PEEC News:

Woodhouse’s Toad has been nominated by some fourth graders to be the Los Alamos County amphibian. This one lives at PEEC.  Photo by Jennifer Macke

The Los Alamos Public Schools elementary librarians and fourth graders, with help from PEEC (Pajarito Environmental Education Center) have been working on a project to research and choose their favorite species for Los Alamos County.

Librarians Beverly Baker, Marilyn Branton, Julie Goen, and Jeffrey Lloyd have guided their fourth grade students in small groups in researching local mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and birds.

Using their research, students have posted information about their creatures and arguments why the it should or should not be the representative for its species for Los Alamos on an educational wiki. 

The wiki can be viewed at http://losalamosspecies.wikispaces.com.

Everyone is invited to enjoy the fascinating research facts posted by the fourth graders, but then all LAPS students are entitled to vote online for their favorite species of each group. 

Voting begins April 9 and closes April 19. 

The winning species will be announced on Earth Day at PEEC, Saturday, April 21. 

A few of those species are resident at PEEC for viewing.

Since this is the year of the New Mexico Centennial, PEEC wanted Los Alamos residents to think about the special animals that have lived here for over 100 years. 

For more information about this project, contact Katie Watson, program director, at PEEC (662-0460 or programs@PajaritoEEC.org).