Dallas ISD is dusting off an old favorite, you might remember, to help get kids excited about environmental science. NBC 5’s Wayne Carter is in the classroom to give us a peek.
You can learn anywhere, but some classrooms, help bring the material to life. That's what they aim to do at the Dallas Environmental Education Center.
"I believe it was 1996 when they finished it. At that time, I was a sixth-grade science teacher. And they needed extra teachers to field the labs," said Harry Monroe, a 27-year teacher at the center.
Monroe has taught kids of every age and background about nature, animals, and the environment on acres of DISD land in Seagoville.
From learning which animals are warm-blooded to taking water samples and testing for bacteria. Ecology, Forestry, they do it all.
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Students across DISD come to this real-life outdoor classroom to put their skills to the test.
"The first time I came, my daughter was in third grade. And that was like in 1996. And it's a wonderful experience then and it's been enriching kids in the ISD since then," said Lee Smith.
Smith has retired as a teacher, and came back to sub, she has seen the impact the facility has and wanted to share it with her students.
Carter In The Classroom
Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed.
"I think driving here, it was enlightening because they saw so many trees. And they thought they were way out in the country because it looks so different," she said.
It's sometimes hard to tell whether the two-legged or four-legged animals are more excited, but the district is encouraging teachers, especially new ones to take advantage of all they have here and use it not just as a field trip but as a classroom.
