I grew up in a small, rural town with one large building containing grades PK-12 and naturally, around the school was a pond and a river that made its way through the Rosholt School District's Nature Preserve. When the weather was nice, (and sometimes when it wasn't) we visited the preserve for science class every couple of weeks in just about all grades. The whole class was excited when we learned that we were heading out into the woods, so I have been wondering what schools do if they don't have access to a nature preserve within walking distance of the school.
Upon doing a little research and talking to a few teachers at my cooperating school (Smith Elementary Oshkosh, WI) I have found there is not much a teacher can do. Not every school has the opportunity my school had to purchase lands right next to the school for a nature preserve. At Smith Elementary, the school takes it's students on one field trip for science a year. The teachers try to pack as much science into one day as possible and it sounds like the teachers think the students get a little overwhelmed. The other option the teachers have is to bring nature to the classroom. In the 2nd grade classroom I'm in, the students have been studying the life cycle of a butterfly and just today we released 4 butterflies into the classroom so we can study them for 2 days. Basically what I have learned is teachers will do infinite amounts of research to find inexpensive ways to bring nature into the classroom.
My internet research brought few results. There is no information on the web that revolves around nature preserves for schools that do not have access to one. What I did find was many links to field trips all over the nation and also links to classroom activities that bring the natural world into the classroom. This was interesting and there were some relevant activities. One of the websites was http://geology.com/teacher/ which has many interesting geology activities.
Luke-
ReplyDeleteThis is a nice first post. If you are interested, it may be cool to visit a few of the nature centers in the Fox Valley. Menasha and Kaukauna both have very nice nature centers that are not connected to the school district. If you head back to Rosholt, you could also check out some of the UWSP nature centers.
It might also be interesting to explore some of the activities and experiences that kids can have at nature centers or environmental science type field trips.
Also, as you write these posts, please keep including links (like the geology link) so that we can share resources-
Luke...
ReplyDeleteI think this is an intriguing topic and will definitely be checking in to see what topics you continue to post here. When I was in high school, we did not have a nature center near us. Appleton West was nestled among a residential area and we had limited land space.
Being a science guy and environmental nut, I found a way to get involved with a nature center during my 4 years in H.S. Gordon Bubolz Nature preserve is where I volunteered at as a student. http://www.bubolzpreserve.org/
Possibly if schools themselves cannot facilitate a nature preserve, us future science teacher may want to consider networking with some in the area and offer extracurricular learning experiences for those passionate about our field of study!
Hi Luke,
ReplyDeleteIf you're from the Rosholt area you've no doubt heard about the Schmeeckle Reserve, located adjacent to the UW Stevens Point campus (I'm a UWSP grad). This is an outstanding asset to the area. The reserve covers 275 acres, and has numerous nature trails, including self-guided nature walks. Incredible wildlife and flora. In the dead of winter you can walk through the reserve and honestly feel like your in the middle of nowhere.
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/schmeeckle/
Down here in Sheboygan County, we have the Maywood Environmental Center. This is another excellent example of what communities can do when enough people get together and have a shared vision.
http://www.gomaywood.org/
I think you're right on track when you express how important it is for science classes to visit locations such as Schmeeckle and Maywood. Not every community is lucky enough to have access to a reserve. One thought...is it possible to work with private land owners (farmers???) to secure access to wetlands, wooded areas, etc?
Luke,
ReplyDeleteI really like your topic. I was fortunate enough to also go to a high school that had a great nature preserve right outside. Our school wasn't located in a rural community (I'm from Appleton), but we had an awesome science teacher who was able to get grant money to build a preserve on the land outside of the school.
Our science teacher also had us complete a year long project that might be helpful if you are unable to get a bunch of grant money. This activity we had to do independently, but as high schoolers it wasn't too hard. We had to go on our own, to a park, a forest, a hiking trail etc, and pick a natural area to observe for the whole school year. We had to draw a map, make a sketch, observe changes, and take pictures each time we visited our spot (we had to go a minimum of 6 times). At the end of the year we compiled it into a journal. This was a fun way to incorporate nature in our class and see its changes throughout a year.
This same idea could work in elementary or middle school, but you could have them do a spot in their backyard or something of easier access.
Niki