to in terms of alternatives? Students should take pictures, ask their parents questions and act as a citi-zen scientist and journalist all in one. Have the accounts documented and also have students produce a map that delineates the impacts visually.

Observing a construction siteSuggested Time: One dayMaterials Needed: time

Organize a site visit with a foreman at a construction site near the school and take students to observe the site in terms of ecological impacts (of course considering safety as a priority). What kinds of affects can be seen visually upon arrival (ie. Habitat eradication, runoff problems, mate-rial choices) and what kinds of impacts are not readily vis-ible. Have the students compose an assessment of the site and then submit this to the construction company. Make sure to present all correspondence to the class so they feel involved in the process. Organize student debates about the site and invite construction workers to be present at these discussions.


Exploring Environmental impact statementsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: EIS examples, internet access

Present you class with the concept of an environmental impact statement. Sift through an actual EIS and present these selections to the class. What is the purpose of the EIS, what is it measuring and what are the standards relied upon. How does it vary from state to state and what kinds of measure of success can the EIS accomplish. Have stu-dents compose their own EIS document based around a local development proposal. Present these findings to the local city/town council. Organize for an EPA member or lo-cal environmental department official to share their experi-ences with EIS documents.

Explore the qualities and properties of a common chemical contaminant – map its sources and regional affectivitySuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: Chemical reading resources

Assign each student a different environment contaminant. Map out its chemical composition visually using different tactile materials. Also have each student investigate more about each contaminant, its affectivity on wildlife, humans and the local bioregion. Explore urban. Suburban and rural environments for evidence of these effects. What are these indicators, how do they effect the ecosystem acutely and chronically? Present the findings in a mini Eco-Fair setting. Invite local environmental groups to be apart of the fair and spread the word throughout the community.

Watershed education through roboticsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: Maps, water quality testing equipment and supplies

Using a basic mapping tutorial, spend several class ses-sions mapping out the local watershed. What are its sourc-es and what determines its health? Then organize a series of field trips that use the Feral Robotic dog Robots to in-vestigate the health of a local water body. Equip the robots with sensors that can detect certain pollutants that may be common in your locality like PCBs, coliform, gasoline or high concentrations of nitrogen or phosphorous from nearby farming operations. Conduct several field studies, document data and make conclusions about the overall health of the watershed. Have students also find solutions to helping the watershed and ask them what the commu-nity can do as a whole to evaluate, monitor and be more ecologically aware of their water source.

Scientific inquiry – anyone can be a scientist, exploring ways howSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: suggested reading, internet access

Explore the value of being a scientist, what does it mean and what is investigated? Have each student act as a scien-tist for the day and conduct field studies in and around the school. Leave nothing uncovered, investigate the gym, the bathrooms, the classroom and ask each student to evalu-ate each situation from the perspective of scientist. How does this differ from a lay person and ask each student to think about how the two perspectives are intertwined or can be expanded upon to achieve a better understanding of an issue or topic of interest.


building robotic animalsSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: found materials, scrap electronics and equipment

Organize an art project that has students make different 3D designs of robotic animals using found materials. Take stu-dents around the local community and look for discarded materials, teach them about re-use, waste and recycling. What is the value in waste reduction and have student compose a narrative about the eco-benefits in conjunc-tion with the art project. Display the sculptures around the school.

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D middle school

Feral Robotic Dogs for Eco-Justice

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>> environmental justice>> IntroductionAGE GROUP - Ages 13-18

This is where the Feral Robotic Dogs take on a more ac-tion-oriented role in the curricula. In this section use the idea of mapping and environmental impacts to stimulate social action in the community and the school. The Feral Robotic Dogs can be used in a number of ways but most notably can be used by students to understand just how local and acute the built environment can be on the world of the natural. Through a hands-on inclusion of the Robotic Dogs students can better understand the connectivity of lifestyle choices, developmental pressures and the alterna-tives that exist to these negative impacts.


>> Bioregional ConsiderationsBefore starting this section of the curricula, document sources that have historically and presently present a threat to the local bioregion the school is within. Target specific industries or issues that you think will affect the local com-munity and can easily involve the student body to initiate positive changes in the here and now.

>> environmental justice >> activities & projectscommuning with animals

basic electronics Suggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: basic electrical supplies, soldering irons, wires, connectors etc.

Using the robotic dog as a model, conduct a series of les-sons on basic electronics. Gather kits, basic equiptment and set up a working lab in your classroom. Have students take apart the dogs, analyze the innards, electronic com-ponents and then ask them to put the dog back together. Include basic lessons that relate to physics and electrical engineering.

Art as RemediationSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: found materials, twigs, grasses and other organic elements, recyclables

Have students design a sculpture that would help reme-diate an environmentally contaminated site. First identify the contaminant that is contributing most to the contami-nation, then identify what would aid in fixing the problem. Construct models and renditions of sculptures that could aid in remediation or encourage public policy to contribute to helping the site. If possible create an actual prototype and propose a site installation. Have students involved in the process every step of the way.

What is ecojustice?Suggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: applicable reading resource

Introduce the idea of ecological justice. What does this term mean and how is it inclusive of many civil rights issues that have historically taken a role in forming U.S. policy and op-eration. What makes ecojustice different from more anthro-pocentric justice movements? Have students investigate past and present case studies of ecojustice issues that are near the school. Interpret the issues and investigate the current condition of the problem. Conduct an interactive modeling or reenactment of a case study in class and pres-ent it to the school body.

Linking up with local enviro-organizationsSuggested Time: One SemesterMaterials Needed: time

Organize student internships with local organizations that are working for social or environmental issues. Have stu-dents draft a project for the non-profit or organization to launch that will impact the school community and provide real opportunities for the community to be involved in that can produce measurable and noticeable results. Try to include the Robotic Dogs as an inclusion to kick off the campaign. Also ask students to conduct an assessment of the organization in terms of affectivity, outreach, current and past campaigns and propose improvements and rec-ommendations. Lastly, have each student devise a way to keep the connection with the organization a lasting pres-ence in the school community, among different grade lev-els and throughout different subject areas. If students have trouble finding these connections, provide examples and ask them to interview peers on what they would want to be involved in.


What does the EPA actually do?Suggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: internet access, EPA documents

Explore the inner-workings of the Environmental Protection Agency. Analyze the EPA website, its content and compare that with current news stories that relate to EPA activity. Posit the question to your students: is the EPA effective? And does it do a good job of protecting the environment? If not, ask students to recommend improvements in that relate to a specific department in the EPA in the form of a proposal. Conduct research and gather evidence for this stance and present it in a visual form to the class. Invite EPA representatives to come visit and talk to students.

socio-geographical history Suggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: applicable narratives, historical ac-counts, maps

Introduce the idea of environmental justice in the context of socio-political geography. What percentage of minorities compared to non-minorities have to deal with being near an environmentally degraded site? Research literature on the issue and have students form different research teams to address issues related to water contamination, the con-struction of landfills, the construction of highly toxic indus-trial sites and what populations reside near these sites. Create maps, engage in discussions and have students form their own opinions on the issue.

BrownfieldsSuggested Time: Half a Semester LongMaterials Needed: found materials, time

Have students investigate what the term “brownfield” means. Create a map that highlights local and regional brownfields and divide students into design teams to cre-ate maps that delineate what effects the brownfield has had on local ecology and has the potential to impact global ecology. Turn the mapping into a large-scale art project that creates 3D maps of the brownfields and conduct field trips to actual sites to a get a visual depiction of the inves-tigated sites.

Critter-Cam projectSuggested Time: Half a Semester LongMaterials Needed: TV, video camera

Write a proposal to get funding for a camera that can be attached to a pet or animal in the locality. With student as-sistance create a project that will document the visual and audio data of the animal chosen, from his/her perspective. Have students write predictions about what the animal will see or hear. Conduct experiments with the critter cam and analyze the results. View the footage in class and ask questions about behavior and environmental stimuli.

>> activities & projects >> activities & projectscommuning with animals

Using feral robotic dogs for ecological restoration-Suggested Time: One DayMaterials Needed: robotic dogs

(SEE LAUNCH INSTRUCTIONS)Search for a site of ecological degradation and propose a way to use Feral Robotic Dogs to help restore the area. Equip the robotic dogs with sensors that will map out the areas that have been severely impacted, identify the source of contamination and investigate ways of restoring the lo-cal ecology through means of remediation (ie. Build a con-structed wetlands ecosystem near a site that has sewage leaking).

The efficacy of corporate social responsibilitySuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: Internet and computer access

Investigate what Corporate Social Responsibility means. Assign each student a corporation that has a CSR state-ment in their prospectus or on their website. Deconstruct what the company claims and investigate how they are achieving their goals. Is the CSR making any kind of sub-stantial impact in the local community, if not how can it be improved. Have students write letters to company of-ficials requesting information and data about the CSR statements. Submit proposals for improvement and get students involved in their mission statements.

Opensource technology and privatizationSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: found materials, twigs, grasses and other organic elements, recyclables

Investigate the issue of open source, copyrights and pat-ents. What does each term mean and how do they have an impact ecologically and socially. Introduce the economic proposals of NAFTA and FTAA. (North American Free Trade agreement and the Free Trade Area of the Americas) Orga-nize student debates regarding their affectivity, positive and negative impacts. Connect the dots between privatization of natural resources and free trade. What does this mean and what are some alternative economic policies that are already in place around the globe. Relate this to the local community and have students investigate particular pat-ents on medicines and intellectual rights.

The SuperfundSuggested Time: One – Two weeks (1 hour each session)Materials Needed: internet access, EPA documents

Design an activity that will explore what a superfund site is. Weave in case studies, current legislation, types of classi-fication and have students map out the nearest superfund sites to the school. Also include a lesson on radioactivity, toxins, their sources and what those terms mean. Invite experts on superfund sites to come into class and share their experiences. If possible organize a site visit or view a documentary about a current superfund site in the United States. Explore alternative site remediation techniques and incorporate basic engineering principles that will enable students to understand the complexity of cleaning up a site.

>> activities & projectsenvironmental justice

Botany for RemediationSuggested Time: Semester LongMaterials Needed: aquarium, rocks, soil, duckweed, bul-rushes, cattails, common wetland plants and organisms

Conduct a lesson relating to botany and plant life. Have students conduct research on plants that are known for the remediative qualities, meaning they are able to extract dan-gerous or hazardous pollutants through basic biological and chemical processes inherent in their genetic makeup.

Example: The Living Machine – A Constructed Wetlands in the ClassroomUsing common wetland plants such as cattails, bulrush-es and duckweed, construct a model wetlands in a large aquarium or on the school property. Creating a control and experimental tank have students expose one tank to com-mon pollutants like surfactants and heavy metals. Conduct water quality sampling and make observations about rates of remediation. Have students write proposal that would in-clude a constructed wetland to remediate a site with water quality problems.

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D appendix

>> worksheet>> Site DescriptionLOCATION:

TIME:

>> Predictions

YOUR JOB:

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

WEATHER:

>> ResultsWHAT HAPPENED DURING THE LAUNCH? WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GEESE ARE SAYING?

d HOW MANY GEESE ARE THERE?

>> worksheet >> past launch sites

WHERE: Dublin, Ireland.

RELEVANT PRESS:

Biosensing http://www.irishscientist.ie/DCURO122.htmResearch Director: Prof. Richard OKennedy;Assay Development: Dr Bernadette Manning;Analytical Services: Dr John Quinn;[email protected] The utility of antibodies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications depends primarily on their affinity, kinetic and stability properties. We employ Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) and state-of-the-art biosensing technology to select these molecules, define their characteristics and develop novel diagnostic assays. Our cur-rent areas of interest are food and environmental contaminants and development of novel assays for illegal drugs. This research has wide applications, at present, considering the media coverage given to outbreaks of E. coli 0157 and Listeria, overuse of pesticides and antibiotic residues, and the wide availability of illegal drugs in Irish society.Dublin homes and businesses recycling 20% of their waste.

WHERE: Mission Bay Landfill, San Diego, CA.

SITE REPORT:An unregulated dumping ground for 50+ years. A repository for military-industrial byproducts from the thriving San Diego Military industry. Dogs were developed by the UCSD Vis147W class to sniff for Volatile Organic Com-pounds, and released on March 5th, 2005. Councilwoman Donna Frye, Fox News, various students from UCSD, and the San Diego Electric Flyers club were all present on the site for the release

WEBLINKS:http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/facility.tcl?tri_id=77541THDWCBUILD

RESEARCHERS: Tristan Shone, the entire Vis 147 Class, Robert Twomey.

>> past launch sites

>> past launch sites >> glossary

SUPERFUND: Freeport TX, Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours outside Houston, TX

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND: Freeport TX, Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours outside Houston, TX

BROWNFIELD: Freeport TX, Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours outside Houston, TX

CONTAMINATION: Freeport TX, Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours outside Houston, TX

WHERE: Freeport TX, Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours outside Houston, TX

SITE REPORT:Ranked in the top 10% of the dirtiest industrial facilities in the USA. Home of the Longhorn Project, a project to teach children about the history of Longhorn Cattle, but also a display to locals that the environment is safe. There have been reports of sick (most likely with cancer) longhorns being exchanged for healthy in the middle of the night, on the back pastures of the facility. There are also multiple reports of 3-eyed fish being caught in the near-by ponds. A list of contaminants can be found on the above link (the list is far to long to post here. There are +1000 respiratory, air released contaminants alone). There are most likely too many chemicals to trace. One possible way to over come this is to have preset “danger” levels. Release the pack, and as soon as one dog hits a “danger” level, have all of the dogs switch from general sensing, to only tracing the chemical to hit danger first. This would require a little more programming and most likely multiple site releases, but it is do-able.

WEBLINKS:http://www.scorecard.org/env-releases/facility.tcl?tri_id=77541THDWCBUILD



WHERE: cnr of Corrine Drive and Bennet Road, Orlando, Florida TOXIN: Volatile Organics SENSOR: Figagaro Type RELEASE DATE: Tuesday MARCH 11: The Florida Operation

REPORT DETAILS: Fourteen students gathered at the Florida Film Festival headquarters to adapt a pack of commercially available toy robotic dog -- to upgrade the raison d’etre of their robots. They equipped the toys with a new nose (environ-ment toxin sensor), and a new brain (microprocessor), and have mechanically upgraded (hotroded) the dogs so they can now navigate any outdoor terrain. The new brain changes the dogs behavior : each is now programmed to follow concentration gradients of the material (VOCs*) they are sensing i.e. they appear to be sniffing out a toxic trail.

Wed March 12: The Release Preparations

The students have prepared their robots to perform on a couple of ‘sites of community interest’. Including a new residential development near the center of Orlando: Baldwin Park, and a childrens play ground adjacent to Lake Ivanhoe with pressure treated wood recently closed .

Built atop an old Naval base the dogs will first be released on the future site of the Baldwin Park middle school which is adjacent to the old naval landfill. In the search for inexpensive real estate, many schools in the US have been built on old landfill and hazardous waste disposal sites [Hamden middle school, CT for example, and LA school district]. There is known drycleaning fluid contamination at the Baldwin Park development at or near the old landfill site. The developers have reportedly covered the land fill with a further 2 ft of soil.

The dogs will investigate.

IMAGE AND VIDEO DATABASE: http://xdesign.ucsd.edu/~ids/index.cgi?mode=album&album=./feral%20bronx WEBLINKS: http://www.baldwinparkfl.com/web/


WHERE: East 173rd Street Works/ Former Gas Plant, New York, NY

RESEARCH DATES: Starting January 2003

TOXIN: Volatile Organic Solvents, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

SENSOR: Figagaro Type

SPONSER: WebLab.org

REPORT DETAILS:

Manufacturing Gas Plants were used between the 1800’s and mid 1900’s before the devlopment of natural gas systems, to convert coal and oil into gas for heating, lighting and cooking. Byproducts of this early production process included contaminants such as tar and purifer wastes.

Official studies of the site began in early June and the field work was completed in August of 2002. The specific objectives of the study were to determine the nature and the extent of contamination present at the site.

IMAGE AND VIDEO DATABASE: http://xdesign.ucsd.edu/~ids/index.cgi?mode=album&album=./feral%20bronx WEBLINKS: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/der/index.html


>> past launch sites >> education resources>> organizationsPLACE BASED EDUCATION EVALUATION COLLAB. http://www.peecworks.org/

PEEC is a partnership between the organizations and proj-ects described below. By combining efforts, the collabora-tive is able to support program evaluation for each of the individual programs and also to better identify successful program characteristics that span all of these place-based education programs.

THE CENTER FOR PLACE-BASED EDUCATION @ AN-TIOCH NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE http://www.anei.org/pages/89_cpbe.cfm

The Center for Place-based Education (formerly the Center for Environmental Education) promotes community-based education programs. Its projects and programs encourage partnerships between students, teachers, and community members that strengthen and support student achieve-ment, community vitality and a healthy environment. We believe that the places we live can serve as wonderful, meaningful sources for inspiration, education, and life-long learning, and also a springboard for understanding our global community.

ASSOCIATION FOR EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION www.aee.org/

The Association for Experiential Education (AEE) is a non-profit, professional membership association dedicated to experiential education and the students, educators and practitioners who utilize its philosophy. We strive to: Con-nect educators in practical ways so that they have access to the growing body of knowledge that fuels their growth and development, Publish and provide access to relevant research, publications and resources

>> booksLouv, R. (2005). Last child in the woods: Saving our chil-dren from nature-deficit Sobel, D. (1996). Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the heart in nature education. Great Barrington: The Orion Society.Sobel, D. (1996). Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms and Communities. Great Barrington: The Orion Society.George C. Marshall Institute. 1997. Are We Building Envi-ronmental Literacy? George C. Marshall Institute. Wash-ington, DC.Dewey, John. The School and Society & The Child and the Curriculum. 1915, Dover Publications.Earthly Matters - Learning Occurs When You Hear the Grass Singing. Art, Ecology and Art Education - Practices and Linkages.Stephen, Kellert. Nature and Children. Experiencing Na-ture: Affective, Cognitive, and Evaluative Development in Children. 2004. Gablick, Suzi. The Re-enchantment of Art. 1991.Spaid, Sue. Ecovention: Current Art to Transform Ecolo-gies. 1998

WEBLINKS http://www.greenteacher.com/http://www.oriononline.org/index2.htmlhttp://greenmuseum.org/ (click on Art and Ecology Tool-box for Educators)

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Feral Robotic Dogs

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