The pond-side serenity is shattered by the sounds of the big yellow school bus arriving to discharge its gaggle of young students eager to dive into the new experience that awaits them.
Fueled by the inspiration, expertise, boundless energy and creative guidance of our first Board President, Karen Malkus-Benjamin, the BPC embarked on the planning, development and execution of the Pond Education Program in 2017.
The program provides each school with grade appropriate Pond Kits which include detailed Pond Curriculum Guides, lesson plans, classroom activities, games, crafts and reference materials, and culminates in an end of school year field trip to a Brewster Pond. BPC volunteers coordinate with the schools’ science teachers in aligning the curriculum according to grade level and scheduling the pond trips. |
Once at the pond, students are treated to “Pond Polly”, a puppet show performed by our volunteers, and then collect, observe, investigate and identify pond creatures at hula hoop research stations. Students also learn which macro-invertebrates indicate a ‘healthy pond’
Since the program’s inception, 408 students have experienced this unique and wonderful program, and no fewer than 31 BPC volunteers have welcomed school buses and students to the pond!
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BPC Volunteers create the Pond Kits which are donated to local schools and ‘refreshed’ annually. Our volunteers are also involved in a wide range of other activities from helping to prepare materials, setting up at the pond, cleaning, storing and transporting equipment, performing in the puppet show, and working with students pond-side!
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