Learning Stations Created as Part of Environmental Program

Environmental learning stations have been setup in the nine elementary schools as part of the second phase of the school district’s environmental education program.

The program is a collaborative effort between Wayne and Ramapo College of New Jersey. Ramapo educators visited the district, teaching students at the district’s new environmental center, as part of the first phase of the program.

The program is designed to broaden students’ experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by using the natural environment as the unifying theme across all subjects.

“Our primary goal with this new phase of the curriculum is immersing students in environmental education,” Diane Pandolfi, the district’s director of elementary education said in a statement.

“Our teachers and students have never been more excited about the environmental center and we're getting rave reviews not only about the content of the lessons but also the overall experiences the students are getting.”  

The district recently began the second phase of the program. Learning stations have been set up in each elementary school. Each grade has a specific focus.

The curriculum for fourth graders focuses on the night sky. The lessons were successful enough that the students incorporated what they learned into a Family Science Night, which featured an inflatable planetarium with a simulated night sky. The lesson helped students identify constellations in the night sky and then encouraged them to create their own.

“These hands-on lessons are developing more motivated learning,” Pandolfi said. “We're thrilled about this progress.”

Officials discussed possibly eliminating or changing the program last year due to budget constraints but parents, teachers, and students spoke out against such a move at Board of Education meetings.

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