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WILDERNESS CONNECTIONS. Benefits of Nature John Beard I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in tune once more. - John Burroughs. Purpose of Education. Educate the whole child academic social emotional citizenship - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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WILDERNESS CONNECTIONSBenefits of Nature
John Beard
I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in tune once more.
- John Burroughs
Purpose of Education
Educate the whole childacademicsocialemotionalcitizenshipearth stewards
Rationale Students should gain an understanding and
appreciation for the earth in which we live.
Knowing how we as humans fit into the natural
world will not happen intuitively.
We cannot expect students to care about
protecting and conserving the environment when
they are not exposed to it.
“[What is the] extinction of a condor to a child who has never seen a wren?” Naturalist Robert Michael Pyle
Background – The De-naturing of Children
Children spend most free time indoors
Connection to nature suffers or is non-
existent
Lack of outdoor “free” play
Clear link between childhood obesity
and lack of outdoor play
Environmental awareness – having a general understanding of the natural world in which we live and be conscious of the need to conserve its resources & be good stewards of the land.
WHAT IS…..
Description & Mission
Wilderness Connections is an adventure-
based program that features wilderness
backpacking with lessons in regional history,
geography, science, & environmental
stewardship.
Mission: connect students with nature
through wilderness immersion experiences.
Exactly what do we do?
Take groups of ~15 students (boys & girls) to
the Big South Fork for 3 days
Students backpack on trails and cross country
Groups of 4 – 5 build a shelter out of plastic
Cook a group meal over a fire
participate in fire guard
pack up each day & travel to other sites and a
new campsite
Exactly what do we do?
Visit original homesteads
learn about early explorers, settlers, and Civil
War history of the area
Practice reading a topographic map & using a
compass to “read” the land and navigate
Learn natural history & geology by looking at
& interacting with the environment
Exactly what do we do?
Discuss reasons for conserving our land &
resources. Why is living green important?
Students keep a daily journal of their
experience
Natural Novelty
Night hikes / learning about sounds & vision
(“deer ears”)
Stories that teach a life application lesson
Challenges & Benefits
Work as a team to overcome obstacles (e.g.
carrying the pack, building a shelter, gathering firewood, dealing
with weather & 1st–aid issues)
Problem solve
Leadership opportunities (group leaders)
Pushing yourself physically, mentally, &
emotionally
Communicating effectively
Self reliance & self confidence
More Benefits
Stress relief
Restores attentional capacity of the brain (e.g.
ability to focus)
Therapy for ADHD, childhood depression &
obesity
May foster creativeness
Better grades & test scores
Emotionally/spiritually uplifting
Each new year is a surprise to us.We find that we had virtually forgotten the note of each bird,And when we hear it again, it is remembered like a dream,
Reminding us of a previous state of existence…The voice of nature is always encouraging.
-- Henry David Thoreau
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF JEFFERSON
References Louv, Richard. Last Child in the Woods. Chapel Hill: Algonquin
Books, 2005. Palmberg, Irmeli E., & kuru, Jari(2000). Outdoor Activities as a
Basis for Environmental Responsibility. Journal of Environmental Education. 31, 32-39.
Parrish, Deborah and Gabriele Phillips. Effects of Outdoor Education Programs for Children in California. American Institute for Research, 2005.
Taylor, Andrea F, Kuo, Frances E, & Sullivan, William C (2001). Views of Nature and Self-Discipline: Evidence from Inner City Children. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 21, 1-14.
Taylor, Andrea Faber, Frances E. Kuo (2004). A Potential Natural Treatment for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Evidence from a National Study. American Journal of Public Health. 94, 1580 – 1586.