BORN TO BE WILD: New Multimedia Program Inspires Teachers and Students to Stand Up for Tigers

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- As a kickoff to Animal Action Week (October 4-11), educational publisher Weekly Reader has partnered with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to create an innovative, inspiring educational program about protecting the world's endangered tiger population.

The multimedia classroom package, Born to Be Wild: Saving the Majestic Tiger, is designed to teach students in grades 3-9 about animals and the environment, the effects humans have on the natural world, and how people—including children—can work to protect endangered wildlife. The program, galvanized by this year's convergence of the Chinese Year of the Tiger and the United Nation's International Year for Youth, presents a rich store of resources, including a Video and Teaching Guide DVD with a 15-minute live-action film and multiple standards-based lesson plans. Born to Be Wild—offered free to teachers—also includes posters, a mini-magazine, and a unique, exciting website that gathers and displays multimedia messages from students around the world.

"We hope this program will resonate with students and inspire them to take an active role in protecting tigers and other endangered wildlife," said Nancy Barr, who oversees IFAW's global education programs. "We must engage and empower young people if we hope to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing our planet."

"Weekly Reader is thrilled to take part in this important initiative to save one of the world's most magnificent creatures," added Ira Wolfman, Senior Vice President, Editorial. "The digital and print materials we developed with IFAW give teachers terrific tools for bringing to life these crucial messages."

Each year during Animal Action Week, IFAW launches a new international education and outreach campaign that highlights a different animal-welfare and conservation theme.  The campaign engages more than five million school-age children in 15 countries each year.

For more information and access to an interactive digital magazine about tigers and the challenges they face, visit www.ifaw.org/education.

About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)

Founded in 1969, IFAW saves animals in crisis around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats.  www.ifaw.org

About Weekly Reader (www.weeklyreader.com)

Weekly Reader has been creating exciting, curriculum-rich materials for more than 100 years. Its unique digital products (including its new online reading-comprehension program www.wrconnect.com) and its 11 classroom magazines give teachers tools that help them achieve their goals while igniting students' love of learning. Every year, Weekly Reader materials reach more than 200,000 teachers and 6 million students from Pre-K to grade 12. Weekly Reader also includes Weekly Reader Curriculum Publishing and is part of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.

Press Contact:  

Danielle Cyr l Co-Communications for Weekly Reader l 860.676.4400 l [email protected]

SOURCE Weekly Reader