The Environmental Center

Pond Study

The Pond Study is very similar in nature to the Living Streams program in that it is “hands on” in a wetland ecosystem. This is a very broad based program that can be customized to teach specific lesson plans in areas such as water quality and plant and animal identification (including macroinvertebrates and fishes). The pond study program can also be utilized hand in hand with Project WILD Aquatic programs. The activities foster investigation and exploration in a particular ecosystem.

This is just one of many activities available from the Dunn Rotary Environmental Center.

Multimedia video and image displays are available in the large presentation facilities. The center has 4,000 square feet of displays and conference learning areas. There is also a beautiful deck leading to miles of both elevated (over the lake) and forest nature trails.

To find out more about this and other quality environmental education programs, contact Josh or Tom.

Bookmark This Post:            

Project WILD and Project WILD Aquatic

Project WILD is an interdisciplinary, supplementary environment and conservation program emphasizing wildlife. Activities are “hands on” and may vary from active games to outdoor classroom settings. Project WILD is designed to prepare young people for decisions affecting people, wildlife and their shared home, earth. The expected outcome is that each participant will be assisted in developing awareness, knowledge, skills and commitment to result in informed decisions, responsible behavior and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment upon which all life depends. Project WILD Aquatic emphasizes wild animals that depend directly upon aquatic environments for survival.

One aspect of this program explores nature up-close and personal. Using the ASCCA nature trails, campers get first hand - and hands-on - experiential learning while on the 1,000 feet of elevated trails, another 1,000 ft. of ground trails in addition to our 1.9 miles of paved nature trail circling Camp ASCCA’s facilities.

These trails won the 2004 Accessibility Enhancement Annual Achievement Award for trail projects funded through the Recreational Trails Program of the Federal Highway Administration. Read more at American Trails.

To find out more about this and other quality environmental education programs, contact Josh or Tom.

Bookmark This Post:            

Part II of our Environtmenatal Center programs introductory series of posts features Project Learning Tree.

Also known at PLT, Project Learning Tree is the cornerstone for environmental learning. It is an award winning, multi-disciplinary environmental education program for educators and students in PreK-grade 12. Meeting state and national education standards, this versatile program is adaptable to the classroom, outdoor classroom, nature centers, and home. Topics range from forest, wildlife, and water, to community planning, waste management and energy. Students can expect to learn environmental content that correlates to course of study in science and social studies, among others. Students will also strengthen their critical thinking, team building, and problem solving skills.

From their site:

PLT works for teachers and other educators because:

• PLT materials are aligned with state and national education standards.
• PLT is broad based: topics cover the total environment and are local, national, and global in scope.
• PLT provides the one great lesson a week you wish you had time to plan.
• PLT is adaptable to many contexts: classroom, playground, nature center, home.
• PLT can be easily adapted to various audiences: PreK-12 students, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, nature center and museum visitors, 4-H clubs, and other community groups.
• PLT is cross-curricular: easy to infuse its environmental lessons into science, language arts, special education, and other classes.

This is a very popular activity at The Environmental Center and a perfect choice for your group.

To find out more about this and other quality environmental education programs, contact Josh or Tom.

Tomorrow, Project WILD and Project WILD Aquatic…

Bookmark This Post:            

Camp ASCCA will reach a special milestone in our environmental education program this Spring as St. James School in Montgomery will attend their 10th consecutive Science Camp on our 230 acre site. Since 1997, St. James has been sending their entire 5th grade class, usually around 100 students, along with teachers, administrators, and parent chaperones. St. James is very special to our program in that they were the first group to participate in an overnight Science Camp and remain strong advocates on the benefits their students receive from this event.

 This year’s camp is set for March 29-31, 2006. The group always comes well prepared to make the most of learning opportunities. Each student will go through lessons at the school’s science lab as preparation for programs such as “Living Streams”. This program has become known as one of the student’s favorites as they are able to wade in the on-site streams to catch bugs (macroinvertibrates) that are excellent indicators of a stream’s water quality. Over the course of the 3 day camp, students will cover a variety of subjects ranging from forest and wildlife study to natural resources. The students also participate in adventure ropes activities designed to foster independence, character building, and teamwork. Once home the teachers are able to take lessons learned and continue to apply that to their course of study.

Camp ASCCA welcomes visitors during the St. James Science Camp to see, first hand, the beautiful camp and wonderful programs. Please call 256-825-9226 to reserve a tour. St. James staff, www.stjweb.org, are also available to answer your questions.

Bookmark This Post:            

This begins a series of four posts outlining some of the programs offered at the center. There are more and your group can define your own, too. The Oscar C. Dunn Rotary Environmental Center welcomes day camps and overnight stays.

Camp ASCCA Environmental Education Programs

Camp ASCCA offers excellent “hands on” programs that are a unique combination of supervised instruction and self guided discovery. Classes are conducted on-site utilizing the beautiful 230 acres including streams, forest, pond, Lake Martin, and the newly completed Dunn Environmental Center. Programs are customized to each group’s level and compliment the Alabama Course of Study in both Science and Social Studies. Instructors include ASCCA staff as well as professional volunteers from organizations such as Lake Watch of Lake Martin, Alabama Forestry Association, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Auburn University Department of Curriculum and Teaching.

Living Streams

The Living Streams program offers young people a hands-on opportunity to learn how to assess water quality in streams by the presence or absence of certain aquatic insects (benthic macroinvertebrates or “bugs”). The session begins at streamside with a discussion of how the stream fits into the watershed concept and how macroinvertebrates are tolerant or intolerant of pollution using a picture guide to help with their identification. Students then spend 30-45 minutes in the stream using special nets to collect macroinvertebrates that live in the water. Next they conduct a streamside assessment by identifying the macroinvertebrates and placing them into specific categories using universally accepted biological techniques. The session closes with a discussion of what the “bug message” is concerning the water quality of the stream and what types of human actions adversely affect our water.

Tomorrow, Project Learning Tree…

Bookmark This Post: