Environmental Education


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 Environmental Education is a vital component of the Nittany Valley Charter School. Each week, the Environmental program includes a 45 minute classroom session. In the fall and spring, the program is supplemented by a half-day or full-day field trip. The classroom time can be structured into mini-lessons, activities, and/or observation but its ultimate goal is to give the students the information needed to then go out into the field and conduct real environmental activities. The field trips give the students a chance to apply book learning to a real life experience, foster in them an appreciation and sense of stewardship for nature, and teach them about our natural environment, geology, and cultural history. Perhaps most importantly, they also provide opportunities for team building, cooperation, adventure, and the sense of accomplishment that comes from hiking up a mountain, going through a cave, or learning how to steer a canoe.