In 2002, Friends of the Parks’ program, “Nature Along the Lake,” was implemented in order to offer Chicago Public School (CPS) grade school children (2-8) an opportunity to study science in an outdoor setting, using nature as a classroom.
The Nature Along the Lake (NAL) program uses the 14-acre nature preserve at Montrose Point and the natural area at the South Shore Cultural Center to serve as nature’s classroom.
Since it’s commencement in 2002, the NAL program has grown significantly. Last year, during the 2006-2007 school year, CPS students participated in 79 field trips to the lakefront. Over 900 CPS students from 14 Chicago Public Schools were part of the NAL education program and outdoor classroom experiences.
The Nature Along the Lake program provides lakefront park experiences that are customized to the CPS’s curriculum. Students learn about the lake as a complete habitat system. Through this program, they experience birds and their migratory patterns, aquatic life, native plants and trees, as well as other outdoor science topics. They learn that our local environment is part of a larger ecosystem, and that a clean environment does not happen by accident, but is the result of visionary people who care about leaving a healthy environment for future generations to enjoy.
Children in this program obtain experiences not usually found in a city setting, nor offered in indoor classrooms. They participate in a variety of seasonal, hands-on environmental activities, building their comfort in nature. The NAL program is linked with CPS curriculum and Friends of the Parks works directly with teachers and administrators to focus on class-specific topics. For example, students reading Hoot in school will learn about owls and other birds of prey, and go on a bird exploration in the Magic Hedge.
In the program, children are encouraged to explore the local environment and learn skills, such as binocular use and fishing, to broaden experiences. In 2006-07, in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources’ Chicago Urban Fishing Program, NAL brought 20 classes fishing at Lake Michigan. With opportunities like this, Friends of the Parks hopes to build appreciation for the environment by offering positive, exciting outdoor learning experiences that students will carry with them into the future.
For more information about Earth Week 2007 visit its homepage.
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