The Development and Implementation of a Plan to Infuse Environmental Education Objectives into the K-5 School District of Colby Curricula by Utilizing the School Forest

Abstract

The goal of this project was to encourage K-5 teachers of the school district of Colby (SDC) to better utilize the twenty acre Colby school forest by infusing environmental education (EE) concepts into language arts activities to be conducted in the school forest. The first step of the methodology was to determine which School District of Colby (SDC) K-5 curriculum would be chosen for the infusion of environmental education (EE) concepts. It was determined that EE concepts would be infused into the language arts curriculum to facilitate the involvement of the largest number of teachers in the project. The next step involved meetings in August and September 1996, with the district staff development committee in order to gain inservice times to provide teacher training as part of the project. A Pre-Needs assessment was distributed and collected in February 1997. While some use of the Colby school forest was reported, the assessment seemed to reflect needs for inservice to enhance use of the school forest site. The first half-day inservice was held on March 11, 1997. It included discussions of various EE concepts, a school forest tour, and a curriculum connection activity. The inservice evaluation helped determine priorities for a second inservice. In May 1997; a committee was organized to develop a packet of activities for use in the school forest. The work of that committee resulted in an activity packet that was distributed to K-5 teachers in early October 1997. The second inservice was held on April 16, 1998. Circumstances created the need for a change of plan to emphasize curriculum connection activities for use in one or more outdoor sites throughout the district. The Post-Project Assessment was distributed and completed in May 1998. The results of the final assessment demonstrated a 19% increase in the utilization of the school forest subsequent to the implementation of the project. Other staff input gained from the assessment expressed need for further EE training. The intent of the inservices was to familiarize SDC K-5 teachers with important characteristics of EE, thereby helping them to better utilize the Colby school forest. While some of the intent was achieved, the inservice participants seemed to desire more time to work with other building or grade level teachers in order to plan for the use of other local outdoor sites. Recommendations include efforts to promote use of the Colby school forest and other outdoor sites in the district, on-site teacher training for EE, and additional measures to enhance EE throughout the district. It is hoped that these measures will provide some assistance for SDC K-5 teachers to make better use of outdoor sites within the district.