Prince William Forest Sense of Place

Two NatureBridge educators lead each 40 to 60 minute session as presenter and host using a video conference platform such as Zoom. Attending teachers participate as chaperones who observe and assist students as needed. Interactive technology tools may include Prezi, Jamboards, Google Earth, breakout sessions and participant polls. NatureBridge educators provide teachers with information to share with students who are unable to attend.

Session 1: Community Building and Intro to Prince William Forest Park 40-60 minute live session

Students will meet NatureBridge Educators and work as a group to establish community norms and guidelines. Students will engage in team-building activities that help to create a fun and safe learning space to share and interact for future lessons. Educators will then introduce a variety of Prince William Forest’s abiotic, biotic and cultural features. From spies to salamanders, students virtually explore the trails of this Piedmont forest with Google Earth and investigate what makes the park unique.

Session 2: Create a National Park 40-60 minute live session

Students practice their observation skills in their ecosystem by identifying abiotic, biotic and cultural factors in their own backyard. Educators challenge students to create their own national park, incorporating their choice of abiotic, biotic, and cultural features from Prince William Forest. Students participate in activities that allow them to feel mindful and think like a scientist in their own community.

Session 3: Solutions for the Future 40-60 minute live session

Students come together to envision how they would adapt their park in response to environmental and social problems like climate change and inaccessibility, and discuss how green spaces can be part of the climate solution. 

Students will be able to: 

• Locate Prince William Forest Park on a map.
• Define abiotic, biotic and cultural features of an ecosystem and identify them in Prince William Forest Park.
• Make connections between the ecosystems in their home communities and those found in Prince William Forest Park.
• Design a national park with biotic abiotic and cultural features and share their work on the parks that they created.
• Think critically about the effects that current issues, such as climate change, entrance fees, litter, invasive species and increased visitation would have on the biotic and abiotic factors of their parks.
• Work together as teams in breakout sessions to think of ways to adapt their parks as those scenarios come up.

Virginia Standards of Learning

LS2 - 4: Explore how changes in abiotic and biotic factors impact ecosystems

LS.5: Abiotic and Biotic factors and their interactions in a larger ecosystem

NGSS Standards

MS-LS2-2. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

MS-LS2-3.Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

Access to a computer, tablet or other online learning compatible device. Building materials (from inside or out) to create a model of their own National Park and paper/pencil.

At least one teacher will be present throughout each live online session. Other adults may attend by invitation from the teacher or group coordinator. All attending adults must complete NatureBridge’s Participant Registration Form in advance of the session. 

It is the responsibility of attending adults to support student learning and safety during large group instruction and small breakout sessions by following the expectations listed below. 

• Support students in staying on task. 
• Address discipline concerns, while allowing students to be engaged and answer questions on their own. 
• Demonstrate a positive attitude and model inclusive behavior.
• Communicate with the group’s NatureBridge educator about the educational plan and offer constructive feedback when appropriate.
   

We successfully piloted our first season of Distance Learning programs this fall and will resume programming in February 2021. If you would like more information about a Distance Learning program for your class, please fill out the form below and our outreach team will be in touch with you in January to discuss your interest in more detail.