Sustain
find your sense of place
Kindergarten
We:
- Measured gourds and pumpkins
- Found out whether objects float or sink
- Predicted which objects fall faster
- Made scientific drawings of nature
- Sorted natural objects
- Explored magnets
In the science center we made lava lamps, blew up a balloon with baking soda and vinegar, and experimented with milk, soap and food coloring. We made many "predictions" by guessing what will happen in our experiments!
First Grade
Some of the student ideas:
- Make a Planetarium
- Build a sun out of legos
- Create a weather center
- Paint a mural of constellations
Second Grade
Grow
If you would like to contribute a goldfish let me know!
Read
Children need connection with the natural world:
Body
- Outdoor play increases fitness levels and builds active, healthy bodies, an important strategy in helping the one in three American kids who are obese get fit.
- Spending time outside raises levels of Vitamin D, helping protect children from future bone problems, heart disease, diabetes and other health issues.
- Being out there improves distance vision and lowers the chance of nearsightedness.
Mind
- Exposure to natural settings may be widely effective in reducing ADHD symptoms.
- Schools with environmental education programs score higher on standardized tests in math, reading, writing and listening.
- Exposure to environment-based education significantly increases student performance on tests of their critical thinking skills.
Spirit
- Children’s stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces.
- Play protects children’s emotional development whereas loss of free time and a hurried lifestyle can contribute to anxiety and depression.
- Nature makes you nicer, enhancing social interactions, value for community and close relationships.
- from the National Wildlife Federation
Ideas on Natural Places to Go:
- Fort Greene Park
- Prospect Park
- Marine Park
- Greenwood Cemetery
- Jacob Riis Park
- Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
- Sunset Park
- Dead Horse Bay
News Articles
"Why We All Need A Dose of Vitamin N" by the Daily Mail
"Nature Smarts" by Mindful Parenting
"The Greenest City in America" by Treehugger
Discover
Events and Classes:
‘Brooklyn Sewers: What’s Up Down There?’ (Through May 29) brooklynhistory.org.
‘Cooking With Frida’ (Through Nov. 1) nybg.org.
‘The Gazillion Bubble Show: The Next Generation’ (Friday through Sunday) gazillionbubbleshow.com.
Honey Weekend (Saturday and Sunday) wavehill.org; grounds admission on Saturday is free until noon.
‘If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home’ (Through Jan. 17) Maps cmany.org.
Connect
Nature's peace will flow into you
as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own
freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop off
like autumn leaves.
- John Muir