Black Mountain Elementary School fourth graders got passes to adventure while participating in the Every Kid Outdoors program last month.
National Park Service (NPS) Ranger C.M. Garrison presented an engaging lesson on the NPS, explaining the many types of park units and the bureau’s history. Garrison emphasized that public lands belong to everyone and handed each of the fourth graders an Every Kid Outdoors pass, which grants free access to public lands for them and their families. Using a creative “library” analogy, Garrison asked the students what “genres” they liked best - mystery, drama, adventure, etc. - and tied each genre to a specific NPS unit.
“I liked learning about wildlife and seeing pictures of stuff,” said Ceci, a fourth grader in Caitlyn Cranfill’s class. “My favorite part was the slides about drama and mystery.”
Cranfill liked the tie-in with her science curriculum.
“We talk about the environment, so it’s great to have Park Service folks come and discuss the resources within our state,” she said. “It also connects with social studies, because a lot of these parks tell stories about our history. It’s just a great way to learn.”