Location
Turner Gymnasium
Access Type
Open Access
Presentation Type
Printed poster
Entry Number
2384
Start Date
4-16-2025 12:00 PM
End Date
4-16-2025 1:15 PM
School
School of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Department
Bonner
Keywords
Systems thinking skills, educational kits, place-based learning, nature center
Abstract
In conjunction with my Westover Honors Thesis, my Bonner Legacy Project focused on the development of environmental education curriculum and programming at Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center [CKBY]. Informed by a review of current climate education, lesson plans and activities were modified in collaboration with CKBY staff to be more climate-focused and aid in the development of systems thinking skills. Activities were compiled and edited to teach concepts, such as food webs, feedback loops, and the greenhouse effect, while also promoting team-building and critical thinking. Educational kits for each activity were created, which include all materials needed as well as a write-up of the lesson to allow for facilitation of the activity by staff and students. The development towards a more student-focused, place-based learning style of outdoor education lays the groundwork for further expansion of CKBY programming and ensures that students receive a quality experience. Nature centers offer the ideal location for the promotion of climate change education based on their direct connection to nature and multigenerational curriculum model. Through this project, CKBY continues to uphold their mission of serving the community as a place for the promotion of environmental education and connection with nature.
Primary Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Laura Henry-Stone Tasha Gillum
Primary Faculty Mentor(s) Department
Environmental Sciences and Sustainability Bonner Program Coordinator
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Included in
So Much More Than Summer Camp: The Importance of Environmental Education at Nature Centers
Turner Gymnasium
In conjunction with my Westover Honors Thesis, my Bonner Legacy Project focused on the development of environmental education curriculum and programming at Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center [CKBY]. Informed by a review of current climate education, lesson plans and activities were modified in collaboration with CKBY staff to be more climate-focused and aid in the development of systems thinking skills. Activities were compiled and edited to teach concepts, such as food webs, feedback loops, and the greenhouse effect, while also promoting team-building and critical thinking. Educational kits for each activity were created, which include all materials needed as well as a write-up of the lesson to allow for facilitation of the activity by staff and students. The development towards a more student-focused, place-based learning style of outdoor education lays the groundwork for further expansion of CKBY programming and ensures that students receive a quality experience. Nature centers offer the ideal location for the promotion of climate change education based on their direct connection to nature and multigenerational curriculum model. Through this project, CKBY continues to uphold their mission of serving the community as a place for the promotion of environmental education and connection with nature.