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IL Principles and Curriculum M~ter{als Informin[[ the Design <br /> of the Discovery Garden <br /> <br />En¥ironment~i Learnin~ Area (ELA) at R~rnsey Elementary School <br />Nearby Ramsey ~:lemencar7 School has an ELA that includes an oak savanna, hardwood forest, and <br />extensive wetland, ~ well as a mature restored prairie. When an addition to the school was recently <br />constructed, a pond to treat run off water from the roof and paved parking area was built to filter and <br />treat the water using ecological principles. <br /> <br />The following core values are also integrated into the study of the ELA beginning in 2~ grade: <br /> <br />· Respect; care of t~e landscape <br /> <br />· Compassion/Empathy; sharing <br /> <br />· Responsibility; recycling <br /> <br />· lntegri~, impact or' decisions <br /> <br />· Appreciation of Diversity; interdependence <br /> <br />T'ne curriculum guide written for the ELA emphaSizes the identification of plant~ and animals through <br />direct experience with nature and the landscape. The following focus organisms are studied in Grades <br />K-$ and will be incorporated in the imagery and content of the design for the Discovery Garden. They <br />are the organisms most likely to ~'e present in the wetland and/or the oak savanna/prairie habitats in the <br />park_ <br /> <br />Birds: Mallards; Egret~; Red-winged Black Bird; Blue Jay; Woodpecker;, Cardinal; Red-tailed Hawk; <br />Bluebird; and .Ring-tailed Pheasant <br /> <br />Mammals: Cottontail Rabbit; Chipmunk; White<ailed Dee~, Gray SCluirrel; Pocket Gopher;, and Red <br />Fox <br /> <br />Trees: A~pen; Red Cedar;, Bur Oak; White Oak; Red Oak and White P~ne <br /> <br />Forbs: Duckweed; Goldenrod; Milkweed; CatTails; Mosses and Lichens <br /> <br />Insects: Butmerflies; Ant~; Dragonflies and W~sps <br /> <br />Amphibians: American Toad; Turtles; Bull Snake and Garter Snake <br /> <br />Children are ~ncouraged to learn about these organisms by using their senses including Smell, ~ound, <br />touch and sigh~ to perceive color. For example, they compare the shape of a leaf to the veins of their <br />hands and listen to the sound of the wind in a grove of quaking aspen. O~'her activities include, producing <br />soft pencil rubbini~s of a tree's bark patterns, examine the.buds, and create contour drawings of a tree'~ <br />shape in order to distinguish different species. In winter, they search out animal tracks in the snow. <br /> <br />-6- <br /> <br />I~]¢rnu~rv ~nrd~n ('nnr~nt Phn¢~ P,~ainn M k--Innno~nn An~ , I nnri¢rnnP · n~i~n. Anril '~(]. <br /> <br /> <br />