Boxerwood Gardens: Nature Center and Woodland Garden
On site programs consist of half-day visits which guide students through a sequence of progressively complex experiences in the natural world. During each visit, students rotate through three small-group activities. Activities are coordinated with Virginia Standards of Learning for science and languge arts; they are multi-modal and integrate cognitive and affective learning. We also conduct programs at schools and local rivers.
School programs serve students from all three school divisions in the Rockbridge area. Kindergarten through second grades are served through our early elementary program. See our Middle School Program.
Watch a video produced by a fourth grader about her class visit (and other educationa videos) and read a account of a third grade visit or an article about "River Rangers," a fourth grade program. Below are sample activities for 3rd and 4th graders. For more information,or to join us as a volunteer, please contact Elise Sheffield, Education Director.
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Third graders investigate our various habitats and animals that live in each, create tiny habitats for close-pin people, and practice mapping skills. They discover tiny recyclers turning dead matter into life-giving soil both in “natural” habitats and in our compost bins. To help protect eroding soil, they plant grass seed. After observing the wetlands and pond, they complete a data chart of frogs and turtles that includes information about the springtime weather conditions. In all programs at Boxerwood, students (3rd and 4th) recycle or compost their lunch "remains" for our own compost bins. |
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Fourth Graders investigate how well Boxerwood is caring for natural resources. At Boxerwood, they track water as it picks up pollutants - and how nature (and humans helping nature) re-clean that water and thus protect the Chesapeake Bay. In a “Save the Bay” role playwith a contour map of the county watershed, they apply their observations to local real-life situations. They learn from NEWTS how we use nature to clean our wastewater. They perform chemical tests on our pond and wetland water. Students observe our solar water heater and brainstorm ways to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Fourth and Fifte Grade students have an opportunity to expand that knowledge to the "real world." They determine the health of local streams by using chemical and biological tests.The "Creek critters" activity yields a count of invertebrate diversity which is one indication of creek health. |
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