ITINERARY
A Summer Institute for Teachers: Connections: Tropical & Temperate America;
A cultural and ecological perspective of the Mexican caribbean.
Institute Benefits and Goals:
This unique nine day institute for teachers will provide the opportunity to study, travel, and explore, while developing curriculum that incorporates their experiences in the Mexican Caribbean in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Goals for this institute include:
- Introduce teachers, particularly of
middle and high school level, to tropical ecology by giving
them an opportunity to explore tropical ecosystems firsthand
with experienced naturalists and scientists.
- Introduce teachers to reef ecology, identifying coral
reef fishes, corals, sea creatures, and major goals and
challenges of the reefs.
- Explore selected major Mayan archeological sites.
- Network with teachers, scientists, and local ecologists
involved in conservation biology projects.
- Learn how to develop "your own" ecotourism travel program
to the Riviera Maya region of the Yucatan!.
The Week's Highlights Include:
- Kayak in the sea lanes used by ancient Mayan traders,
inside the barrier reef.
- Snorkel the area's reefs and blue lagoons as well
as with migratory whale sharks (plankton feeders) at
a site offshore.
- Bicycle in the coastal dunes of Sian Ka’an.
- Walk the ruins and climb the temples of Tulum, Coba and other Maya sites that reveal the engineering genius
and the worldview of the ancient Maya cities that ruled
southeast Mexico and Central America.
- Learn about tropical ecology.
- Vsit the protected areas of Sian Ka’an, Yum
Balam
Day-to-Day Program:
Day 1
Pick up in the airport and transfer to Amar Inn Hotel
in Puerto Morelos.
Explanation of activities, security measurements and important
information. Depending on time of arrival snorkeling,
visiting the botanical garden to see wild spider monkeys,
etc.
Dinner in the hotel. |
 |
Day 2
Breakfast in the hotel.
Lecture on the reef.
Reef snorkeling learning about corals, fishes, etc.
Lunch in the hotel.
Lecture on the jungle.
Hike in the botanical garden learning about the jungle,
medicinal plants of the Maya, spider monkeys, etc.
Relax and enjoy the beach.
Dinner in the hotel. |
 |
Day 3
Breakfast in the hotel.
Depart towards Tulum.
Arrival and visit Tulum archeological site. Lecture on Tulum archeological site.
Lecture on the underground rivers. Snorkel in
the fantastic Yaxcmul cenote.
Enter Siankaan reserve.
Lunch in the Siankaan visitor center.
Lecture on the wetlands.
Afternoon kayaking until dark..
Dinner in the Siankaan visitor center. |
 |
| |
|
 |
Day 4
Optional early birdwatching kayaking trip.
Breakfast in the Siankaan visitor center.
Beach clean up. Explanation on beach pollution, plastics,
etc
Lecture on sustainability. Explanation on solar panels,
artificial wetlands, compost garbage, ecotourism concept.
Lunch in the visitor center.
Bicycle trip through the coastal dune.
Enjoy the Siankaan visitor center museum.
Dinner in the Siankaan visitor center.
Lecture on marine turtles.
Night hike in the beach in search of marine turtles. Participate
in the research project |
 |
Day 5
Breakfast in the Siankaan visitor center
Lecture on Biodiversity quadrats.
Depart to Coba to conduct a Biodiversity quadrat..
Do the biodiversity quadrat in Coba.
Lunch in Zacnicte.
Enter again Coba to learn about the archeological
site. Hike all the way to Nohoch mul pyramid.
Follow to Valladolid and check in Maria de la Luz hotel.
Dinner in the colonial town.
Lecture on the whale sharks and on the research project
of whale sharks. |
Day 6
Departure to Chiquila to enjoy a 1 day trip to see and
learn on the whale sharks.
Arrival to Chiquila and depart in the boat to see and snorkel with the whale sharks. Breakfast will be a box
lunch on the boat.
Lunch in Holbox island.
Back to Chiquila.
Depart towards Valladolid.
Lecture on colonial cities, then visit museum.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 7
Breakfast in the hotel.
Depart to El Naranjal to enjoy a second day running a
biodiversity quadrat. Also learn on the archeological site. Box lunch on the site.
Depart to Puerto Morelos.
Arrival and check in Amar Inn and relax on the beach.
Optional adopt a palm exercise ( students think about
the week activities and learning and write their thoughts,
what will they do, what is their commitment to nature,
wildlife, local populations ).
Dinner in the hotel. |
 |
Day 8
Transfer to the airport depending on flights back.
Trip Includes:
-Transport by 12 passenger van and/or suburban for the
duration of the trip
- 7 nights lodging, all meals
- Kayaks
- Snorkeling gear
- Admission fees to Maya sites
- Maps and clothing/gear lists
- Expert guides in tropical ecology and Maya history
Price: 1,450 usd
Institute Hosts and Facilitators:
The Secretary of Tourism of Quintana Roo is a co founder of the program, for the purpose of introducing scholars and scientists to the biodiversity of the state, and bring activity into marginalized local communities such as the rainforest cooperative of southern Quintana Roo
Dan Bisaccio, a high school science teacher, who is also an adjunct researcher at the Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring & Assessment of International Biodiversity Program will facilitate the week long institute. Dan has been taking high school teachers and students to the tropics for over twenty years and has developed several tropical & temperate ecology curriculum projects for teachers. He is a past Presidential Awardee in Science Education, Environmental Teacher of the Year, Entomology Teacher of the Year, Access Excellence Fellow, and Brandwein Ecology Fellow.
EcoColors staff which is formed by Biologists
trained and with experience in the area.
To Register and Get There.
To reserve your space in the Riviera Maya Trust's Teacher
Institute confirm your interest as soon as possible to
the Institute Organizer, Dan Bisaccio,
aedbisacci@aol.com or habitatnet@sprise.com
Phone. 603/242-3243. Follow with a deposit of $ 450 usd . Balance of Institute Fee should be paid one month before the trip.
Late registrations will be accepted on a space available
basis until June 30, with a $25 late fee. Your deposit
is fully refundable, less a $25 administrative fee, until
June 1. Participant canellations after June 1 will be
subject to a 50% penalty and to any other nonrecoverable
supplier and host institution charges. If for any reason
the workshop were to be cancelled by the sponsors, all
participant payments would be refunded.
Air to Mexico: Check
for Special airfares to Cancun. Check with Donna Rudolph
for best schedules from your city of origin. For the lowest
fares, shop early. July is a popular vacation travel month
and cheaper seats go quickly. Current discounted east
coast Continental fares Newark & Boston to Cancun
are including taxes. Your air ticket may be charged
to a major credit card shop soon!
For Travel to Mexico you need proof of U.S. citizenship, which is a valid passport or a valid copy of your birth certificate backed by a current official photo I.D., such as a driver's license, and a Mexican tourist visa. The visa is free and is handed out aboard flights to Mexico.
|
