Taking lessons from the land
CHANNAHON -- Fourth-graders might not have realized they were participating in an important pilot program designed to test the waters of what the Forest Preserve District of Will County hopes will be a new environmental education program for students.
The Channahon kids just knew they were not sitting in desks inside, but instead were outside on a crisp fall day, walking beautiful trails with their friends, going from one fun science station to another.
"It was fun," said Cody Fritsch, a fourth-grader in Sarah Williams' Galloway class. "I got to have fun with my friends. The best part was the trail. We got to look at the spiders and plants. And that lady picked up a granddaddy longlegs."
It was held at the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center -- formerly Moose Island -- in Channahon, surrounded by the waters of rivers and the canal.
"There is a lot of water here," said Jessica Prince of the forest preserve, "which makes this a good place to teach students water-based topics. We are at the epicenter of a large watershed, and there are several different ecosystems at this location, too."
The Channahon school was chosen after its superintendent, Karin Evans, stepped forward to show support for the new forest preserve site and formed a partnership with the forest preserve district.
Channahon fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade teachers had attended a workshop at the education center to give input on the pilot program and to learn how to incorporate plans into their curriculum.
"Now the lessons are coming home," she said, "because they're seeing this in their hometown. And it's all hands-on. They don't have that opportunity as much in the classroom. Here, it gets them looking, seeing and feeling the lessons and just the different perspective of it all. They are not sitting at a desk confined in four walls."
Fourth-graders participated in the pilot program this fall, and sixth- and perhaps also fifth-graders will take part in a more advanced program in the spring.
