Karen N. Mason Buckland
2008
UGRO Project
Nicaragua
Goal
Devise And Complete A Project That
Incorporates GIS Technology, Geology,
And The Nicaraguan Community.
Proposed Idea
Develop and copyright a bilingual student textbook that
provides a comprehensive explanation of Nicaraguan
geology.
Have numerous color copies of the textbook published,
including individual paper workbooks.
Distribute the textbooks and workbooks to the
Nicaraguan public schools.
Make it available for mission groups to distribute also.
Textbook Content
Classifications, descriptions and photographs of
indigenous Nicaraguan rocks and formations.
Explanation of the tectonic activity in Nicaragua
and drawings of the tectonic plate.
Describe the geological formation history of
Nicaragua
Earthquake, Volcano and Tsunami Information
and pictures.
Textbook Content, Cont.
Maps of Nicaragua
GIS and GPS information and pictures of
equipment
Local Rock Sample Identification Card
Subduction Data and Fault Pictures
Safety tips for geological emergency situations
Workbook Content
Crossword Puzzle
Word Search
Conceptual Questions
Rock Identification
Practice
Blank Maps
Basic Geology
Information
Mohs Hardness Scale
Project Ideas
Volcano diagrams
Safety Review
Education Statistics
Only approximately 67%
of population is literate.
The average completed
grade level is 5.
Most Nicaraguan
children do not attend
school past Age 12.
The schools are underfunded
There are almost 57,000
students in the country.
Nicaragua has one of the
lowest literacy rates in
Central America.
The Nicaraguan
government is
implementing a four part
education reform.
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Resources
Local Libraries
Internet, including Nicaragua
government sites and
USGS.gov
Bilingual friends and
translating tools.
All the Professors involved in
Ugro
Information from the previous
trips to Nicaragua.
Local churches that have
done mission work in
Nicaragua.
CHESS, a US based
group focused on
Nicaraguan educational
needs.
Personal visit to
Nicaragua.
Project Timeline-2008
February-Trip to
Nicaragua, collect rocks
March- Complete
workbook, find publisher
April-Complete text and
photo layout for textbook
May-Complete
translation of text
June-Submit for a
Copyright
July-Promote book
August-Submit for
publication
Sept/Oct.-Present to
National Geological
Conference.
Anticipated Outcome
Successfully create a textbook that will:
I.
Be distributed to the schools throughout
Nicaragua (especially those in need of books)
II. Teach the students in Nicaragua about the
geology of their country
III. Create and interest in science and teach
safety to the children of the country.