Agraria_Journal_WINTER_2022

Agraria is promoting a conservation effort that will help maintain and grow populations of bluebirds for generations to come. THE BIGGER MAP-OUT! The Big Map-Out! just got bigger. Begun as a partnership between Agraria and Mills Lawn School in Yellow Springs to get kids outdoors during the pandemic, this immersive exploration of nature is now being piloted at several schools in the Dayton area. The pilot program aims to involve six schools in the Springfield/Dayton bioregion, according to Donna Haller, Agraria’s school partnership coordinator. “My number-one goal is to get kids loving to be outdoors and get them curious about nature,” Haller said. A four-unit curriculum of six lessons each designed for K–3 students, The Big Map-Out! guides kids and teachers in taking a close, informed, and appreciative look at their own small patch of the great outdoors. Students are invited to find a “special spot” in the area around their school or at a nearby park and observe, identify, and map their chosen space’s features and inhabitants. From soil and arthropods to trees and mammals to animal tracks in winter and birds in spring, students “learn what they’re looking at,” Haller said. And they layer that learning into detailed maps that depict the natural richness of even a small plot of land. While some schools may opt to come to Agraria on a field trip as part of the program, the heart of the undertaking is to connect kids to nature right where they are. And that, in turn, links the next generation to an ethic of environmental stewardship and care. “When kids love nature, they’ll want to take care of it,” Haller said, adding that she hopes students bring what they learn at school to the natural spaces around their homes. The Big Map-Out! is designed to adapt to the curricular needs and physical space requirements of individual schools. Those interested in the program may contact Agraria’s Donna Haller at dhaller@agrariacenter.org . ~Audrey Hackett AGRARIA LAND SCHOOL AN ACE PROVIDER The Land School at Agraria is now a Qualified Education Service Provider for the Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment Program (ACE). The program provides funds to students’ parents or guardians to use on various enrichment and educational activities. Funds are available to any student between the ages of 6 and 18 years old whose family income is at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level. The program is offered through a contract between Merit International, Inc. and the Ohio Department of Education. To learn more about this program, please visit: aceohio.org . AMY HARPER AGRARIA JOURNAL 2022 37