SWFL teachers to educate students on invasive Burmese pythons

Teachers will be using research from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to educate their students on invasive Burmese pythons.

Dr. Heather Skaza Acosta, the director of environmental education at the conservancy, introduced lesson plans during a presentation on Tuesday for teachers based on the research scientists are doing on pythons.

The lesson plans aim to give an overview of why invasive species harm the environment and how students can help with the problem.

“Our job is to help them translate what can be very complex information into something that’s palatable and meaningful for kids,” Acosta said.

The presentation is part of the annual Summer STEM Institute of Training for teachers.

“It can make it seem like there are solutions, there is hope, there is reason for optimism in this,” Fort Myers teacher Shelly Hassett said.

The South Florida Water Management District has been taking action to protect the Everglades and eliminate the pythons from lands in Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier and Palm Beach counties.

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