Partnership with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, Cumberland County
An exemplar of a school/land trust partnership
“I think that the highlight for me is that I get to see the whole class, no matter what their experience with being in nature, all get excited about going outside, even the kids who might have never done anything very fun outside.”
BETH POMERLEAU, kindergarten teacher
PROJECT BACKGROUND
McLeod created a series of lesson plans for each grade, drawing from past experiences; Projects Wet, Wild, and Learning Tree; other land trust lesson plans; and input from Cathance River Education Alliance. From these resources, she was able to form a “menu” of lessons that matched science standards with in-class or field trip possibilities for each grade level. “My interests were something that was Harpswell-based, focused on this place, what makes it interesting and special, so kids get a learning experience tied to the town they live in. Because that’s our ultimate goal: we want kids to grow up with a strong emotional connection to this place.” And so the relationship flourished and developed to the point that every student at HCS experiences Harpswell-based science lessons.
THE PROGRAM
One of the highlights of the HCS-HHLT collaboration is the year-long field trip series and lessons focused around Harpswell trails and preserves for the third grade. Two years ago, a high school student collaborated with HHLT and created a guidebook for 10 preserves and trails in Harpswell. This guidebook, along with lessons aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, form the foundation of the Junior Ranger Program which focuses on topics ranging from biodiversity to invasive species. Each third grader is provided a copy of the guidebook and goes on nine field trips to sites in the book. It has expanded not only the students’ knowledge of the surrounding area, but also that of their teachers and parents. The school embraced the opportunity to include the book in their curriculum, and funds from the school and HHLT cover the printing costs for the students to each have their own copy.
Another third grade project focuses on raising and releasing endangered Atlantic salmon. Working with McLeod, third grade teacher Megan Phillips acquires eggs from Atlantic Salmon Federation and works to tie the project into science learning standards. Students ask questions like, “Is the water quality healthy for the salmon?” and “What animals are present in the area where we release the babies and are they a threat?”
All grades in the K-5 school are involved in some type of programming, and their science and environmental knowledge builds from year to year. “It’s not just out exploring—that’s part of it—but also learning vocabulary. As they mature, their skills as a scientist mature. By second grade they are actually recording data,” relates Phillips. Fourth graders are captivated by dissecting clams in their class. “There are so many parts to a clam you don’t see from the shell,” recounts one rising fifth grader. Older children in fifth grade do a unit on invasive species where students and community volunteers work together in the field to identify and remove problematic species.
While Harpswell has a wealth of offsite nature trails and preserves that are used in programming, most of McLeod’s work actually occurs in a small patch of woods behind the school. This helps ensure that students across all grades experience science lessons connected to their outdoor environment, without the hassle and expense of always lining up bus transportation. Because of the work with HHLT, teachers find that both they and their students have a greater appreciation and use of the natural spaces on their school grounds. One teacher explains, “We use our grounds more because of the programs, even during recess the kids want to be out in our woods.” They have even developed their own outdoor classroom space to help facilitate learning.
BENEFITS
Because of this collaboration with HHLT, teachers at HCS are teaching more science and are more confident with taking students outside. “I don’t have all the science knowledge…I’ve learned that you don’t have to know it all. It’s OK to go out into the woods and have questions about salamanders and say ‘I don’t know, lets research that,’” explains kindergarten teacher Beth Pomerleau. All teachers agreed that prior to the collaboration, science curriculum at HCS was lacking. This collaboration has increased both the amount of science as well as the quality. HCS principal Anita Hopkins agrees that teaching science through the local environment and the collaboration with HHLT is now “just a part of the culture; it is what we do.”
Other benefits include increased engagement, especially for students who may struggle in a traditional classroom setting. Fifth grade teacher Abby Svenson explained that she had a student who struggled academically, but after a field trip to Chewonki,“…the other students in the class saw another side to him, saw him being successful. That really resonated with him, so anytime that Julia comes, he perks up and tries.”
PRO TIP
“Take advantage of what’s around you. We are lucky with our fields and woods, but every school has some sort of natural resources close by to takeadvantage of. Driving down the road five minutes counts. Don’t let preconceived notions about doing something big
and flashy get in your way of doing something simple but great.”
—BETH POMERLEAU, kindergarten teacher
These programs and field trips also foster a greater community connection. Students bring their families back to preserves they visit on field trips. On a regular basis, parents and children of all ages pop into the classroom to visit the eggs and baby salmon, volunteer on field trips, and become involved in what their children are learning. One parent explains, “For [my daughter] and all the kids, they all love science and it’s mainly due to Miss Julia and the teachers for bringing that out. I’d never expected them to be so aware of science and enjoying science and enjoying nature.”
LESSONS LEARNED & NEXT STEPS
One of the most important elements that allows this collaboration to succeed is having a dedicated partner to maintain the relationship between HHLT and HCS. McLeod provides a much-needed support for outdoor activities because teachers often find it challenging to take a class outside by themselves and also plan lessons. Her position also strengthens the community outreach of HHLT, an organization that has expressed a sincere desire to keep this partnership going and has had consistent funding from Holbrook Community Foundation for her position.
The biggest challenge faced in this type of programming is finding the time. While McLeod suggests reaching out to administration to find support in making time for these programs, it is not just finding the time but also finding a good time when the students are fresh and will behave better. “For a program outside, I don’t do less than 45 minutes…And making sure the kids are fresh enough that you don’t have a disastrous time outside. Especially for the younger grades,
I really see a difference between going out at 9:30 and going out at 2:30.” To overcome this challenge, McLeod and the teachers at HCS have developed strategies to support positive behavior in the outdoor environment. They prepare the students by giving them appropriate notice when a program is going to occur so they can transition successfully and setting expectations beforehand to maintain a respectful learning environment.
In the future, both McLeod and the HCS teachers expressed a desire to continue and strengthen the partnership. One teacher mentioned continuing to work together to develop an even more intentional and progressive continuum across grade spans. Third grade teacher Phillips explains, “Reading and writing is all mapped out, but science is still fairly new, even after five years of looking at it with Julia helping us to get it where it is now. I can only imagine that it is going to keep getting better.”
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Article on Junior Rangers guidebook development
TOOLKIT
- Accessible, local natural resources (trails, woods, shoreline)
- Strong local partnership (HHLT) Consistent funding (Holbrook Community Foundation)
- Age-appropriate lesson planning Supportive administration
Strong school culture of environmental programs - Parental enthusiasm and support