Since 2020, we have welcomed more than 4,600 students from 56 Bay Area schools on virtual visits. These virtual visits alternate between Bouverie Preserve in Glen Ellen and Martin Griffin Preserve in Stinson Beach. (Above photo by Liz Martins).
Students arrive at virtual visits with eager curiosity
Students from the Bridges Academy in Oakland kicked off our fall 2021 season of virtual visits with a good dose of excitement to learn about oak galls, pond life, and more from ACR education staff joining them from the field.
At Bouverie Preserve, we are helping students use their observation skills to compare similarities and differences of two trees and look for signs of animals using the trees for food and shelter. At Martin Griffin Preserve, we explore pond communities, zooming in on the ever-popular rough-skinned newts, water striders, and damselflies. We hope the students will apply what they learn on the preserve to places in their daily lives.
In addition to the field session, teachers have access to a pre-visit lesson and a range of post-visit elementary school curriculum created by ACR science and education staff, including units on Animal Senses, Form and Function: Seed, Expanding Observation, and Observation Nature Study as well as an expansive Our Wild Neighbors curriculum developed in tandem with our mountain lion research study.
“The lessons were well-made, easy to use, and effective; the students were prepared for the day.”
-Bridges Academy at Melrose, Oakland
Virtual visits fill learning gap and also increase accessibility
While we continue to coordinate with schools on their COVID-19 protocols, the Virtual Visits have filled a learning gap and also increased accessibility for some classrooms that previously were not able to join us onsite.
We are excited to welcome a small group of classes back on the land in 2022. These classes will help us pilot new methods and materials that will inform our school programs in the future.
Thank you to the teachers and educators for participating in these virtual visits as ACR continues to bring science and conservation to the classroom. The education team at ACR will continue leading virtual visits in spring 2022 as well.