Thinking Local: First School Groups of 2015

Students use clipboards to sketch and jot down their observations during field-based lessons. They use a hand lens to closely examine materials that they find along the way.

Although the temperatures have been lingering around freezing this week, CBFS hosted its first school groups of the year! Over 300 students from Nandua Middle School, Arcadia Middle School, and Shore Christian Academy joined us in beta testing our new curriculum. Students visited the maritime forest, the marsh, intertidal zone, and dunes to learn about barrier island coastal ecology through our newly adapted inquiry-based curriculum based off of the Lawrence Hall of Science’s BEETLES program. Students are encouraged to make observations through sensory activities and spend even more time learning in the field. Teachers and students provided us with helpful feedback which we are now incorporating into lesson planning. We're excited that the season has officially begun and to see so many enthusiastic participants coming from our own community!

Team-based activities allow for student discussion and exploration.

Even though the weather was a bit chilly, there were smiles all around!

Nandua Middle School gathers for a group picture in front of our Education Center.