Perhaps Monday at 9:30 am was not early enough for Perriyana Clay, the Shedd Aquarium staff and excited parents from Michelle Clark High School. They left the school on a bus through a cold windy day on October 22nd to arrive in Columbus park. Geese flew above, fisherpeople sat by the lake and the world seemed to slow down as the crew gathered by some small tables by the pond.
Left to right, Alvina and Margeree point out fluffy milkweed from a milkweed pod, which serves as a resting place for monarch butterflies. Photo by Ben Cummings.
“The goal was to inspire individuals to become more comfortable with being in nature, while also basking in its beauty,” said Perriyana Clay, the Outreach and Partnerships Manager at Project Exploration. “This event fostered both curiosity and stewardship, reminding us all that learning about nature goes hand-in-hand with protecting it!”
The event was a field trip to the Austin area’s Columbus park for the Parent STEM Academy: a 12-week program to provide parents and guardians the opportunity to engage with activities in the area for a deeper understanding of the world of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), according to their one-pager.
Clay, center, poses for a photo with the group from the Parent STEM Academy’s adventure to Columbus Park in collaboration with the Shedd Aquarium, Project Exploration and the Chicago STEM Pathways Co-operative. Photo by Ben Cummings.
This outing, led by the Shedd Aquarium in collaboration with Project Exploration emerged as part of the Chicago STEM Pathways Co-operative, a collaborative space for institutions to develop STEM programming specifically for local needs.
The group started by sharing and reflecting on their personal experiences with nature–-how it made them feel and what they appreciated about it. Then using nature journals provided by the Shedd, participants recorded their observations during an immersive walk.
Equipped with various observation tools, they captured the essence of their surroundings—from colorful flowers to intriguing bugs—reflecting on the beauty they encountered along the way.
Images: Curiosity and Comfort in Nature
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A close-up of a piece of park observed through a magnifying glass provided by the Shedd aquarium. Photo by Ben Cummings.
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On the nature walk, a pair of male and female ducks could be observed floating on the cool pond. Photo by Ben Cummings.
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A nature journal activity asked parents to engage with the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of their surroundings. Photo by Ben Cummings.
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Geese fly above as participants embark on their nature walk. Photo by Ben Cummings.
The event ended with a park cleanup where items collected were categorized for data to be sent to the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Bottles, trash bags, and the most common form of litter, cigarette buts, according to the Shedd Aquarium Staff were collected.
“This not only deepened their appreciation for nature but also highlighted the delicate ecosystems around them,” said Clay. “Activities such as the park cleanup align with the STEM Co-op’s goal of developing problem-solving skills and encouraging participants to take action.”
Penny, a parent attendee, writes down the data associated with the trash pickup which was sent to the Alliance of Great Lakes. Photo by Ben Cummings.
To learn more about this program reach out to Clay (pclay[at symbol]projectexploration.org), Michelle Clark High School, or the Shedd Aquarium. And stay tuned for more exciting adventures!