Raising Awareness... years it has been know that children who
(continued)
engage in environmental education, espe-
cially outdoors become more excited about
habitat? What do they need?
learning. In addition, and as we hope will
• Reflection: What is our habitat? be borne out as more programs such as this
What are our needs? What temperature one are funded and delivered in Washing-
do we live at, what do we eat, where do ton State, students in schools such as these
we live, etc.? consistently score higher on standardized
• Discussion: Just like we each have
tests. CHB hopes to continue this program
specific needs, these animals also have
into the next school year if funding can be
specific needs. Look at consequences of
secured.
not having a healthy home or healthy
food, etc.
At the time of writing this article, Katrina
Activity 2: Owen Beach walk and
Landau was the Education and Outreach
trash pick up: During this activity, the
Director for Citizens for a Healthy Bay in
children had the opportunity to hike
Tacoma WA
through the woods between Point Defi-
ance Zoo and Owen’s beach. Once they
reached the beach, they were given
instructions on how to do “The Garbage
Will Write for Change
Story exercise” Children then proceeded CommunicationTools and
to walk the beach collecting garbage as
Techniques for Activists
they walked, and writing down what they
October 2-4
had picked up.
Nature and the Practice of Join us this fall
Presence www.ncascades.org 360 856 5700 ext. 2
DAY 2: Participate in a Restoration
October 23-25
Activity at Tahoma Salt Marsh (4 hours):
After learning about habitat, the chil-
Northwest Mushrooms
October 24 and/or 25
dren helped improve habitat for different
animals and plants by caring for a restora-
tion site along Ruston Way. Children
got an introduction to concepts such as Sourdough Speaker Series
ecology, animal community, invasive and
Jim Lynch, author of
native species.
The Highest Tide
October 10-11
DAY 3: Stormdrain Curb Marking
John C. Miles: Wilderness in
National Parks
and Trash Pick up (4 hours):
November 7-8
�������
On their third and final day of the �����
program, children divided up into small
groups with CHB chaperones to help edu-
cate their neighbors about storm water
and pollution. This was an opportunity
to pass along what they have learned in

class to others.
What did we learn?


This program was an unmitigated suc-
cess. Children were not only engaged and
interested in the materials, but had so much

fun that in many cases they were surprised
when they realized that they were also
learning something. The feedback from
teachers and parents was also very encour-
aging and showed that the children were
not only learning the concepts and informa-
tion, but bringing this knowledge home to
their families.

The results of this Environmental
Education initiative are not surprising. For

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