Discoveries in Nature Boxes
A place-based education program that could bring hands-on discovery into K-5 classrooms in your community
By Megan Woolard Arredondo “ T
HERE’S THE NATURE BOX LADIES!” is a com- monly heard phrase shouted out by eager children in our area when they see a well-known group of edu-
cators arrive at their school. Students often remember the presenters of Nature Boxes years after they visit and will stop them at the local grocery store, or other areas about town, to remind them what a great time they had. Recently a kindergarten teacher noted that, “The children are always engaged and discuss the information they have learned. It is a great way for them to make a connection.” Inspired by their first encounter with the program in 2007, a group of Cibolo Creek Elementary students raised funds to purchase the materials for what would become the Cibolo Prairie box. This is now one of many Nature Boxes making their way around area schools. As a free program offered to local pre- school through 5th Grade students, the program depends heavily on donations such as these. Located in Boerne, Texas, the Cibolo Nature Center
& Farm is home to four unique ecosystems: a tallgrass prairie, riparian forest, live oak savannah, and spring-fed marsh. The Nature Box program takes our “place” to area classrooms through hands-on, inquiry-based learning that focuses on these four ecosystems. It was developed by two retired teachers in order to reach school children who were unable to visit the nature center, and operates much like a
field trip in a box. An army of volunteers provide science and nature-based education into the classroom for study and exploration by bringing all the materials and facilitating the lessons. The materials found in each box enable multiple activities that relate to theme; such as bats, native plants, watersheds, and local geology. Some of the boxes cover general science topics such as the phases of the moon, with a unique place-based approach that helps make an abstract topic familiar. Aligned with state education standards, all of the activities are designed to enhance current school curric- ulum. Now reaching approximately 7,000 students annually, there are currently 36 different boxes in operation, spanning Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade. The Nature Box program is an easily replicable program
that classroom teachers, parents, and informal educators can use to enhance their curriculum and inspire young minds to gain a deeper sense of wonder and connection to the environment. In today’s early childhood setting, less and less time is dedicated to the sciences. Nature Boxes allow the educator to weave science into other studies, such as reading and math. This is achievable by integrating lit- erature and mathematical concepts throughout the lessons, regardless of theme. Nature Boxes are place-based, mean- ing the students are learning about their local ecosystems, which makes learning more meaningful and relevant to them. Nature Boxes allow for in-classroom discovery of place, while encouraging at-home explorations of the child’s larger community.
GREEN TEACHER 109 Page 17
Megan Woolard Arredondo
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