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The Grange Insurance Audubon Center may not yet be fully built, but its work with area schools has already begun.

The Center’s pilot educational program began in 2006 with a series of field studies and class projects involving a fifth-grade class at Livingston Elementary in the Columbus Public School System. The program has now become such a success, a second fifth grade class, as well as a fourth grade class, have been added.

"These programs are driven by existing curriculum and designed to build critical thinking skills, explains Doreen Whitley, School Programs Coordinator at the Center.”

To support a class lesson on plants for instance, students last year examined plants at the park to determine the types of migrating warblers that would stop there for food and shelter. That kind of data collection and mathematical analysis, says Whitley, “is very much part of what scientists do in real science.“

Students initially struggled with data collection and graphs, so more math instruction was included this year. Before each trip, students learn how to use the tools that they will need for data analysis. “Now students take ownership of their research,“ she says, “They test their hypotheses and want to share what they’ve learned with classmates."

The Audubon Center is currently raising funds to expand its educational programs to other classes and schools, especially the 59 schools within a 5-mile radius of the Center, in which less than half the students meet science proficiency standards.

While the Livingston program can provide a model, Whitley says, "We want to create an individualized education plan for each school.” For more information on future educational programs contact Doreen Whitley.

Livingston Tree Planting