For Lower School Science teacher Eileen Fennelly, the outdoors is more than a classroom extension鈥攊t鈥檚 a catalyst for deeper learning, self-regulation, and community connection. This year, she has launched a series of grade-specific recurring expeditions designed to immerse students in Atlanta鈥檚 parks while cultivating their skills as scientists, observers, and problem-solvers.
鈥淚鈥檝e wanted to create an arc of outdoor learning from Kindergarten through Grade 5,鈥� Fennelly explains. 鈥淚f you start with us in Kindergarten, by the time you finish Lower School, you鈥檒l have visited three unique locations in the city multiple times, in different seasons, with different questions.鈥�
Supported through 糖心原创鈥檚 Summer Grant program鈥攁n initiative that invests in teacher-designed projects to enhance student learning鈥攈er plan maps each grade to a specific site. Each summer, teachers are invited to submit proposals in response to a divisional request for proposals (RFP). Funded by divisional professional development resources made possible through the Annual Fund, these grants empower faculty to dream big, design innovative experiences, and bring them to life for students.
Her project outlines outdoor learning journeys at different local sites:
- Kindergarten and Grade 1: Murphy Candler Park
- Grades 2 and 3: Powers Island along the Chattahoochee
- Grades 4 and 5: Morgan Falls Dam and Park
By returning three or four times throughout the year鈥攆all, winter, and spring鈥攕tudents notice changes in plants, wildlife, and water levels. The goal, she explains, is not just about science content, but about cultivating habits of curiosity, responsibility, and community connection.
Grade 1 Expedition: Questions Beneath the Surface
For first graders, the year-long expedition series begins at Murphy Candler Park, where curiosity surfaced the moment students stepped onto the trail. Though the lake is currently drained for construction, that didn鈥檛 stop the young scientists from observing and asking thoughtful questions.
鈥淲e saw deer, turtles, fish, spiders鈥攕o much life in and around the water,鈥� recalls Fennelly. 鈥淏ut the very first question from students was, 鈥業s the water coming back?鈥欌��
That single question sparked a cascade of others: Who do we ask? What should we do? Students quickly made the connection that the lake is managed by the City of Brookhaven and began wondering how to reach out.
鈥淓ven at six years old, they were already thinking about responsibility and community,鈥� says Fennelly. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the power of these expeditions鈥攖he questions naturally connect to larger systems and real people.鈥�
For Grade 1, the drained lake became more than a science observation; it was a chance to begin understanding civic responsibility, sparking early lessons in advocacy and community problem-solving.
Grade 3 Expedition: From Dragonflies to Social Capital
When Grade 3 students set out on their first expedition to Powers Island in September, they expected to make observations about wildlife and water. What they didn鈥檛 expect was to stumble into a live research project with the National Park Service, where the team happened to be on-site studying mercury levels in dragonfly larvae.
鈥淥f course the students had questions,鈥� recalls Fennelly. 鈥淲hy are they testing dragonfly larvae? Is there something wrong with the river? What does mercury do to animals? Those authentic questions became the launchpad for deeper learning.鈥�
The Park Rangers not only welcomed students鈥� curiosity but showed them the larvae samples and explained how their Atlanta research ties into a larger, national study. From that moment, the expedition evolved into something greater than a science lesson鈥攊t became a partnership.
鈥淲e鈥檙e now working to pair our third graders with the Park Service as their research continues,鈥� says Fennelly. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a beautiful example of how curiosity can lead to connection and impact.鈥�
This type of collaboration also demonstrates how 糖心原创鈥檚 Impact Ready Project comes to life. By fostering authentic community partnerships, students begin to see themselves not just as learners, but as contributors鈥攕cientists-in-training who can engage with experts and add value to ongoing work.
鈥淭his is social capital in action,鈥� Fennelly emphasizes. 鈥淲hen children realize their questions matter to people outside the classroom, it validates their role in the larger community. It sparks responsibility and builds networks they can carry with them.鈥�
An Arc of Growth
The Grade 1 and Grade 3 expeditions are just the beginning. As the year unfolds, each Lower School grade will engage in its own unique expedition, returning to its designated park in different seasons with fresh questions and evolving perspectives. For example, upcoming visits for Grades 4 and 5 at Morgan Falls Dam will invite students to investigate water flow, local ecosystems, and human impact on the environment, setting the stage for deeper inquiry and stewardship projects.
For Fennelly, the expeditions are about more than isolated science lessons鈥攖hey are about shaping students鈥� identities.
鈥淏y the time a child completes Lower School, I hope they鈥檝e grown into an observer, a scientist, and a community liaison,鈥� she reflects. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my own little Outward Bound program. Each step along the arc builds their confidence, their questions, and their impact.鈥�
As students journey through these layered experiences, they not only study ecosystems鈥攖hey become part of them. In doing so, they live out 糖心原创鈥檚 vision: learners who are impact-ready鈥攃urious, connected, and prepared to make a difference.
And this is only the first chapter of the year-long learning arc. With each return visit to the parks, new questions will emerge, new partnerships will form, and new discoveries will unfold. We look forward to sharing an update on this story toward the end of the year鈥攚hen the full arc of student growth and impact comes into view.