 |
|
Title: Perspectives of San Diego Bay: A Field Guide
ISBN: 097627065X
Author:
The Students of High Tech High
Publicate Date: 2006-02-15
Publish: 2006-02-15
List Price: $24.95
Average Customer Rating: 5.0
Format: Paperback
 |
|
|
|
|
Amazon Lowest New Price: $14.95
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $1.21
Amazon Merchant Price: $18.96
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Customer Review: |
|
1: IMPRESSIVE WORK
I found this work very insightful and incredibly informative. I grew up in San Diego and have spent most of my life living on the California coast. I have enjoyed referencing it as a general field guide and the discussions on ecology and conservation are thoughtful and timely. It is refreshing and encouraging to to see a work of this caliber produced by a group of high school students. Clearly they have received exceptional support and guidance from a group of gifted and visionary educators.
|
2: Thumbs up!
Exceptionally well-done field guide to the fauna of San Diego Bay. The ecology, history, and human influences on the bay are insightfully treated from the perspectives of a talented group of high school students. Much of the animal kingdom is represented in this guide with an emphasis on the rich invertebrate fauna inhabiting our local waters. The guide includes species descriptions with beautiful color plates in addition to a surprising array of scientific and literary contributions. This is a refreshing in-depth study of San Diego Bay that has culminated in a user friendly and impressive field guide.
|
3: A Spectacular Accomplishment by a Visionary and Thoughtful Student/Educator Team...
As a life-long San Diego resident, I am incredibly appreciative of the scholarly work undertaken by Dr. Jay Vavra, his fellow educators, and his team of precocious and enthusiastic biotechnology students at High Tech High School in San Diego, California. Such collaboration is unheard of in most traditional secondary schools and the quality of the work is astounding.
Their continued hard work and collaborative efforts have produced what can arguably be described as a PROFESSIONAL QUALITY (in content, analysis, and presentation) field guide of the fauna in the areas encompassing San Diego Bay.
The subtext behind the field guide is visionary and thoughtful. What has been known to San Diego locals for a long time and, what is certainly happening elsewhere is human encroachment on the natural environment. In our particular case, the perpetual attraction of the region's climate and scenery, the rapid expansion of the region's economy and infrastructure and, the associated growth and sprawl, have collectively resulted in incredible pressures on the local environment. Also, taking into consideration that San Diego Bay is home to a substantial portion of the U.S. Navy's assets and supporting industries in the Pacific, this sparkling jewel that many see as San Diego may not be so attractive to the region's native and migratory wildlife. This underlying discussion seeks to help all of us appreciate and realize the diversity of wildlife in the region.
The research and publication of this field guide will, no doubt, open the eyes of many people and enable them to remember that we are only sharing our space on earth. The goals of the field guide are similar to the goals of conservation organizations such as San Diego Coast Keeper, the Nature Conservancy, the Surfrider Foundation, and the San Diego Zoological Society's Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES). Their underlying goals entail the fostering of an understanding and appreciation of our fragile environment and ALL that live within it.
In conclusion, birders, marine enthusiasts, animal lovers, San Diego residents and visitors, environmentalists, students, and educators alike will find this guide using professional-quality imagery, insightful discussions, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based maps, and an ecological perspective a refreshing and remarkable piece of literature from an extraordinary team of students and educators. As a bonus, readers will also be contributing to the continuation of similar problem-based learning programs that will help our future leaders grow and understand our world. It's good for all of us. Highly recommended!
|
4: Great read, even if you don't live in San Diego
I bought a copy of this because I wanted to support High Tech High, and ended up using it the same way I use my Sibley Guides. I keep it in my car and reference it for interesting facts about birds, sea mammals, points of history, etc on my daily drives in the San Diego Bay area. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the quality and depth of research and the professionalism of the presentation. Some of the writing does have the character of high school kids, but that's a big part of the book's charm. If you're a teacher, you're going to be absolutely shocked by what 11th grade students (albeit very advanced ones) can accomplish.
|
|
|
|
|
