Mission
The mission of the Kids in Nature Environmental Education program, or KIN, at the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration is to promote the aspirations and achievements of students in underserved schools by providing quality environmental science education and experiences. For both students and teachers, we create and encourage personal connections to the natural world, which will foster an interest in becoming stewards of the environment.
Program Description
The Kids in Nature Environmental Education program at the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration promotes the aspirations and achievements of students in underserved schools by providing quality environmental science education.
Kids in Nature Environmental Education, or KIN, has a significant impact on the students' understanding, involvement in, and awareness of environmental issues through engaging and challenging activities and positive interactions with scientists, Cheadle Center staff, UCSB graduate and undergraduate students both in class and on field trips. KIN participants spend a significant amount of time on the UCSB campus, which helps to demystify the university and provides the students with opportunities to learn about programs and the campus environment. Most importantly, students get a chance to try out these lesson plans with area teachers and gain first-hand experience teaching schoolchildren.
There are many ways to become involved with Kids in Nature, through undergraduate learning with the Kids in Nature Practicum Course or Internship, one-day field trips, workshops, educational tours of our natural history collections or ecological restoration sites, or classroom visits from our staff. KIN curriculum emphasizes hands-on, placed-based activities in classroom and outdoor environments where UCSB students mentor and assist with the elementary school student work and activities in the established native plant gardens on the elementary school campuses & UCSB open spaces.
We are dedicated to connecting Kids in our community to Nature.
For Teachers
KIN has developed curriculum materials and lessons to compliments the lessons from the students in ENVS 191. Visit here or contact Andy Lanes to for a digital copy of these resources.
Nature and Science Education Practicum
ENVS 191 Nature and Science Education Practicum, teaches students about research in ecology from our graduate students and faculty and creates K-12 lesson plans.
Elementary school students work closely with the KIN staff and UCSB students for a hands-on, placed-based learning experience in outdoor settings to gain experience with the concepts they learn in class for an in-depth educational experience. Learn more about the course here.