FALL 2018 NEWSLETTER
 

Happy New Year, !

As we reflect on the last year, we are so pleased with the number of students that were able to experience education through place-based learning, the Katahdin Learning Project, or a Monument trip. Each journey leads youngsters down a path of life-long learning and helps us realize that the work we do is fundamental and made easier by the land and the amazing teachers of the region. 

To get a sense of how we can best serve students and teachers through our work, we ended 2018 by conducting a survey. You can view the results of the Katahdin Learning Project Survey here.

Read on to check in on all the great experiences students and teachers have this past Fall. 

Thanks for all you do!

Kala Rush
Education Coordinator
STARS OVER KATAHDIN
Students in the Katahdin Region enjoyed a visit from Northern Stars Planetarium. Students learned about stars, planets, and the universe through an interactive show inside a traveling planetarium. Stars Over Katahdin concluded with an evening of stargazing at the the Overlook at Mile 6.4 inside Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.
BIKE MAINE
Once again this year, students from Katahdin Middle/High School were the tent & porter crew for Bike Maine. The Bike Maine event was held in the St. John Valley where bikers traveled throughout the region for 6 days. Students spent their mornings dismantling and reconstructing tents for bikers. In the afternoon, students learned about the rich history of the St. John Valley.
EXPLORING ANIMAL HABITATS
Grade 2 students at Katahdin Elementary School traveled to the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument to examine animal habitats and discuss the importance of Leave No Trace ethics. During their visit to the Monument, students were able to see evidence of animal habitats, meet with a local game warden, and discover the effects humans have on nature.
PATTEN ACADEMY GARDEN  PROJECT
The Patten Area Women’s Club received a grant to construct raised beds for a community garden at Patten Academy Park. Students from Katahdin Schools assisted in the construction of the raised beds and worked with three generations of community members to accomplish the task.
DONN FENDLER CURRICULUM
Students at Granite Street Elementary School linked their unit about Maine to a field trip at the Patten Lumbermen’s Museum to learn more about the history of the region and Donn Fendler, who was famously "Lost on a Mountain in Maine." Students explored maps to see where Fendler came out by Lunksoos Camps and discussed the history of the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument. Students from Katahdin Christian Academy invited the Katahdin Learning Project into the classroom to start their reading of “Lost on a Mountain in Maine”. Students learned more about the Monument and the place where Fendler came out of the woods. Both groups plan to visit this spot in the spring of 2019 after their reading and research are complete.

AND MORE!
Exploring an Amish Farm - Katahdin Elementary 2nd grade students spent an afternoon learning about an Amish farm. Two essential questions guided their learning, “What makes animals happy, healthy, and safe?” and “what are animal homes?” This experience continued to build their knowledge of the many different homes an animal might have. Students learned the names of the homes of farm animals and the farmer and his family also talked about what makes the animals healthy and safe.

Bat Exploration - Grade 3 Students at Katahdin Elementary School have embarked on a learning journey about bats. Students have explored the area surrounding their school, built bat boxes, researched bat diseases, and investigated bat facts through a Bat Trunk from Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife all in an effort to prepare for a spring trip in the Monument.

Kindergarten Outdoor Classroom - After a Katahdin Learning Project professional development day based on place-based learning, kindergarten students at Katahdin Elementary School have taken their learning outside. Their teachers are integrating grade level standards with outdoor experiences. Students have explored the school ponds and forests while linking their math and reading curriculum to the outdoor experience.

UPCOMING EVENTS
January 10 & 11, 2019 - Steering Committee Retreat
January 29-31 - Park for Every Classroom Conference
February 16, 2019 - Celebration of Life
March 18-22, 2019 - Head North Ski Days
June 2019 - 3rd Annual Teacher Camp
 
Our mission is to create opportunities for students to engage in learning through real projects in nature and the communities of the Katahdin Region. 

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Phone:
(406) 728 - 5692

Email:
kala@friendsofkww.org

Mailing address:

PO Box 18177
Portland ME 04112