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Home Blog CHIKAMING OPEN LANDS STARTS SECOND YEAR OF MIGHTY ACORNS PROGRAM

CHIKAMING OPEN LANDS STARTS SECOND YEAR OF MIGHTY ACORNS PROGRAM

Posted on October 17, 2017

Chikaming Open Lands is excited to start the second year of the Mighty Acorns program. Last year COL started the environmental education program with River Valley Elementary School and was a huge success. This year COL has brought on an additional school, New Buffalo Elementary.

Mighty Acorns is an environmental education program that connects 3rd-5th grade students to multiple, meaningful and sustained interactions with their local ecosystems. During the fall, winter and spring of each year, students take a field trip to a local natural area and engage in a Field Study Activity to explore the habitat, learn about the ecosystem and participate in environmental restoration work. Before and after each trip, students complete a pre field study activity and post field study activity. These activities guide students to explore components of local ecosystems, issues that threaten the balance and biodiversity of local habitats, and actions we can take to care for nature.

“The great part of the program that it is no additional work for the teachers and that we cover all costs from classroom curriculum materials, to busing and the field study equipment.” Says Ryan Postema “The kids really enjoy being outside you can see it in how hard they work during the stewardship part of the field study.”

The Fall Field Study dates have been set and next week is the start for River Valley 4th and 5th grade at Robinson Woods Preserve on Wednesday, October 18. New Buffalo Elementary will start their fall field study trips in the first week of November at Turtle Creek Preserve which is conveniently located a few steps away from the elementary school.

If you want to learn more about the Mighty Acorns program contact Casey Struecker the Education and Outreach Coordinator for Chikaming Open Lands at (269) 405-1006 or at cstruecker@chikamingopenlands.org.