(Moline, IL) Just in time for Halloween..... John Deere Middle School has created a "Zombie Survival Club". Zombie Survival Club is made available through a partnership between Lights ON for Learning 21st Century Community Learning Centers and the Moline Public Library.
The program was created by Jan Laroche, the teen services librarian who has an interest in Zombie movies and recognized the trends in teen literature about zombies. She says the club will focus on STEM lessons (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in a fun setting. "Zombie Survival Club is intended to be a lighthearted, activity based program that develops educational skills through a fun after school curriculum."
Some of the lessons being taught to zombie so they can survive include :
· Come up with list of essential needs for zombie survival-- water, food, first aid, tools, safe locations, transportation, power/electricity. Create list for an emergency kit.
· Discuss types of zombies and spread of infection.
· Discuss safe drinking water and food supplies. Include how much water is needed, how to find it, and how to make it.
· Use CDC guidelines to figure out how much water would be needed for a short-term stay.
· Use math skills to figure out different sizes of bottles and groups of people.
· Use survival books to discuss how to find safe water in different locations, and discuss purification methods.
· Discuss food supplies. Include what food to keep on hand in your kit, where to find additional food in both urban and rural settings, and how to grow food.
· Use calorie guidelines and nutrition information to figure out how long a supply would last. Discuss where food stores might be found and use survival books to identify edible wild plants. Plan a garden for future food supplies. (If necessary, discuss hunting and trapping skills.)
· Discuss safe locations. Include being prepared to fortify for the short term, ideal locations for immediate retreat, and long-term plans for relocation. Also include discussion about transportation.
· Discuss power/electricity issues. Include ways to survive without electricity and ways to generate power.
· Have students research how long electricity would continue after an apocalypse. Make a potato battery and look at plans for a bicycle generator.
· Discuss power/electricity issues. Include ways to survive without electricity and ways to generate power.
· Discuss long-term survival plans. Include ways to communicate with other survivors, finding information, and the pros and cons of joining with others.
The John Deere Zombie Survival Club meets every two weeks for one hour (4:15-5:15).
***The media is invited to participate in this week's club meeting to interview students and teachers****
Who: John Deere Middle "Lights ON" Students
What: Zombie Survival Skills class
When: Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Where: John Deere Middle School Moline
Why: It's ghouly fun...and the students learn science, technology, engineering and math skills