Education News
Allies
The (Polk County) Ledger – March 08, 2008
To Revive Hunting, States Turn to the Classroom
By Ian Urbina
West Virginia is the latest state to pass legislation aimed at attracting young people to hunting. The new law will allow hunting education classes in schools where at least 20 students express an interest such classes. Though some parents are not pleased, others welcome the new law. In the words of one hunting advocate, “While the soccer mom watches her son or daughter play a sport, hunting involves both parent and child learning and experiencing together.”
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State
National Public Radio – February 05, 2008
NPR Visits High School in the Vermont Woods
By Larry Abramson
National Public Radio recently paid a visit to the Walden Project, an alternative education program in the Vermont wilderness that features a curriculum based on environmental studies and the teachings of Henry David Thoreau. And while many of the students taking part in the program are doing so because they were having difficulties in high school, the Walden Project participants are, in fact, more likely to attend college than students at the traditional high school.
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State
Utica Observer-Dispatch – December 30, 2007
New York Teacher Combats Nature-Deficit Disorder in Students
A sixth-grade teacher in New York State has found a way to inspire even the most reluctant students: morning nature walks. Charles Watkins of Mount Markham Middle School in West Winfield uses the walks and other forms of exercise, as well as mental exercises, to keep students alert and help them cope with stress. He even takes the students camping twice a year and spends part of each trip teaching them to listening quietly to nature. [+]
Local | Built Environment
Akron Beacon Journal – December 28, 2007
Last Child in the Woods Inspires Interactive Exhibit
By Dottie Shin
Inspired by the children and nature movement, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, has commissioned an artist to create a series of interactive outdoor sculptures for children. P.R. Miller, who uses mostly recycled materials, will build hundreds of giant flowers and other pieces for the grounds. A previous exhibit convinced the garden’s programmers that what visitors like best, more than any specific events, is the chance for their children to play outdoors.
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State
Providence Journal – December 27, 2007
Children and Nature Gaining Ground in Rhode Island
By Peter B. Lord
Despite few federal incentives, Rhode Island schools continue to establish new programs to teach the state’s youth about the environment. The enthusiasm for such efforts reminds some of the period several decades ago when many of the country’s environmental laws were passed. “We now have the opportunity,” one educator says, “to create a generation of environmentally conscious people.”
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National | Resource
Associated Press – November 16, 2007
“Electronic Field Trips” Bring Nature Closer to Kids
By Mead Gruver
The "Tails from the Tetons" electronic field trips are an increasingly popular teaching tool in schools nationwide. "There was a concern that we need to reach out and touch children with the mediums that they are comfortable with already," said Jackie Skaggs, a Grand Teton spokeswoman. The series also includes virtual trips to the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, and other scenic destinations. These Internet programs contain park history, information on plants and animals in the parks, and even question-and-answer sessions with real park rangers. The question is whether the programs will actually increase park attendance.
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C&NN has designated April "Children & Nature Awareness Month." As part of this effort, we invited network members (like you) to list their April programs and share their strategies for building public awareness. Find out what's happening in your community on the C&NN Movement Map.
As part of our ongoing efforts to build the movement, the Children & Nature Network has published two new resources for leaders, organizers, and participants at the local, national, and international levels:
An annotated bibliography of 20 premier studies focusing on the children and nature connection.
