Bridging the Americas
Letters sent to the partner class in Latin America or the Caribbean may
need to be in Spanish. Teachers are encouraged to work with a volunteer
from the school or community or with a high school Spanish class to translate
letters written by individual students. If no such arrangement is possible,
the SMBC will translate a letter from the class as a whole to send along
with the students' drawings.
What is the
history behind Bridging the Americas?
Bridging the Americas is a new name for
a program that has been in effect since 1993 and has involved over 60 classrooms
representing approximately 1800 students in the following nine locations:
the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama,
the British Virgin Islands, and Ecuador.
The program concept was originally developed in a pilot project conducted
from 1993 to 1995 called the Migrant Exchange Program. The success of this
project spawned Partners in Art, a program initiated by the SMBC and Maryland
Partners in Flight in 1995. In preparation for the 1997-98 school year,
the coordinators of Partners in Art have changed the name of the program
to Bridging the Americas because it more vividly conveys the central theme
of the program the interconnections which link the lives of people across
the Americas, as colorfully symbolized by Neotropical migratory birds.
As a teacher,
how can I integrate this program into my current curricula?
This is a flexible program in that teachers are free to adapt it to fit
their particular situation. The only requirements are that you engage your
students in learning about migratory birds and that you complete one exchange
with your partner class.
In addition to raising awareness of migratory birds and the need to protect
their habitats, this program offers a fresh approach to teaching geography,
social studies, science, art, writing skills, and a foreign language. The
birds provide a theme around which you can explore a number of related topics.
Teachers are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to have their
students learn about their partner's country and its culture, as well as
to discuss the importance of preserving a healthy environment for all.
How do I sign
up?
If you are an elementary school teacher in Maryland, Latin America, or the
Caribbean, participation in Bridging the Americas is available free of charge.
The only "fee" is your commitment to exploring the world of migratory
birds with your students and completing one exchange with your partner class.
If you are interested in participating, please complete the following application
form and send it by mail or email to: Mary Deinlein, Smithsonian Migratory
Bird Center, National Zoo, Washington, DC 20008. For more information, contact
Mary Deinlein (SMBC) at 202-673- 4908; fax: 202-673-4916.
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You may send the following information in an email message to Mary Deinlein.
I am interested in participating in Bridging the Americas.
Name:____________________________________________________________________
Name of school and address:__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Grade level:___________ Approx. number of students:___________
School phone #: (____)_________________________ School fax #:___________________
Home address and phone number (optional):______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Briefly explain why you are interested in participating and what you would
hope to gain.