OUTDOOR EDUCATION AT CARVER
OUTDOOR EDUCATION AT CARVER
Kari Wilcher, Outdoor Educator: kwilcher@bryan.k12.ga.us
At Carver Elementary, we cultivate curiosity, connection, and care for the natural world by engaging every 4th and 5th grader in student-centered, place-based Outdoor Education. Rooted in the diverse coastal ecosystems of Bryan County, our program empowers students to ask questions, explore local phenomena, and conduct authentic research that supports the health of the Ogeechee River Basin. Through hands-on field investigations, unstructured nature play, and community science, students develop scientific habits of mind, social-emotional resilience, and a lifelong sense of environmental stewardship. Our goal is to cultivate nurturing connections to nature—inviting every child to explore, wonder, and learn alongside local ecosystems—while guiding them to become thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and changemakers devoted to stewardship of themselves, their community, and the environment.
The Master Plan includes lesson plans, methods, projects, and curriculum.
Our Outdoor Education program meets and exceeds best practices.
We earned the 2024-2025 National Wildlife Federation EcoSchools Green Flag Award. Visit our portfolio to view our 11 projects that earned us 150 points including meeting our Action Team, learn our school's EcoCode, and see how students worked to increase biodiversity on our school campus.
Dr GW Carver Elementary Biological Survey
What Lives at Carver and How Can We Care For It?
The mission of Carver Elementary’s Biological Survey project is to document the richness and distribution of biodiversity across our 50-acre campus—including the forest, swamp, bioswale, wetland, and gardens. By building this living inventory, our students establish baseline levels of biodiversity that can be tracked and compared over time. Already, Carver students have documented hundreds of species across major groups such as plants, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Monitoring the biodiversity of our schoolyard helps us better understand and care for our habitats, guides stewardship decisions, and ensures that future campus activities or development minimize impacts to the wildlife and ecosystems that call Carver home.
At the heart of Carver’s Outdoor Education Program is a deep commitment to biodiversity documentation and species literacy. Our students don’t just learn about ecosystems—they engage in the real work of field ecology: observing, identifying, and documenting the rich diversity of life on our campus.
Using the iNaturalist app, Carver students contribute authentic species observations to global research platforms. Over the course of a school year, students participate in BioBlitzes, conduct seasonal surveys, and submit field data on all living things—building a living biodiversity baseline for our region. These observations not only support our own learning, but are shared with partners including Georgia Southern University’s Freshwater Ecology Lab, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
This focus reflects the call of E.O. Wilson, who argued that:
“Biodiversity is our most valuable but least appreciated resource.” – E.O. Wilson
By fostering careful observation, reverence for life, and real-world scientific contributions, Carver aligns with the Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), which emphasizes the importance of:
Monitoring high-priority species and habitats
Engaging the public in citizen science and conservation
Protecting Georgia’s unique coastal plain biodiversity through education and habitat restoration
Our documentation efforts support these goals by providing locally specific, student-collected data on key species like the amphiuma, crayfish, and southeastern pollinators.
Carver Elementary’s Principal’s Impact Statement
At Carver Elementary, Outdoor Education is more than an initiative—it’s a vital part of who we are. It shapes the way we teach, how our students learn, and how we grow together as a school community. Through our commitment to place-based learning and environmental literacy, we have seen measurable gains in academics, behavior, and school culture.
After just one year of implementing our schoolwide Outdoor Education initiative aligned with the EcoSchools framework, our 5th grade science scores improved by 18%. Students engage deeply with NGSS-aligned content by using the natural environment as a living classroom. They participate in real-world investigations, contribute to citizen science projects like iNaturalist and the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, and apply scientific reasoning to explore local ecosystems. Their ability to collect data, analyze findings, and understand complex environmental systems has grown significantly.
Outdoor learning has also led to positive shifts in student behavior. Office referrals have decreased, and teachers report increased focus, cooperation, and self-regulation following time spent outdoors. For many students, especially those who struggle in traditional settings, nature has opened doors to success through exploration, movement, and hands-on learning.
Most importantly, our students have developed a strong and lasting connection to nature and a clear sense of stewardship. They take pride in documenting and protecting the biodiversity of our campus—home to over 240 documented species. They confidently identify local flora and fauna, advocate for sustainable practices, and engage in meaningful conversations about conservation, pollution, and habitat preservation. Stewardship is not just something they are learning—it is something they live.
Our pursuit of EcoSchools Green Flag certification reflects our deep belief that environmental education is essential to preparing thoughtful, informed, and compassionate leaders. At Carver Elementary, we are proud of the transformation we’ve seen and the stewards we are raising—one outdoor experience at a time.
Karen Smith, Principal
Dr. George Washington Carver Elementary
THE MISSION OF CARVER’S OUTDOOR EDUCATION PROGRAM
Nurturing Stewardship and Conservation through Curiosity, Creativity, and Community
Nestled in the Ogeechee River Basin on Georgia’s coast, G.W. Carver Upper Elementary’s Outdoor Education Program provides all 675 fourth and fifth grade students with 45-minute immersive outdoor learning experiences grounded in place-based, student-centered exploration. Rooted in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for science, our curriculum nurtures scientific habits of mind, authentic inquiry, and lifelong environmental stewardship. Carver is a 2025 National Wildlife Federation EcoSchools Green Flag Certified School.
Our program is deeply aligned with the North American Conservation Education Strategy (AFWA), the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence, and the Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan, ensuring students develop environmental literacy through real-world investigation and action. These frameworks guide our commitment to equity, cultural relevance, and community-connected environmental learning.
Learning at Carver is driven by student curiosity and local natural phenomena. From the freshwater wetlands of our bioswale to the coastal pine forests that surround our school, students conduct field-based investigations using professional tools and scientific protocols. Their work contributes to ongoing citizen science and long-term biodiversity monitoring projects, with data shared through platforms like iNaturalist and Adopt-a-Stream.
But science isn’t the only outcome. Through sit spots, nature journaling, unstructured exploration, and outdoor recreation (like compass navigation, casting, and shelter building), students build resilience, self-awareness, and joy. We intentionally incorporate risky play, mindfulness, and team-building to support the whole child—socially, emotionally, and physically.
Our students aren’t just learners—they’re naturalists, changemakers, and caretakers of the ecosystems they study. Whether identifying invasive plants, engineering rain garden solutions, or advocating for wildlife protections, Carver students connect learning to real impact. These efforts support our school's goal of earning the EcoSchools USA Green Flag Certification, and reflect our belief that youth should have a voice in shaping a sustainable future.
We are committed to equitable, inclusive access to outdoor learning. Every student, regardless of background or learning need, has the opportunity to experience the wonder of nature and see themselves as part of it. Carver’s Outdoor Education Program is a transformational learning environment where joy, wonder, inquiry, and stewardship guide students toward a deeper understanding of themselves, their community, and the world.
"If students are to understand how professional scientists function in their workplaces, they must have the opportunity for hands-on experience in the forests, wetlands, coastal regions, and watersheds in which scientists conduct research." -AFWA, The North American Conservation Education Strategy: State Science Standards and K-12 Field Science Practice
“The most powerful science learning takes place when students observe, explore, and investigate their own schoolyard ecosystems.”-NSTA – Outdoor Science Instruction: Making It Work