This project was funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.    

Time for the 2009 program!

It is that time again to start planning this year's Keys Kids In Nature with the fourth grade classes at the Sugarloaf Elementary School. For those of you who are not familiar with the program, it is a multi- disciplinary environmental education program that meets FCAT and County standards. The students conduct pre-field trip classroom activities, take a field trip on the refuge and then conduct post field trip classroom activiites. The field trips take place on Crane Blvd, (passed the Sugarloaf school) starting at the refuge gate. The students are led by the instructors on a 1.5 hour/ 1/2 mile walk learning to identify common trees and habitats using simple field guides. We break for lunch and a staff person gives a short talk. After lunch, a leader (usually Karen DeMaria) conducts a food web game. The students break for a 20 minute silent observation session. The leaders lead the students conducting measurements using simple equipment such as wind direction, measuring the diameter of a solution hole, etc. Then the bus picks us up and heads back to the gate.

I am seeking assistance with:
1)Educators(Ben, Russ and Vicente?) to conduct the tree and habitat identification part of the 4 hour orientation for the Instructors on Saturday April 25 (9 - 1) , who will be leading the student field trip(s)
2) Instructors to each lead a group of four or five students for the 4.5 hour field trip(s) on May 5, 6 and 7. (8:30 - 1:00)
3) Bringing lunch to the volunteers May 5, 6, and 7 (Wayne Landrum?)
4) Coordinate the volunteers each morning with the supplies -( Karen
DeMaria?)
5) From the Refuge staff - conduct a 10 - 15 minute talk with Q and As during lunch about your work at the refuge and/or if interested, help with # 2

DATES
Monday 5/4 - Power Point presentation in class by Jim Bell Tuesday 5/5 - 20 students field trip Wednesday 5/6 - 20 students field trip Thursday 5/7 - 20 students field trip Friday - rain date

Those who have helped out in past years have had a wonderful time. The teachers, students and parent chaperones alike also enjoy the day.  Anyone who is interested in helping one day or all three days, please contact me by March 20.

Keys Kids in Nature is an attempt to help 4^th grade students in Monroe County learn more about the natural world that surrounds them. The program is specifically designed to help new or experienced teachers incorporate these lessons without having to forgo other important learning mandates. Lesson questions are FCAT formatted and tied to Monroe County as well as Sunshine State standards. Lessons are cross-disciplinary. Field trip locations are close by to keep costs down.

Developed by a graduate student from Antioch University on behalf of the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges, the Keys Kids in Nature program also received crucial help from local 4^th grade teachers, ensuring absolute usability.

Designed as a three-week odyssey, each lesson builds on the next, bolstering student knowledge and confidence. The first week is teacher driven, incorporating at least 5 lessons to introduce the students to the subject matter. The second week is Refuge staff and volunteer driven, consisting of two program days: 1) A __ minute PowerPoint presentation/activity, and 2) A 3-hour field trip. The third week is student driven, asking them to incorporate their learning into meaningful projects to be shared outside their class.

In addition to the academic theme, the program incorporates individual and team-building opportunities. On field trips, each instructor works with a teaching group of approximately 8-10 students and one school chaperone.

In total, the "Keys Kids in Nature!" program hopes to provide the tools with which students will develop a sense of place that will inform them and guide future learning and decisions.

The goal of "Keys Kids in Nature!" is to:

• Develop students' knowledge and skills in math, writing, and science through an integrated, field-based study of the local Refuge ecosystems.
• Increase student motivation and engagement through the use of authentic projects, field-based learning experiences, and a relevant local context.
• Develop students' technology, problem-solving, and communication skills through research projects involving gathering, organizing, processing, and communicating information about the Florida Keys environment.
• Develop students' character skills and foster a stewardship ethic and a sense of civic responsibility, as the local environment becomes the avenue for emphasizing attitudes of respect, responsibility, and cooperation.

Last modified: Monday, March 09, 2009

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