This blog includes a brief history of the outdoor learning center, photos, updates, and news of upcoming events.
The outdoor learning center began in 1988 at the former BES school on West Lee Street, which is now FDRESA.
The center has been enjoyed by students for Native American Studies, nature hikes, science lessons, art activities, and stories. Students can also write in their journals, do science experiments, or listen to guest speakers. Picnic tables are in each of the Outdoor Classrooms for class/student use.
Rules for the Outdoor Classroom
1. Stay on the paths.
2. Just look at the plants so others can enjoy them too.
3. Sit on the benches so they will stay clean and neat for the next group.
4. Leave the garden and trail as clean as or cleaner than you found it.
BES Nature Trail
Nature Trail Code of Honor:
I will look only and not touch.
I will stay on the trail.
I will not throw or drop trash on the trail.
I will use my soft voice.
I will leave the trail the way I found it.
BES Sensory Garden
The BES Sensory Garden was established in 2006.
Many of the plants are beginning to bloom and teachers and students are encouraged to explore our beds. Teachers have access to 10 laminated picture cards of these plants in the Media Center if you want to locate the plants on your walk.
Sensory Bed #1
River Birch
Tea Olivia
Japenese Boxwood
Crepe Myrtle
Welcome Bed #2
Natchez Crepe Myrtle
Lorapetalum
Lantana
Native Beauty Bed #3
Tulip Poplar
Muhley Grass
Forsythia
Historical Bed #4
Longleaf Pine
Weeping Yaupon Holly
Dogwood
Traditional Bed#5
Southern Magnolia
Eastern Redbud
Bottlebrush
Spirea
Ricky's Reports
Good Morning - April 25, 2012 - This is Ricky Racoon with another Nature Report. In our Southern Bog, the yellow flags (Iris pseudacorus) are blooming and are so colorful. We also have some ripe dewberries that are enticing some wildlife to nibble and drink the water standing at the bottom of the bog. We are also enjoying a numerous amount of baby frogs who were born and are growing up in this wet environment.
-Please beware! There is also some poison ivy around the edge and in the bog, it can be quite bothersome to some people who react when it is touched.
On the trail, we have had several trees fall in the woods along the trail, if visiting the trail, please be careful to stay on the trail and not get distracted looking for all of the new habitats for the citters that live there. Spring has brought a lot of new color to our woods, some beautiful colors of greens and some browns.
Happy Trails Everyone!
Nature Trail News - April 2012
This spring we are seeing many changes on our nature trail. We would like to share some of them with you.
