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773-534-5090 4540 N. Campbell Ave., Chicago, IL 60625
Welcome to Waters!
A DAY IN THE LIFE
ECOLOGY
Waters has a unique field-based Ecology and Environment program for grades Pre-K – 8.
The Program is an extension of Waters’ Science Program, and is taught when environment pays a role in what the students are learning. In Fall, Winter, and Spring, students participate in a nature-based field experience that focuses on education, restoration, and exploration. The students are introduced to nature in a way that fosters a personal connection to our natural areas. Volunteer parents and community members are active participants in the field visits, as well. Students keep field journals to write and draw about their experiences. Even the youngest students draw pictures or collect leaves for their journals.
The Ecology Program covers 3 areas of environmental interest:
Field based Studies
Besides what is learned when the topic is related in class, students partake in 3 field-based trips per year to do hands on work to restore the earth.
Recycling and Conservation
Students play a major role in the recycling of paper (room captian run the show) and conserving our waste. Unfinished food from the lunch cafeteria is responsibly thrown into bins and added to the large compost in the garden, where it is urned into soil after months and months. The soil is then used for the planting beds.
Community Gardens
Members from all ove rthe city come and plant their vegetables int eh garden It is free, if you can get a space (there is a wait list). In return, these garderners are responsible for taking care of the garden season after season, especially when school is not in session.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
The site visits to natural areas are preceded with readings, from the simplest picture books in PreK to quite-involved descriptions of the Great lakes watershed, geology, and human water uses in 7th grade. All students come armed with some prior knowledge, their journal and pencil. All classes are broken up into small subunits for the explorations.
| Grade | Natural Area | Partner Organization |
| PreK-1 | Waters Garden | Chicago Botanic Garden |
| 2 | Chicago River Riverbank | Friends of the Chicago River |
| 3-5 | Sauganash Prairie Grove | Cook County Forest Preserves |
| 6 | Chicago River at Ronan Park | Friends of the Chicago River |
| 7 | Montrose Point Lake Michigan | Friends of the parks, Nature Along the Lake |
| 8 | Waters Garden | Chicago Botanic Garden |
Our Ecology program is the winner of the 2003 Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum's Educational Leader Award.