E D U C A T I O N . P R O G R A M S |
S P O N S O R S H I P S | |
Corkscrew is an invaluable outdoor classroom that hosts over 4,000 students annually. Specific curriculum programs designed for 2nd and 5th grade are offered that include classroom and field lessons and are aligned to the Florida Sunshine State Standards. Thanks to our local PTO's, Collier County School District, and individual School Sponsors, 1,500 2nd and 5th grade students, 75 teachers, and over 500 adult chaperones participate in Insect Adventure and Wild Florida Adventure annually. Corkscrew is also a field site for the Florida Gulf Coast University Environmental Colloquium Course, which is a core requirement for all students. With the assistance of FGCU professors and FGCU students naturalists, 1500 University students travel our boardwalk each year to observe native communities and discuss issues of sustainability and conservation ethics. In addition to the three targeted audiences above, Corkscrew is host to 500-1,000 additional students, families and scout groups each year for general boardwalk programs. Each year, several student conservation work crews have completed projects at the Sanctuary. |
Special thanks go to the following groups and individuals whose generosity has made these educational programs possible. 2007-2008 School Sponsors Alan and Mary Atterbury Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. Beaumont Electric Blair Foundation Karen and Stephen Clegg Corkscrew Sanctuary volunteers Dr. Allyn Golub John and Carol Hunt Mrs. Cassie Kiddoo Mrs. Valerie Kratz William Marks Memorial John and Virginia Rigsby Weslyn and Henry Strickland Mrs. Katie Walker | |
Annual Youth Education Reports |
School programs
Adult programs Community Outreach 2007-2008 Activities | |
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E d u c a t i o n . P r o g r a m s
School
Adult
Boardwalk Adventure (K-college)
Discover wild Florida as it was hundred of years ago. Our boardwalk meanders through a pine forest, open prairie, and finally into the largest forest of ancient bald cypress in North America. Programs can be adapted to any age group and are invaluable when teaching about south Florida's natural resources, watershed, habitats, and native flora and fauna.
Insect Adventure (second grade)
Capitalizing on children's inherent curiosity about insects and other residents of the micro-world, the Insect Adventure is designed to teach about insects while enabling students to look at their environment with a holistic view. Important concepts such as habitat, interdependence and adaptation are reinforced throughout the program, and students have the opportunity to employ several steps in the scientific method as they become junior entomologists.
Students, led by Audubon naturalists, walk a specially constructed trail through a pine flatwood area that includes learning stations spaced along the trail where they perform experiments designed to coincide with subjects studied in the classroom.
The program includes teacher training, a teacher's resource guide, use of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary's traveling Insect Adventure literature component containing fact, fiction, and poetry titles appropriate for second grade students, a field program of about 2-1/2 hours, and a follow-up evaluation.
Notes & photos from the program
Wild Florida Adventure (fifth grade)
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is home to the largest remaining stand of virgin bald cypress and the largest nesting colony of the endangered woodstork. There is no better place to study wetland ecosystems, as well as marsh, wet prairie and pine flatwood habitat areas.
Students, led by Audubon naturalists, travel through the sanctuary on a raised boardwalk in search of all things wild. As students travel the boardwalk, they also have the opportunity to engage in a solo nature journaling session to record sounds and observations as they sketch, write, and reflect on their personal outdoor experience.
In addition to the boardwalk exploration, students participate in tailored learning activities that address species adaptation, the important role of alligators and other top predators in the South Florida food web, and are educated about Corkscrew's innovative wastewater treatment facility, the Living Machine.
Classroom and field activities correlate to Florida Sunshine State Standards for science and language. Curriculum lessons were developed with the assistance of Collier County fifth grade classroom teachers. Particpating teachers attend a training workshop, receive a useful teacher resource manual, utilize Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary's Wild Florida Resource Collection and Watery Wetlands literature component, participate in a four-hour field program, provide teacher evaluation, and evaluate gained student knowledge.
Private Group Programs
Private, naturalist-guided programs on the Corkscrew boardwalk can be arranged for groups of 10 or more adult participants. Guided programs are available on various topics ranging from a general boardwalk program covering information ont he history, watershed, ecosystems, and flora and fauna of Corkscrew Swamp to more specific topics such as focusing on native plants, wildflowers, birds, the swam at sundown, etc.
We have hosted many kinds of groups for these programs such as various community groups, tour groups, Audubon chapters, wildlife festivals, and family and college reunions.
Private group programs must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance and are subject to the availability of our guides.
Please contact Sally Stein for more information and to schedule your program. Phone (239) 348-9151 ext. 112 or email.
Discover Corkscrew
Discover the wonders of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a 11,000-acre wilderness preserved and maintained by National Audubon Society.
The program provides unique opportunities for adults and families in areas as diverse as birding, digital photography, astronomy, water ecology, and wildflower identification. Some of the most popular programs are guided day walks, guided night walks after hours when the swamp is dark and nocturnal creatures are out, and guided sunset strolls.
Florida Master Naturalist
These unique courses are designed to educate and prepare participants to share information about Florida's freshwater wetland and upland habitats and wildlife. Training benefits those interested in learning more about Florida's environment, seeking educational contact hours, or wishing to increase their knowledge for use in education programs as volunteers, employees, and ecotourism guides.
Offered in partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF-IFAS), the course consists of classroom instruction, field trips, and practical experience in interpretation.
Participants must be 18 years of age or older.
C o m m u n i t y . O u t r e a c h
In addition to student and adult programs, our education department has made invaluable partnerships to engage diverse audiences that might not "traditionally" be participants of an organized environmental education program.
Society for Ethical Ecotourism of Southwest Florida
Active involvement in the Society for Ethical Ecotourism of Southwest Florida (SEE SW FLA) has allowed us to work very closely with our Visitor and Convention Bureaus, partnering conservation organizations, private citizens and local eco tour operators to promote and enable sustainable tourism in our natural environments.
A certification/recognition program has been designed and supported to acknowledge specific operators that are using "best practices," while educational programs and workshops are provided to help others increase their understanding of our local environment and the balance needed to maintain fragile systems.
SCORE
SCORE, a national program designed to counsel small business owners, has a local chapter in Naples.
A new "green" column in the SCORE newsletter provides the medium for us to communicate with local small business owners to help them make wise economic and environmentally sound choices in their workplace.
SCORE Newsletters
November 2007 | December 2007 | January 2008
February 2008 | March 2008 | April 2008
