Immersing Children in Nature: Ozark Natural Science Center
First posted on 03-31-2010
This is the first of three articles about the Center.
More photos of Ozark Natural Science Center are in the gallery.
Imagine a classroom without walls, held almost entirely outdoors in some of the most serene and beautiful country in Madison County, Arkansas. An intense, participative learning environment where trail hikes, campfire talks and opportunities to become citizen scientists are the daily norm. Every day brings the chance to observe, ask questions, listen and find wonder.
Now imagine yourself as a 5th grader and actually having a chance to experience just such a learning adventure. For thousands of students each year in northwest Arkansas and parts of Oklahoma, this isn’t a dream.
The Ozark Natural Science Center (ONSC) deep in the Bear Hollow Natural Area near Forum, Arkansas offers exactly this kind of atmosphere for learning. ONSC offers children a chance to truly explore nature during a two or three day immersion into the outdoors. Students spend the bulk of their daylight hours along the eight miles of trails on ONSC property and their evenings in classrooms where they 
can choose from several topics offered.
And there is time each evening to gather around the campfire, sharing what was learned that day, telling a few stories about experiences and enjoying some camaraderie. According to the Center’s assistant director, Jason Kindall, “Ninety percent of the students who come here have never participated in or even seen a campfire.” In a sense, ONSC is trying to restore some of those traditions that are in danger of becoming lost.
Instructors even use lunch breaks as a learning experience. “Take what you’ll eat and eat what you take” is the motto. Scraps are collected, measured and composted. And it is impressive to see how quickly the field instructors grab the attention of a cafeteria filled with 5th grade students. A hand held high was enough to instantly silence the group of noisy students, and this on their first day in camp.
Kindall described the teaching method as Socratic. “Students learn by observing, discussing, questioning,” he said. “We dwell on positives and talk about conservation, how the students can be a part of that.”
Ozark Natural Science Center is situated on nearly 500 acres in the middle of the 15,000 acre McIlroy Madison County Wildlife Management Area owned by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The Center began operations in 1991 and has been offering school programs since 1994.
One of only a few dozen such residential programs in the nation aimed at introducing school-aged children to the wonders of the outdoors, ONSC is well supervised. All the field instructors are college degreed and most have several years experience at ONSC. One instructor has been teaching at the Center for over eight years.
For safety and security, instructors remain on-site night and day when student groups are present. So do the teachers and adult supervisors from each participating school. Students bunk in one of the Center’s three lodges, each of which is well maintained. The lodges, like all the buildings on the property, blend in well with the natural surroundings.
The entire experience is designed to propel young minds into thinking about how nature works, and their own roles in observing and respecting the world outside. Opportunities to track turtles, study frogs and become more deeply involved in ecological activities are among the programs that can be selected. Students are constantly encouraged to listen and observe as an integral part of the entire process.
While most of the programs are built around a two day, one night stay at ONSC, schools often customize programs. By far, most of the school events are aimed at 5th grade students, but groups of junior high school children also attend annually. Kindall said that some schools have 4th grade students conduct fund raisers to help pay the cost of attendance when they attend ONSC as 5th graders. He said it helps build the level of enthusiasm.
Not that these students need much encouragement. Armed with detailed field manuals to help identify flora and fauna, the group was eager to hit the trails. Hikes are not merely a point and explain type activity. Students participate by stopping to listen and look, identifying birds by their calls, trees by their bark and leaves, and answering questions posed by field instructors.
School programs are offered throughout the year and make up the bulk of ONSCs schedule. Beyond these, classes like naturalist programs, art in nature, field expeditions, caving and canoeing are presented for students from age 8 through 17. A “Dads in the Woods” program is also available in June for family activity.
Unique outdoor adventures, a complete program taught by well informed instructors, a tranquil setting and enthusiastic children. Leaves little wonder why school systems in northwest Arkansas have chosen to make the Ozark Natural Science Center experience available for the students year after year.
Explore Ozark Natural Science Center for yourself with their web page at http://onsc.us .
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Comments:
Awesome!
We would like to run this article in our weekly newspaper. We cover two Arkansas counties and five in Missouri and this would be of great interest to many of our readers.
Thank you, Sydnee. ONSC is an amazing place, their programs are inspiring, and the leadership is strong. I hope even more schools in the Ozarks will have an opportunity to participate.
Excellent article, and excellent program. My hat is off to ONSC.