Pike County Elementary School students and teachers love to be outside and they are working toward having a new outside learning space available for students.
“Even in the Dog Days of August and in the May heat, our kids will want to go outside,” said science teacher Mandi Wood. “Now imagine PCES had a ‘naturally constructed’ area, where even on those hot GA days, the shade made the temperature 10-15 degrees cooler. Where you ask? Our Biggest Little Nature Trail! By clearing and creating roaming pathways, our students can observe and record live action curriculum. Our STEAM, Science, Art, Challenge and AG teacher lessons include outside observation times for most activities in our pollinator garden. By adding a nature trail, our students can research for native and invasive plants, wildlife needs such as food and shelter and bird ID activities while learning in an outdoor classroom that changes daily. Memorial totem poles will also be installed through the trail. Working with community members, we will design and construct needed seating areas and landscape the trail for safe access.”
PCES students, along with the local Pike UGA extension agent will help label and identify native plants along the trail. DNR will also help to decide the best locations for bird feeders, owl boxes and butterfly puddlers.
Phase 1 of the project involved goats who helped eat away years of kudzu, privet and honeysuckle that covered an entrance to what will soon connect to the high school’s cross country trail and Jacob’s Way, a 5K trail created in honor of the late Jacob Woerner.
“The Lawrence’s Goatscapes provides adorable goats to do what they do best … eat! In the few days, we had Jim and crew, they cleared the way for our trail,” said Wood. “Full of personality and kudzu, they had lots of visitors to the work site. We think Buddy’s Trail will be a spectacular addition to our PCES campus.”
Contact Pike County Elementary School to help with the project by emailing info@pike.k12.ga.us or by calling 770-567-4444.
Contact Angela Lawrence at Goatscapes for goat availability at 770-307-8027.
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