October 25, 2007
Burke outdoor learning program lauded
The Burke Museum helps Seattle’s urban students get out of the classroom and into nature with its Magnuson Outdoor Learning Laboratory, and now the program has been honored by the Environmental Education Association of Washington with the association’s 2007 Community Catalyst Award.
Now beginning its fourth pilot year, the Outdoor Learning Lab serves Seattle middle schools with predominately ethnically diverse student populations. The program allows the students to develop science skills in a field setting, practicing not only field techniques but also designing their own real experiments. The program has served about 300 students, who have contributed a combined total of 2,000 hours of community service helping to restore Magnuson Park.
The program also has earned praise from participating groups. Su Thieda, EarthCorps program director and a partner in the laboratory, said the program shows students “that restoration can happen in their own backyard or in a park and that anyone can do it. Given the restoration needs of Seattle’s forests, we love planting a seed in the minds of as many young people as possible, so in the near future we have stewards for our city’s parks and green spaces.”
The Magnuson Outdoor Learning Laboratory is a partnership among the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department, Seattle Public Schools, and EarthCorps.
For more information, visit the Burke Museum online at www.burkemuseum.org.
