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School Program April 2003 - Grade 4
School Program 2003 - Grade 3
My class and me went to Hungry Hollow. I saw trees and nature. It was nice and it was cool. It was so fun I would go back to Hungry Hollow and it is free.
By Daniella
My Trip To Hungry Hollow
In Hungry Hollow there are lots of animals. They eat and sleep just like me. They walk and run and some even bite (sometimes so do I). When it comes to midnight everyone goes to sleep. Some little critters are awake while everybody sleeps.
By: Doris B
Hungry Hoolow: A Poem
Hungry Hollow is marvellous, can you help it, it's very untidy.
So why don't you help clean, to help out the neighbourhood?
Why don't you help out the place filled with God's creatures?
So why don't you
Reduce, reuse, recycle?
You can bird watch, its fun.
Hungry Hollow is connected to Cedarvale
Oh and it's also connected to Norval.
Lots of stuff to do there, sure you'll love it. Why don't you come to play in our public park.
Well, the best part is its free!!!
By: Grace
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School Programs
We hope that teachers will be inspired to bring their classes to Willow Park Ecology Centre. To enrich this experience, there is an Education Resource binder available for teachers in the Halton Hills area. It provides ready-to-use activities for various grade levels, that support the Ontario curriculum. These suggestions meet current Ministry of Education expectations and can be easily implemented without imposing extra demands on the teacher. They are meant to complement class field trips to the ecology centre.
The Town of Halton Hills, through its reciprocal agreement with the Boards of Education, is able to offer a visitation free of charge at Willow Park Ecology Centre. We hope, however, that classes will be able to help us with our park projects when appropriate. These could be planting, weeding, picking up garbage, making brush piles and other tasks.
To register for a class visit, contact:
Recreation and Parks Department
Town of Halton Hills
905-873-2601 ext. 2269
Fax: 905-873-1587
For more information about the Education Resource binder, or the School Programs contact us at:
Our Office:
115 Main Street South
Georgetown Ontario
Phone: 905-702-9055
Fax: 905-702-0683
Contact Us:
Co-ordinator: Tunde Otto-Harris
wpec@willowparkecology.com
Nature In the Neighbourhood
For Grade 4 and 6 in Halton Hills Schools
Reserve a date for your class by contacting Willow Park
On registering teachers receive a complete program description including pre and post trip learning activities and information for parents.
Cost: Cost to schools is only $50 per class.
Nature in the Neighbourhood addresses curriculum expectations in Science (Grade 4-Habitats Unit or Grade 6-Diversity Unit), Language Arts, Visual Arts, and Social Studies.
The Grade 4 and 6 programs are completely different and address respective grade curriculum expectations. Both programs involve a one day field trip followed by a half day of in-class communication activities.
Students see, do, experience, and communicate -- exceptional field trip learning within walking distance of your school!
Scheduling: Please note the program is weather dependent however field trips can be arranged any time of the school year.
This fieldtrip and class-visit program is specifically for schools within walking distance of Hungry Hollow Ravine, Georgetown. It consists of a one-day fieldtrip walking from the school, and a half-day in-class follow-up involving visual art, writing, and reading.
No bussing required - just add students and stir!
Nature In the Neighbourhood
Excellent Learning within Walking Distance!
Nature in the Neighbourhood uses the learning opportunities available in the Hungry Hollow Valley in Georgetown. Participating students may have visited the Willow Park Ecology Centre to take part in the Soils and Plants Grow Together Program as part of their grade 3 learning experience.
The program has a Grade 4 version (Habitats and Communities Unit, Language Arts and Visual Arts), and a Grade 6 version (Diversity of Living Things Unit, Language Arts and Social Studies). Grade 4 classes produce a mural, or a three panel display, while Grade 6 students produce an environmental monitoring report that is sent to local government officials. Classes at both grade levels contribute to the community through active projects during the fieldtrip. The real world nature of the learning results in highly motivated learners.
The fieldtrip program has two components: a day long field trip where students walk from their school to a nearby access to the river valley, and an in-class follow up where students assist in making the community more aware of Hungry Hollow and its environmental challenges through the production of a product of student communication.
Program Overview
Pre-trip Preparation
Teachers are provided with relevant planning information and information to send home so that students are prepared for the rigours of a day in the field. Teachers also receive an outline of the day identifying the curriculum expectations being addressed, activities they can engage in with their students prior to the trip, and general information about Willow Park Ecology Centre.
Fieldtrip Day, 3 parts
The fieldtrip leader arrives at the school and provides the children and adult volunteers with an overview of the day, reviews why we are going on the trip, and sets the expectations for behaviour. The group leaves from the school and walks to the site for a day of hiking and learning activities. The class returns to the school so that they have at least 20 minutes to engage in recording/reflection activities and to prepare for the half-day follow-up visit.
In-class Follow Up
The fieldtrip leader returns to the class within a week for a half day of follow-up communication activities. The intent is to reinforce the day's learning and produce student communication products to share with the community. Student products of learning are set up in the community or sent to the targeted recipients.
Acknowledgement
Classes are thanked, and if their work is set up in a public location, notified so that they can visit it to gauge the impact and further reinforce the importance of their contribution to the community.
Soil and Plants Grow Together Program
Since a part of Willow Park Ecology Centre's vision is to promote the use of Willow Park to "educate and inform students and the general public about ecological and environmental matters" we have created this Grade 3 Field trip to do just that.
This integrated learning experience addresses curriculum expectations in Grade 3 Science and Technology (Plants and Soils), Language Arts, and Social Studies.
This all-day program begins at 9:15 with the bus arrival and ends at 2:30. The Spring sessions run from mid-April to the end of the school year. It fills up early, so you should contact the Coordinator for a booking as soon as possible.
Feedback from the program participants in June 2003 and Fall 2003 was very enthusiastic. In postcards sent to the Mayor and Councillors or to the Coordinator, students such as Danielle said: "I thought Willow Park was an amazing place to learn about nature. I thought is was an amazing place because I saw cool animals such as frogs, turtles and a blue heron...Thanks for making Willow Park a great place to learn."
Stefan added "...The activities were fun. My favorite activity was life in soil. I learned about sustainable gardening. I learned about composting. I learned about listening to nature... "
Teachers comments:
- I like that it was very hands-on
- Students enjoyed this trip
- What a great place Willow Park is
Parent comments:
- Wonderful. Hopefully more kids will get this experience
- I learned a lot about plants
- I feel that this is a valuable trip location for this age
We expect to be able to offer this program to many more classes in 2004. Funding has been received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to do so.
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