Helenmarie Hofman, Education Department, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA

In the training of preservice teachers and the staff development of inservice teachers, the use of wolf ecology has proven beneficial. The approach used in education methods classes is to focus on the value of learning about Canis lupus and its behavior, place in the ecosystem, importance of non extinction, and myths. These concepts are shown to be ones that fit into the elementary science, math, social studies and language arts curricula. The use of materials about the wolf from the internet, library resources, and the artifacts case from the International Wolf center provide the basic information for the interdisciplinary unit, The Wolf.

Students in Education 270, Elementary School Science: Purposes, Methods, and Media, learn the science of wolf anatomy, radio tracking, pack dynamics, life cycle, and other major components necessary to wolf survival. Students simultaneously use activities and lessons that convey this importance for children in intermediate grades. The unit is ideal for relating the geography of the wolf and its role for native peoples to appropriate social studies' concepts. The tracking activities and other home range lessons are easily integrated into mathematics. The biological concepts studied are obviously connected to the science curriculum. The language arts is approached with Newbery award winning books such as those written by Jean Craighead George, for example her Julie of the Wolves. The wolf becomes the vehicle for the integration of the subjects and the theme for an elementary interdisciplinary unit.

The validation for using the wolf in elementary and middle school is seen in the national and state educational standards of science, mathematics, social studies and reading and language arts. The education students match specific standards to unit components and outcomes to show direct connectionsk to the curricula goals and objectives for grades five, six, seven and eight.

An adaptation of the preservice teacher wolf study has been used successfully with inservice teachers. Workshops present wolf awareness and strategies for incorporating the wolf into existing curricula. These sessions are for upper elementary and middle school teachers, who are updating their science background and preparing for the use of national and new state environmental standards by their school districts.