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An exciting, hands-on, outdoor experience lies waiting to be explored by Whitnall staff, students, families, and the community. Before heading into the forest, please fill out the Whitnall School Forest Tracking Form as this information is essential to sustaining this very valuable resource. This website contains a wealth of information and support materials intended to provide authentic, engaging, and enjoyable environmental education opportunities.
Value Statement
The Whitnall School Forest is a unique educational site that provides opportunities to enhance and expand student and teacher learning in a natural environment, increase family involvement in student learning, and provide a community connection to and engagement in our schools. Integrating environmental education into school curricula across content areas has been correlated to increased student achievement, improved school attendance, and decreased negative behaviors (Lieberman & Hoody, 1998). Through hands-on and active experiences in an authentic natural setting, students acquire the relevant knowledge, skills, and dispositions to promote responsible global citizenship.
Target Messages
- Public natural areas become and remain safe, accessible, and vibrant through regular use and continuous protection.
- Responsible citizens are obligated to preserve and enhance these natural areas and their surrounding waters.
- Offering resources that support learning, volunteerism, stewardship, recreation and camaraderie promote community.
- Responsible citizens practice and model environmentally responsible behaviors.
- Learning is best provided through direct hands-on experiences in an authentic environment.
- Problem solving and other critical thinking skills are developed and meaningfully applied through environmental education experiences.
- Environmental education is a continuous, lifelong process, beginning at the pre-school level and continuing through all stages of a person’s life.
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