Meet the Ninth Grader Who’s Helping Restore Mississippi’s Oyster Reefs
Ask students: When does the oyster season begin and end in Mississippi's Gulf waters? What benefits do oysters bring to the environment?
In the past two decades, the oyster population in Mississippi’s Gulf waters has been devastated by both natural and manmade disasters. Among those working to restore oyster habitats is ninth-grader Demi Johnson, who was recently recognized by the National Geographic Society for growing more than 1,000 oysters, which are likely to spawn millions more.
View the transcript of the story.
Discussion Questions
- Where does Demi grow her oysters?
- When does the oyster season begin and end in Mississippi's Gulf waters?
- What benefits do oysters bring to the environment?
- How does Demi raise the oysters?
- Why are oyster reefs important?
Focus Questions
How can students and local community members get involved in environmental restoration movements?
Media literacy: Are there any proposed laws or local organizations in your city or state that focus on environmental restoration projects like Demi's oyster gardening project? How could you go about looking for this information?
Extension Activity
Learn more about the importance of oysters and recycled materials to protect the environment. In this video, oyster shells are used to preserve Louisana's eroding shoreline and to protect tribal lands.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of NewsHour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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