The typical daily schedule at Nature's Classroom consists of a morning Field Group experience, two afternoon Special Interest class periods, and an evening activity. Meals and an evening snack are provided, and to close each day a Quiet Sing and Story presentation is made.

OBJECTIVES AND STUDENTS' EXPERIENCE Nature's Classroom is a unique educational program in that it teaches students the utilization of science, math, social science, and language arts skills within a natural environment. The staff strive to impart knowledge and excite and motivate students to personally seek after knowledge. With this attitude, students are more willing to take on the risk of learning when they return to the classroom. Another unique aspect of Nature's Classroom is that it provides an experience in every part of living. The students first learn to tolerate each other and, gradually, how to appreciate the individuality and uniqueness of each other. They see their classroom teacher as a person and a friend in the learning process. They perceive the class as a team, with each member a valuable part of the unit. Together, they return to the classroom united through this shared experience to achieve the common goal of the pursuit of knowledge.

STAFF AND VISITING TEACHERS' EXPERIENCE The teaching personnel at Nature's Classroom are from various parts of the United States and the world. They have various Masters and Baccalaureate degrees and a genuine love of children. They instruct on a ratio of one to twelve or less. Nature's Classroom teachers lead field groups and conduct afternoon academic classes. They help control tables at meal times, lead songs, tell stories, and make announcements at the meal times. The opportunity is provided for the visiting teachers to observe their students in a new setting and to choose the amount of interaction they wish with Nature's Classroom teachers and the students. The primarily responsibility of the visiting teacher is that of cabin/ dormitory coverage; visiting teachers also provide three, one hour free time activities. Between visiting teacher/chaperone and Nature's Classroom staff coverage, the students are provided with 24-hour adult supervision.

FIELD GROUP ACTIVITIES The goal of the field group is for the student to understand and recognize the concept of dynamic equilibrium (constant upsetting influences being re-adjusted to maintain balance) in the natural world, in social interactions, and within him/herself. Each child is assigned by the classroom teacher to a field group with a single Nature's Classroom teacher. They focus on concepts and themes and their connection to the total life support system as they explore the natural environment. The group serves to benefit the individual, just as the individual benefits the group as they excite each other to the wonders of learning. The emphasis for the field group is cognitive learning and social dynamics.

MEALS Meals provide a chance to interact and share experiences with others. Field group, classes, and other activities provide enough diversity for comparisons in conversations, and excitement about different activities is conveyed. To be of service to the community, students take on the responsibility of helping as waiters.

LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES The large group is the focus of the Nature's Classroom program. What happens in the smaller units (field groups, academic classes) is shared during meals, free- time, cabin time, and other times through-out the day. What the students learn in the smaller units, especially in relation to community awareness and group cohesiveness, is applied in many large group activities, and visa versa. The first activity that occurs at the site is the unloading of luggage. Getting their luggage from the bus to a destination near the cabins or dormitories is done by the formation of a "luggage line." The students pass the luggage from one person to the next until it reaches its final destination. This is an immediate and effective way to demonstrate division of labor, and an opportunity to remind students to treat others belongings as the student would want his/hers to be treated... the "Golden Rule" in action.

NEW GAMES New Games, cooperative games for large groups, are played at Nature's Classroom. These active games have two objectives; to provide an opportunity for large group problem- solving and to facilitate large group cooperation and cohesiveness.

EVENING ACTIVITIES Evening activities are, at least in part, large group activities: historical simulations, global and social consciousness experiences, explorations of the night, and team building. Visiting teachers can elect from a list of activities so as to determine which activity may best suit the goals they have made for their group. A snack is served, followed by a group quiet sing or storytelling, to end each day. It is a time of reflection, sharing the day's activities, and bringing the group together with a story and song.

Historical simulations provide the students the opportunity to role-play the parts of slaves escaping with a conductor along the Underground Railroad, or become Puritans at the Salem Witch Trials. Alpha-Beta and Albatross are activities which allow the students to experience a foreign culture and learn firsthand how preconceptions and our own expectations of social behavior may color our views of others. The Night Hike, with its focus on vision and astronomy, helps students to overcome some of their fears of the dark and learn about the fascinating nocturnal world. Working with the Nature's Classroom Program Coordinator, schools can select from these activities and many more, which best suit the goals they have for their students.

COMMUNITY AT NATURE'S CLASSROOM By living and learning together for a week at Nature's Classroom, students develop a sense of community, a confidence in themselves, and an appreciation for others that they take home with them to their individual classrooms.