How Does EverWild Incorporate Projects
Mentors support group interests and academic subjects including the Next Generation Science Standards through project-based learning. Through exploration and project development children encounter real-time experiences applying natural science knowledge, mathematics, literacy, social studies, physical education and the arts. Children are challenged at an individually appropriate pace and expand upon the origin of their understanding as they grow developmentally in age.
We have completed many projects in the past. Below you will find examples of how our cross-curricular approach to learning has overlapped all of the core academic subjects as well as physical education and the arts. These are just a few of our completed projects:
Science: The life-cycle of a tadpole; composting; how to identify plants and projects surrounding their medicinal and useful properties; creating and using solar ovens; building a wind powered boat, airplane, or kite; identifying animals, animal tracking; watershed mapping; different environments and their relationship to each other; life-cycle of animals on land and water; anatomy of a local plant; sun and moon cycles; the interdependant relationship of ecosystems; the history of the Earth through geological formations; the understanding of weather and climate through identification of clouds and seasons; Forces and Interactions (pushing, pulling and creating) through the manipulation of natural items found in our environment.
Mathematics: Calculating measurements to build a tree house, shelter, or swing; counting wild parrots, horses, flowers, fish; measuring and comparing the size of animal prints; measuring ingredients to cook pancakes over a campfire; determining distance and direction on a map; computing the time it takes us to hike from one place to the next; identifying geometric shapes in nature, using our nature journals and rocks, sticks, or flowers to complete long division, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and size differentiation.
English Language Arts: Reading or listening to a book to discover more about a nature discovery; making a list of materials needed to develop a project; using pocket guides to identify local flora and fauna; writing sotries and poems in our nature journals; reading and developing maps; writing letters to friends, environmental advocates, positive role models, and individuals in leadership positions throughout our city; writing in the dirt, sand and mud; note taking our discoveries in nature and research to deepen our understanding of what we know so far; dramatic play and theatre; puppetry; storytelling; song and music making.
Social Studies: Children learn about themselves, their relationship to their peers and their immediate surroundings. These learnings expand to encompass their towns, their state, their country, and the world as a child grows developmentally in age. Children investigate the questions: Why do people live where they do? And build where they do? Storytelling about the history of our locations and exploring them; Dramatic play resembling a time in history based on our location; Researching people and pioneers that relate to our project. EverWild's diversity allows for sharing and learning about each other's heritage, ancestry and cultural practices and perspectives.
Physical Education: Rock hopping; tree climbing; counterbalancing through a tide pool; group games; leaping across rocks; swimming in a tide pool, creek or ocean; skipping and throwing rocks; climbing a rope; rock scrambling; etc. Children become increasingly aware of their bodies in space as they maneuver through nature with their peers.
Arts: Drawing; painting; clay modeling; collage; woodworking; creating natural paints; building shelters; singing; dancing; natural instruments; rhythm making. EverWild combines high-end art materials with materials found in nature to compose art. Children experiment and practice using different materials and gain an understanding of how materials interact with one another.