Belwin Outdoor Science

1. a.k.a. Valley Branch ELC Belwin Outdoor Science Junior and Senior High School Programs August 30, 2011

2. Outline • About Belwin • Belwin Opportunities for Secondary Classes • Open Dates! • New features • Weather Station (online!) • Phenology • Telescope!

3. Celebrating 40 years! • Changed our name back to Belwin • From VBELC to “Belwin Outdoor Science” • 400,000+ SPPS students since 1971

4. Belwin’s Mission: • Provide meaningful outdoor learning experiences promoting life-long awareness toward the care and respect of our world.

5. Belwin

6. Belwin Outdoor Science • Belwin is a SPPS program • Belwin is FREE to SPPS classes • Belwin will cater to your classroom needs • Belwin is made possible by a partnership between SPPS and Belwin Conservancy.

7. Belwin Conservancy Partnership: • A great deal for SPPS since 1971! • Free land • Free facilities • Free maintenance and utilities • Total contributions ~ $90,000+ in services annually • SPPS only pays for education staff • Thank you to the Belwin Family and Belwin Conservancy

8. 5,000 square foot main classroom building, Additional special education classroom 225+ acres of land Observation Tower Telescope Weather Station 6 miles of trails prairie oak savannas pine forests oak forests ponds and marsh bison! a stream approximately 2 miles is hard surfaced for wheelchairs. Belwin Conservancy Partnership:

9. Belwin Curriculum • MYTH: Belwin is ONLY for 3rd and 5th grade classes • FACT: Every 3rd and 5th grade student visits Belwin, but this leaves many open dates • We offer strong support for writing curriculum catered to your class • Pre and post field trip activities in the classroom are strongly recommended.

10. Belwin CurriculumContinued • For more information on Belwin please visit our website http://belwin.spps.org/

11. Secondary Classes Visiting Belwin Outdoor Science 2011-2012 • Barry Greenwald - Harding Bio. • Kathy Kahn - Como Sr. Bio. • Lisa Houdek - Central APES • Craig Karlen - Central Chemistry • Stephanie Erickson - Washington • Megan Hall - Open H.S. • Jodi Prohaska - Humboldt • And more!

12. FULL DATES (50-60 max) September 8-9 November 3 December 22 (b4 Break) January 4, 2012 (after Break) January 17, 2012 March 5, 2012 April 9, 2012 (b4 MCA testing) April 11, 2012 (MCA testing) April 19-20, 2012 Open Dates! HALF DATES (30 max) • November 12 • November 17 • January 10, 2012 • January 19, 2012 • February 1, 2012 • February 7, 2012 • March 7, 2012 • March 12, 2012 Scheduling for 2012-2013 school year begins April 2, 2012

13. Transportation Tricks… • ONLY cost = Bus = $250 (approx.) • Target Field Trip Grant($700) • Hayden Heights Elementary School • Highwood Hills Elementary School • Museum Magnet School • Paul and Sheila Wellstone Elementary • Phalen Lake Elementary School • Riverview Elementary School • Washington Technology Magnet School

14. Fundraisers • {insert collective groan here} • Chinook Book • $20 coupon book • Environmentally friendly • Dining, grocery, travel, wellness, etc. • You keep $7.50-$10.00 per book • Return unsold books at no cost • 612-455-8380 • fundraise.twincities@ChinookBook.net

15. Students pay for bus • $5 per student • What about students that can’t pay? • Ask them to fund raise. • What about students that don’t pay? • To pay for the bus you could use some science dept. funds (all depends) • You can choose to bring those that don’t pay according to secondary criteria…

16. New Features • Bison • Telescope • Weather Station • Phenology

17. The Bison are Back!

18. Joseph J. Casby Observatory • Largest refracting telescope in MN • You can see stars in the day time • Solar filter (sun spots)

19. Weather Station • Online • Temperature • Precipitation (rain) • Wind speed and direction

20. Phenology

21. Contact Information • Joshua.leonard@spps.org • 651-436-5243 • Belwin.spps.org Belwin Outdoor Science 1553 Stagecoach Trail S Afton, MN 55001