This year, Mrs. Bulver piloted a Nature-Based
Kindergarten program at WestWood. The
Nature-Based Kindergarten brings Environmental Education into the school day to
provide meaningful outdoor experiences.
One of the components
of the program is the Kindergarten Outdoor Learning Space. This space will allow students to explore the
environment, play, create and learn in nature.
This fits with our district mission of E-STEM and sets students up to
begin their career embracing all that nature has to offer in a respectful
way.
Why a Nature-Based
Kindergarten?
Research indicates that children (especially those under age
7) learn best from hands-on direct experience.
The outdoor classroom space will provide us with a space for students to
explore nature while developing creativity, imagination, cooperation, and
independence.
This program is also building on to the Nature-Based
Preschool program that is in Year 2 at Edgewood.
How will it be
different than a traditional Kindergarten classroom?
Children will spend time outdoors exploring nature daily,
unless the weather is dangerous. Instead
of having free-play time indoors, the Nature-Based Kindergarten classroom will
play outside in the Outdoor Learning Space.
Much of the Science content will be taught using the Outdoor Learning
Space and the WW grounds to explore.
Will all WestWood Kindergarten
students be given opportunities to use the Outdoor Learning Space?
Yes, the goal of the grant is for it to impact as many
students as possible. All WestWood
Kindergarten students will have opportunities to explore in the Outdoor
Learning Space and all curricular ideas will be shared across the grade-level.
Is there a different
curriculum that will be used?
No, the Nature-Based Kindergarten classroom will use the
same reading curriculum, but will integrate topics the students discover and show interest in throughout the day. The learning and discovery that students do
outside will be integrated into literacy.
For math students will follow the district math curriculum, but will
extend our learning into the nature classroom to count, sort natural objects,
study shapes, and create patterns.
"If a child is to keep
his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult
who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of
the world we live in."
- Rachel Carson
