The Environmental Education School 03

The Environmental Science School 07/08

For this years field resource page, click here

This is a small, focused, school program in the Monroe School District, offered by the Sky Valley Education Center. This school is open to all students, grades 6-10. The Environmental Science School uses the outdoors as a laboratory for learning and reinforcing traditional school subjects.

The program uses a mixture of individualized learning plans, classroom teaching and outdoor field work to inspire interest and learning in subjects such as writing, art, social studies, communications and science. Math and additional subjects such as languages may be taken from class offerings at the Sky Valley Education Center. High School credits are available and custom designed curriculums will ensure students who do the work earn appropriate credits for graduation.

Students will work in teams on science and service projects in the field, reinforcing skills and making learning relevant.

This is a hands on approach to learning, using natural science field experiences, research, and service projects in the Skykomish Watershed. Projects may include ecological restoration work, environmental monitoring, mentoring and teaching. Classroom work supports and integrates with field projects, so students will learn skills in class then apply them in project work. Additional learning labs and class work will develop skill proficiency in subjects such as math, reading and writing as needed.

Students most likely to succeed in this program:

Have a strong interest in the outdoors and nature and enjoy hiking and other outside activities.
Are independent readers, they enjoy reading and are skilled at their grade level.
Enjoy finding things out, they can research topics independently and summarize results in their own words.
Can give presentations to other students, staff and adults.
Can work independently on skill development such as math, reading and writing.
Work well with others on teams and can mentor other students when needed.

The students work in multi-aged teams on a wide variety of projects. Students demonstrate learning by making presentations, designing portfolios, and create written and oral summary reports. For example, in our first year, salmon was a major topic, and students gave tours at the Wallace river fish hatchery, explaining to the public and visiting school groups the life cycle of the salmon.

A good way to learn something, is to teach it, and students will engage in a series of projects which they will use as a way to teach others what they have learned.

Our field trips take us deep into the Skykomish Watershed, out on Puget Sound, into Everett and Seattle. Students benefit from presentations from experts in the fields of history, ecology, and resource management.

For more information, or to get registration information call the Sky Valley Education Center at 360-863-4720

To see pictures from our field experiences click here