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Del Mar Academy Environmental Education
The Environmental Organization CERENA H2O is helping us incorporate a strong environmental program and ethics into the school curriculum. Environmental education will be approached from nine individual yet interconnected perspectives.
The hands-on science program explores many aspects of the natural world, from plants, animals and life cycles to the earth’s materials and forces to weather. These topics will lay the foundation for environmental studies.
Environmental Studies are a subtopic of the science program. In the early years, children will learn to love nature and to name the world around them. They will learn about recycling, conserving water and electricity, protecting biodiversity, the effects of different transportation methods (eg. riding a bicycle or taking mass transportation), and other simple yet important actions. Older children will learn about specific issues we face in the scientific, economic and political arenas, along with possible solutions.
The school site will be used as an outdoor classroom for the study of wetlands and dry forest habitats, observation of local plant and animal species, weather and seasonal changes, soil and geological studies, etc. Students will establish a garden to study plant growth and animal interactions, and bird feeders will attract local species.
Students will also take field trips to different protected areas within the Guanacaste province such as the Ostional Wildlife Refuge to see the turtle “arribadas” and egg hatching, Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Tempisque wetlands, among others .
The school’s community service program will include environmental projects at all grade levels. Tree planting, collection of recyclables within the Nosara community, preparing environmental education materials and activities for local schools, beach cleaning as well as other events will be held during the school year.
The Core Virtues of beauty, kindness, respect, stewardship, and wonder will be specifically integrated into the environmental studies program.
During the week that includes Earth Day (April 22) and Water Day (March 22), the school creates a special focus on the topic. This week-long celebration includes music, art, poetry, readings, plantings, cleanup, animal presentations, storytelling, assemblies and field trips all planned around the theme of environmental understanding and stewardship.
The school’s facilities are carefully designed to promote connections between indoor and outdoor classrooms, with large windows, high ceilings, and natural building materials. Attention is given to energy efficiency and other means of demonstrating the school’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
A recycling program of plastic and aluminum gives children first-hand experience with conscientious use of the earth’s resources, and proper disposal for re-use. The school also seeks to purchase items that are made from recycled materials.
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