ERIC Number: EJ766430
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-May
Pages: 3
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-1784
EISSN: N/A
Nature Lessons
Irvin, Thomas M.
Educational Leadership, v64 n8 p54-56 May 2007
In 2000, Oil City Elementary School faced collapsing enrollment, a high-risk student population, and a reputation as the place for kids who were not smart enough to attend the nearby academic magnet. The school was slated for closure. But the school had a history of connection to Oil City, a town of 1,500 in western Louisiana, and school staff members committed to keeping it alive. In 2001, they adopted a schoolwide environmental science program and convinced the school board to cast the school as an area-wide magnet. Irvin describes how incorporating three national environmental education programs--Project Learning Tree, Project Wild, and Project WET--into Oil City's curriculum and instruction revitalized the school. Enrollment, achievement scores, and student and teacher pride have all soared. (Contains 2 endnotes.)
Descriptors: Science Programs, Environmental Education, Magnet Schools, Science Instruction, Science Activities, Hands on Science, Elementary School Students, Academic Achievement, Educational Improvement
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. 1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714. Tel: 800-933-2723; Tel: 703-578-9600; Fax: 703-575-5400; Web site: http://www.ascd.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 3; Grade 4; Grade 6; Kindergarten
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Louisiana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A