For more than a quarter of a century VINS has helped elementary school students learn about the natural world. EC helps educators instruct to Vermont and New Hampshire educational standards, providing interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students to attain essential skills and knowledge. The bobcat's presence indicates a diverse natural landscape that supports many wildlife species. Students learn about the bobcat's ecology and record habitat features and wildlife tracks and signs in a forested area to determine if a bobcat could live there. Life in Temporary Ponds Vernal pools provide vital support for certain amphibians and invertebrates.
Students investigate and document life in a vernal pool.
Travelers to the Tropics Migratory songbirds connect distant regions and promote international conservation efforts. Students examine songbird migration, habitat needs, population threats, and conservation. Addressing Local Environmental Problems Students develop the skills they need to conduct interviews in the community, analyze local environmental issues, and share their findings and recommendations with others. The EC program works best when teachers, administrators, parents, and community volunteers work together to support the learning process. Classroom volunteers can assist teachers by teaching some of the unit lessons, sharing their expertise, assisting with small groups and field trips, and helping students implement environmental citizenship projects.