NECSD Students Explore the Outdoors During STEM Program at Black Rock Forest
Recently, approximately 180 Newburgh Enlarged City School District students explored the great outdoors during the 2011 Summer ELA/Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Program at New Windsor School and Black Rock Forest Consortium. The program, now in the second year, was made possible through a Title I grant-funded partnership between the Newburgh Enlarged City School District and the Black Rock Forest Consortium.
For two weeks in July, the students spent half of their day at New Windsor Elementary School and the other half of their day at Black Rock Forest focusing on a symbiotic mix of English, science, technology and math enrichment.
While at Black Rock Forest, students went on various hikes to measure elevation using a GPS and record the differences they noticed. During their study of the quality of water in the forests’ watersheds, students examined aquatic insects from leaf packs that were placed in streams and live turtles. Throughout this time of exploration and discovery, students recorded their thoughts and observations in their journals and used their math skills to quantify results and develop graphs to display their findings.
While at New Windsor School, students read and were able to keep, Pond Scum and Agnes Pflumm by Merrie Koester Southgate. They also used computers for research and completed small group cooperative learning activities.
At the end of the program, the students participated in an educational project expo of their research. Parents, NECSD Central Staff and Board of Education members, and others invited guests attended this event at New Windsor School and celebrated the students as they viewed student-projects and learned about the benefits of the program.
“We hope this program continues to have great success, and we hope that the students involved gain an appreciation for our wonderful natural resources as they bring lessons that were taught in the classroom to the outdoors,” explained facilitator Anthony Grice.
