MEXICO — Since 2016, Meroby Elementary School’s nature exploration program has been teaching students how to be safe and how to identify animal tracks, trees, leaves and other elements in the natural world.

Meroby has been joined in the outdoor learning program by Rumford Elementary School as both schools now have the same principal in Jodi Ellis.It was a busy Oct. 11 afternoon as Meroby fourth graders visited the apiary while RES fourth graders were at the outdoor learning program.

Tara Morin, special ed teacher at RES, said Fridays has been the day for their fourth graders to enjoy nature program.

“Each classroom has their outdoor classroom, and this is where they can come to sit and learn. But what they’re learning about is how to enjoy the Maine woods and forests, and what they have to offer. So they sit down and have a little lesson, and then have the opportunity to wander in the area and see what the woods are all about,” she said.

Morin noted, “They’re learning how to identify trees, how to classify leaves. The kids get very excited about doing this. This is an opportunity that a lot of schools don’t get.”

Teachers Larissa Wing and Stephanie Dowland had their fourth-grade students bussed here.

Wing said, “Meroby has been using these woods for probably a year or so, but now, since we’re going to be coming together as a community school, we’re really trying to work together. It’s both schools, coming together.”

She said, “We come out for about an hour. We can do math out here. We can do science out here. All nature-based stuff that we’re doing. This is so good for them. It increases their attendance in school. Kids want to come to school because of it.”

Wing said, “We’re reading a book (Listen to the Language of the Trees) because we’ve been learning about trees. They’ve adopted a tree. They’ve been observing their tree and getting to know the changing of the seasons.”

She noted that having the outdoor learning also helps in the classroom. “They’re engaged so we can take things that we learn here to come back and…like we did leaf rubbing last week. We brought some leaves back and they did some identifying. There’s some really good hands-on activities.” Wing said, “We have a lot of students where attendance is a huge concern. A lot of social and emotional issues. This is huge. It gives them a place to adjust. And they can take risks out here, safe risks.”

RES fourth grader Xavier Adams asked what he likes about outdoor learning.

“First of all, I like the pond, like the little rink, kind of super cool. And I like the trees all around the place. Super cool. My final thing that I really like is that we found some animals. I’ve always been interested about nature. But I’m more excited now. I get to explore all these trees. Also, my favorite is a birch. Also, I have a tree over there I call Bob.”

In the future, the hope is to expand the outdoor learning program, adding more seating, adding on to classrooms.

Wing noted that students will also go out sometimes for winter learning.

“Meroby fourth grade teacher Maggie Corlett has written grants. I just wrote a grant. I’m hoping to get like 15 pairs of rubber boots for RES. I want to build an outdoor learning closet for clothing for those who don’t have means for some items, and looking for donations and ways to raise money.”

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