Outdoor Education Lab
Van Buren Elementary School is located on approximately 20 acres in southeastern Brown Country. Most of the acreage is comprised of a hillside behind the building with a creek located at the base of the hill. We have only to walk a few hundred feet out our back door and down a short trail to reach the creek. It is a fantastic learning environment!
We can look under rocks for animal homes, observe animal life in pools, study the direction and force of currents, see how erosion works, talk about shadows and reflection, and find a wonderful setting for creative writing. The creek bank also has a large clay deposit; a small amount has been harvested for art projects. Most outdoor labs have a small, manmade pond. We are blessed to have flowing water in a natural setting.
Once we cross the creek, our path goes sharply uphill and branches out in different directions. Our trails are fairly primitive and rugged. There are wooden trail markers, a few benches, and a short footbridge over a small ravine. The wooded hillside contains a handful of sugar maple trees that our second and fourth grade classes tap in the spring.