Downeast Ecology for Kids
It’s 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning and I’m having breakfast with my 11 year old son, Gabe, (well I’m having coffee…Gabe’s having the Big Special [two eggs, bacon AND sausage, pancakes, home fries and hot chocolate]). The breakfast is a bribe to get up early on a Saturday and participate in a pilot program at SERC — the DOWNEAST ECOLOGY PROGRAM.
The Downeast Ecology Program was developed by Darrin Kelly and Megan Galh of Ardea EcoExpeditions, experienced environmental educators and certified Maine Guides, and consists of 15 grammar school aged kids who have committed five Saturdays to explore the Schoodic Peninsula with themes such as “Who eats whom. The nutrient cycle from life to dirt and back again†and “Geology and climate, the great abiotics.†In the process Gabe is learning basic ecological concepts that help him to read the landscape and understand and know his own backyards better.
This is all great but Gabe wants to know why he has to go to “school†on Saturday too. Good question. I patiently explain that his mother and I think this is an incredible opportunity with many benefits including:
- learning about science hands-on and outdoors will provide context and depth to his work in the classroom at Peninsula Grammar School
- takes advantage of the incredible assets Maine has to offer…a national park at out door step…and, hopefully, be infected by the sense of wonder these excellent science educators exude from every pore
- and, finally, I explained that the earth is facing significant environmental challenges and will need citizens like him to be science/environment literate to help set policy and make laws… even if they do not become scientist and work to find answers to these challenges.
Gabe’s eyes have long since glazed over, “thanks Dad, that was, uh, really more than I needed to know.†“Shut up and eat your pancakes.†He’s too cool to admit it, but he’s learning and enjoying it…and, maybe even more importantly, is his sense of awe at what he’s learning about the world around him. Just the other night I overheard him explaining bio-phosphorescence to a neighbor – that was worth any number of Big Specials.