Prescott Farm Naturalist in the classroom
With funding from the Geralynn Anne Fountain Foundation, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center partnered with Inter-Lakes Elementary and Middle Tier during the 2016-2017 school year to offer place-based education through the Naturalist in the Classroom program.
Place-based education immerses students in local heritage, culture, ecology, landscapes, opportunities and experiences as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects. Place-based education encourages teachers and students to use the schoolyard, community, public lands, and other special places as resources, transforming communities into classrooms. Multiple studies have determined that place-based education fosters students’ connection to place and creates vibrant partnerships between schools and communities. It boosts student achievement and improves environmental, social and economic vitality. In short, place-based education helps students learn to take care of the world by understanding where they live and taking action in their own backyards and communities1.
The Naturalist in the Classroom Educator serving Inter-Lakes during the 2016-2017 school year was Will Robinson.