Clarke Central High School Science Instructional Coach Katie Green conducts an experiment in Room 173 on March 30, 2023. Green helped to organize a field trip for Environmental Science students on Feb. 27 at the University of Georgia State Botanical Gardens. “(The students will) be doing biodiversity sampling in the woods. They will lay out a 1-by-1 meter grid and count the number of living things there, as (an) part of their biodiversity unit,” Green said. Photo by Aza Khan
On Feb. 27, CCHS students taking environmental science classes will have the opportunity to go on a field trip to the University of Georgia State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Clarke Central High School students enrolled in advanced and on level environmental science classes will go on the University of Georgia State Botanical Gardens Eco-Health field trip on Feb. 27.
The trip will take place during the first half of the school day and is focused around biodiversity, the unit CCHS environmental science classes are about to begin. Students will have the opportunity to inspect the overall health of the Botanical Gardens’ ecosystem by collecting and comparing plant and animal diversity and the soil quality at several points throughout the forest trails.
“I think it’s (a) really important way for kids to learn. It takes place in the environment. If you only learn about it inside, then you’re missing a big part of environmental science,” CCHS Science Instructional Coach Katie Green said. “I really try to push these field trips because it’s nice for students to be able to get outside and actually do some of the skills that environmental scientists use, like sampling.”
Students had to submit a permission slip and pay a fee of $5 by Feb. 21 to attend the trip. Only the first 60 students who turned in the required materials were permitted to participate. CCHS sophomore Oscar Justus was one of them.
“I like hands-on learning because it’s always fun,” Justus said. “I’m looking forward to applying my knowledge in a very real learning environment.”
“I really try to push these field trips because it’s nice for students to be able to get outside and actually do some of the skills that environmental scientists use, like sampling.”
— Katie Green,
CCHS Science Instructional Coach
The event isn’t unprecedented. CCHS has been a designated Green School since the 2023-24 school year for their “exceptional environmental education program,” according to the Athens-Clarke County. To maintain this title, CCHS is required to organize events like the upcoming Eco-Health field trip.
“One of the things that teachers have a hard time doing is organizing their own field trips because you have to communicate with people, find out what date you can go and then book a bus. I try to do that for teachers because otherwise it’s hard for them to get it done, ” Green said. “The Green School group has a lot of suggestions of good field trips that go along with environmental science. (So) I am excited about (this) environmental science field trip.”
