PVAS’s Outdoor School is a great opportunity for your child to participate in hands-on, experiential learning. Each class consists of a thematic nature lesson, a hike, and nature exploration. Reading, writing, art and math are all incorporated into our nature lessons. Sessions are held once-a-week for a month at either Cool Spring or Yankauer Nature Preserve. Sessions are kept small; 12 kids total with two adult instructors.
If you have any questions, please contact Amy Thomas at Amy@PotomacAudubon.org
Spring 2023 Themes:
March – Sustainable Energy
- Tuesday, March 14 and Tuesday, March 21 at Cool Spring Preserve
For these two classes, we’ll be discussing the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources and how sustainable energy such as solar and wind help reduce our carbon emissions. After learning about the problems that our planet faces with our changing climate, the students will feel empowered as they try their hand at building solar water pumps, racing mini-solar powered races and building their own wind turbines.
April – Wonderful Watersheds
- Tuesday, April 4 and Tuesday, April 11 at Cool Spring Preserve
Did you know that we live in a watershed? This month, students will learn about the water cycle, where water goes, and how humans are connected to it. We’ll study maps to see how water travels through streams and rivers and even explore a model watershed as we discover how humans impact our waterways. For the second class, we’ll be conducting water chemistry tests to study the health of Bull Skin Run and search for aquatic critters that serve as water quality indicators.
May – Sustainable Energy (repeat of March sessions due to high demand)
- Tuesday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 9 at Cool Spring Preserve
For these two classes, we’ll be discussing the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources and how sustainable energy such as solar and wind help reduce our carbon emissions. After learning about the problems that our planet faces with our changing climate, the students will feel empowered as they try their hand at building solar water pumps, racing mini-solar powered races and building their own wind turbines.
Winter 2023 Themes:
December – Winter Wonderful
- Tuesdays at Cool Spring: 9am to 3pm
- Thursdays at Cool Spring: 9am to 3pm
January – Bring on the Birds
- Tuesdays at Cool Spring: 9am to 3pm
February – Science in the Woods
- Tuesdays at Cool Spring: 9am to 3pm
Scholarships
We want all children to have a chance to come to Outdoor School no matter their financial circumstances. Scholarships to attend Outdoor School are available for families with financial need and qualify for the Federal Free/Reduced School Lunch Program. Click here to see if you qualify for this program. Download our Outdoor School Scholarship Form here.
Do not register for Outdoor School if you are applying for a scholarship. PVAS will notify you within 2 weeks of receiving your scholarship application to inform you if you have received the scholarship, the scholarship amount and provide you with a link to a registration form for scholarship recipients. Spaces are held in each of our Outdoor School sessions for scholarship recipients so that sessions will not be fill up before you receive your scholarship.
Policies
Click here to view our updated policies related to educational programming.