K-12 Education at the Environmental Learning Center
The John Inskeep Environmental Learning Center (ELC) is a place where all ages can learn about the environment through hands-on, interactive activities that are both educational and fun!
We offer K-12 class field trips, day camps and a pre-school program - all designed to enrich student learning through outdoor education. Students get to explore, interact with, measure and create within the lush outdoor surroundings of the ELC, which contains both forest and wetland habitat.
For more information about opportunities, contact ELCfieldtrip@clackamas.edu.
Children attending ELC programs are expected to follow Oregon's immunization policy. Please visit the Oregon Health Authority for more information.
ELC programs for kids
Thanks to support from Clackamas Water Environment Services, the City of Gladstone, and Oak Lodge Water Services, these livestream episodes are available to all.
What: Join us virtually, as one of our instructors leads you on an exploration of a specific aspect of the ELC watershed habitat.
We would love to take comments and questions from you or your students during the programs (if your school allows online interaction)!
Join us on Zoom, or view a recording at your convenience. Using Google Meets? No problem. We have instructions for sharing a Zoom screen through Google Meets.
When: Every Tuesday (ten episodes total), April 5-June 7, 2022. Attending all episodes is not required.
WETLAND WILDLIFE
- When: 10-10:20 a.m.
- Grades: K-3
WILDLIFE IN THE WATERSHED
- When: 10:30-10:50 a.m.
- Grades: 4-5
Register for Wildlife in the Watershed
Schedule:
- April 5: Meet the Mallards
- April 12: Beavers: Nature's Builders
- April 19: Rockin' Raccoons
- April 26: Hurray for Herons!
- May 3: Sleuthing Out Salamanders
- May 10: Coyote- Your Wildlife Neighbor
- May 17: Give a Hoot for Owls!
- May 24: Fun With Frogs
- May 31: Fantastic Foxes
- June 7: Darting Dragonflies
We are happy to welcome school children back to the Environmental Learning Center!
This spring, we are offering two field trips that will immerse your students in discovering and exploring the beautiful wetland ecosystem. Classes align with NGSS standards that cover watershed health, ecosystems, adaptation, biodiversity and the impact of human activity. Students can explore, interact and create within the lush outdoor surroundings of the ELC.
PREPARE TO GET DUCKY! EXPLORING WETLAND HABITATS
- Grades: K-2
- 9:30-11:30 a.m.
HEALTHY WATERSHEDS: HOW DO WE GET THERE?
- Grades: 3-5
- 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Cost
- $8/student (minimum $160/group)
- Free for schools located in supported districts
Scheduling a field trip
- Each group may have up to 30 students
- Select a date on the registration page
- Choose your field trip option
These programs are available to all, but thanks to support from Clackamas Water Environment Services, the City of Gladstone, and Oak Lodge Water Services, we are able to offer these watershed health field trips for free to schools located within their districts (see our Supported Schools list).
The ELC follows COVID-19 policies set forth by Clackamas Community College. There are a limited number of field trips available this spring and are available on a first-come basis.
For more information, contact Sarah Bidwell at sarah.bidwell@clackamas.edu.
The ELC's Nature Spy Explorer Kits are sent right to your door in time for spring break fun, and have all the supplies your budding naturalist will need to learn, create and play. Kits are designed for children ages 4-8 (we hear that older children enjoy them too!).
The kit includes:
- Easy to follow instructions
- Materials for creating TWO nature-themed crafts
- Nature journal page with fun facts
- Activities to keep them exploring all week long
- A spring storybook
Cost:
- $50 (includes shipping)
- Scholarship pricing is available - select the "Request a Scholarship" ticket
Shipping:
- Kits are available for pre-order now!
- Shipping date: March 17
If you have questions, email Jill Sorber at jill.sorber@clackamas.edu.
SUMMER CAMP WILD ADVENTURES: NATURE ON THE MOVE!
- When: July 11-14, 2022, 9 a.m.-noon
- Grades: 1-3
- Cost: $150
With nature as our playground, campers will embark on an adventure of discovery! Hands-on activities, exploration and nature-based play will engage campers in discovering the wonder and beauty of the natural world that surrounds us.
Each day will focus on a different group of plants or animals, from squirrels to birds, to creepy-crawly creatures in the soil. Activities include scavenger hunts, building and observing a pit-fall trap to catch insects on the ground, practicing animal yoga and even painting with mud. We’ll be in the outdoors, so dress accordingly.
A limited number of scholarships are available.
Please email Sarah Bidwell, sarah.bidwell@clackamas.edu for more information.
Nature Striders is the Environmental Learning Center’s preschool program for ages 2-5 years. This program will give you and your little one a chance to explore nature together, through activities like story time, crafts and walks in the forest and wetland habitats. Each session includes both indoor and outdoor activities, so be sure to dress for the weather! Snacks are provided.
Who: Ages 2-5 and their caregivers
When: June 22-23, 10-11:30 a.m.
Where: Environmental Learning Center at the Oregon City campus
What: The Salamander Room. Join naturalist and educator Sarah Bidwell in learning about our amphibian friends, the salamanders. After exploring our wetland area for salamanders, we'll create our own salamander "room."
Cost: The program is free thanks to generous funding from Oregon City Public Works.
To sign up, email Sarah Bidwell at sarah.bidwell@clackamas.edu.
We are excited to offer virtual field trips for educators thanks to support from Clackamas Water Environment Services, the city of Gladstone and Oak Lodge Water Services!
WATER IS LIFE
Grades: K-2
Description: Every drop of water around us could ultimately be linked to the life-sustaining waters in our rivers. In this engaging virtual field trip, students will explore the wetland and surrounding forest at the Environmental Learning Center. They will explore aquatic life, the movement of water in the ecosystem and the concept that healthy water supports life everywhere.
WELCOME TO THE WATERSHED
Grades: 3-5
Description: Watersheds are home to lots of animals, plants and waterways that are connected to each other in interesting ways. In this field trip, students will learn about how trees and other plants provide food, shelter, and places for animals to raise their young, and the special role that wetlands play in cleaning the water. They will also explore what it means for water to be healthy and how to give water a health check-up.
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ELC K-12 event updates
Clackamas Community College is closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) and continues to follow the guidance of the Oregon Health Authority, Clackamas County Public Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As restrictions are lifted at the college, we are excited to bring students, teachers, and families back to the ELC for programming and events. School field trips are scheduled to return this spring. Check the website for date announcements, as we will update information as it becomes available.