Two-Year Partnership Program

"Perhaps the most radical act we can commit is to stay home - to learn the names of things, to realize who we live among. Our sense of community must be extended to all life forms, plants, animals, rocks, rivers and human beings. I believe a politics of place emerges where we are deeply accountable to our communities, to our neighborhoods, to our home. This is the story of our past and it will be the story of our future." ~ Terry Tempest Williams: naturalist, acclaimed writer and environmental activist.

Some schools may wish to extend their partnership with Hidden Villa over two grade levels so that students have the opportunity to sink their roots even deeper into their ecological community. In the first year of the two-year program, schools follow the same progression of field trips and integrated curriculum as in the one-year program. In the second year, schools collaborate closely with Hidden Villa's environmental education teachers to create a sequence of field trips that facilitates students' connection to the land and ecological development while also supporting the classroom teachers' curricula.

Some field trip possibilities are:

• Human Use of Natural Resources: This field trip focuses on the different ways humans depend on and utilize natural resources for their survival. Students study hunting and gathering skills used by Native Americans and compare them to farming and animal husbandry skills introduced by the missionaries (4th grade) and colonists (5th grade).

• Watershed Contamination Simulation: During this field trip, students assume the roles of scientists and dectectives in a simulation of a corporate take-over of Hidden Villa. (Hidden Villa volunteers are also called upon to participate.) In this role play, students are told that the Hidden Villa Board of Trustees must consider ways to increase Hidden Villa's revenue. Scientists and detectives have been called in to survey the property, evaluate proposed changes, and report their findings and recommendations. In group, students use mapping skills to follow the tributaries of Adobe Creek and document the sources of pollution they discover. Student "scientists" may encounter a garbage dumping site, notice of intent to drill for oil, loggers preparing to cut down trees, a food or clothing factory dumping waste products directly into the stream, or gardeners using pesticides.

• Our Community Action Day: During this field trip, students are offered the opportunity to "give-back" to the ecological and social community of Hidden Villa by participating in improvement projects. At the same time, students will learn skills about how to take care of the environment, both natural and man-made. Depending on current need at Hidden Villa, students may: participate in reforestation projects along the creek embankment, help repair animal enclosures, develop "interpretive signs" for other students, assist in the building of cob benches in the garden, or any number of other engaging projects.

• Guide Preparation: In this field trip, students have the opportunity to revisit all of their favorite places in Hidden Villa and think about how to pass on to others what they have learned. During the day, students reflect on strategies their guides have used with them over their two-year partnership with Hidden Villa and practice these strategies themselves within their groups. This field trip prepares students to guide their families at Hidden Villa and should only be considered if your school is committed to sponsoring a Family Field Trip Day.

• Family Field Trip Day: In collaboration with Hidden Villa, schools find a date and time to invite families to Hidden Villa as a closing activity for students who have participated in the Partnership Program. In small groups, students lead their parents (and their peers' parents) through the garden, farm and forest. Students lead all activities and discussions, with Hidden Villa guides supporting them in this new role. I recommend holding a mini "graduation ceremony" for your students. Print out simple certificates that you and the Hidden Villa staff can award each student for their completion of the Partnership Program. It is wonderful to end the day with a family potluck picnic.

All of these field trip ideas connect students to their natural environment and encourage them to take ownership of their relationship to this community of plants, animals, and people. The field trips provide wonderful opportunities for integrated classroom projects that facilitate students' learning of the state standards. The Two-Year Partnership Program truly is a collaboration between Hidden Villa staff and classroom teachers. Together you will design the second year program to best fit your students' needs and dreams.

My highlight from this field trip to Hidden Villa was that we got to explore a lot of things in the forest. We were trying to be the kind of people that explain to bigger people why they shouldn't use pesticides or other bad things. I didn't know how to explain my ideas to older people well. I didn't know that because I had never tried it before, so this was my first time to learn about how to do it." - Jessica, 5th grade.