Connecting Children to Nature

Inside the Outdoors Traveling Scientist programs provide hands-on opportunities for students from grades K – 12 to develop an awareness and appreciation of the sciences through exploration of the animal kingdom, California’s unique biodiversity, energy and health to name a few. In addition, the lessons students learn through Inside the Outdoors programs give them a foundation of science literacy that leads to environmental stewardship. Students become active in their communities as they look for solutions to address the larger environmental issues.

When students participate in a Traveling Scientist program, textbooks come to life through the five senses. Hawks, owls, and other raptors are brought into the classroom to teach students about the roles these predators play in the balance of nature. Students visit lab stations which include experiencing hawk vision and discovering the diet of an owl through an owl pellet dissection, turning science into real-life experiences through seeing and touching local wildlife.

Traveling Scientist programs make science fun for students of all ages and grade levels. Programs like Creature Feature (PreK), Me and My World (K) and Amazing Animals (K-12) introduce students to the animal world where they learn and explore the unique characteristics and behaviors of mammals, reptiles, birds, and other species of the animal kingdom. In Scales or Slime (1) students compare and contrast reptiles and amphibians to discover the characteristics of each class of animals. Experiencing snakes, lizards, frogs, and salamanders through their sense of touch and sight, students develop a more positive attitude towards these animals. Students discover what makes birds unique as they work cooperatively and visit different lab stations to learn about the natural history of birds in the Feather Fun (2) program. Traveling Scientists bring live birds to show students their special adaptations and habitats. Hawks, owls, and other raptors are brought into the classroom to teach students about the roles these predators play in the balance of nature in the Birds of Prey (K-12) program. Stereotypes and fear towards insects and spiders are lessened as students learn about the animals’ body parts and experience the thrill of touching live arthropods in Eight Legs or Six? (3). Through lab stations, students discover the important role some of these animals have on Earth as decomposers.

Inside the Outdoors hands-on experiences encourage students to use their innate curiosity to discover science concepts that they might struggle with in books or on screens. These lessons integrate curriculum aligned with California Content Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, making learning enjoyable and more understandable for students who have a variety of learning styles.

Hands-on learning has been shown to bridge language barriers and close the academic achievement gap. By providing programs that are low-cost or free, with the help of generous donors in the community and through corporate funding, students from underserved communities have access to the same programs as their more affluent counterparts. This is particularly important among at-risk students from low-income communities, where high school drop-out rates are higher.

Reports indicate U.S. students finished 25th in math and 17th in science in the ranking of 31 countries by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (National Math + Science Initiative.) Local programs to help improve that standing must be aligned with state academic standards so that they complement classroom learning. They should also include techniques that evoke a child’s sense of play, creativity and discovery because research shows that this kind of engagement will “lead to a depth of understanding and commitment that are often less possible when the same material is encountered in books or on screen.” (Making Science Matter.)