Farewell to "Teacher Loki" and good luck as you venture into a new role at PP&R!

Environmental Education's GRUNT Program (which stands for Greenspace Restoration & Urban Naturalist Team) is a volunteer environmental science and job skills program that connects youth to nature and environmental careers. Launched in 2008, the program has maintained a goal of helping teens in underserved parts of the city gain access to nature, learn real science, & build skills in job readiness. One of our beloved naturalists, "Teacher Loki" (a.k.a. Jason) took part in the GRUNT program its pilot year. Since then he's been working his way up in leadership in our summer program, honing his skills as a naturalist, and becoming an integral part of our preschool nature program. Our goal for Jason, like all of our GRUNT participants, was to move him forward in his career. We were elated to hear that "Teacher Loki" had been offered a job at Southwest Community Center's Sprout Academy preschool program! Yes, we are super sad to lose him, but we know we are sending on a confident & capable naturalist to teach young children about nature. Congratulations, Teacher Loki!

According to research, "Children who play regularly in natural environments show more advanced motor fitness-- including coordination, balance & agility, and they are sick less often." (Grahn, et al. 1997, Fjortoft & Sageie 2001) Additionally, "their play is more diverse, with imaginative and creative play that fosters language and collaborative skills." (Moore & Wong 1997, Taylor, et al. 1998, Fjortoft 2000)

Lil Nature Families Classes are play-based, hands-on classes where parents & children learn ecology together in natural areas. Lil Nature Families locations for October: Forest Park, Leach Botanical Garden

When children and families are ready for a new level of indepedance, we offer preschool & youth drop-off programs! At Lil Nature Kids, our naturalists build unique relationships with the children (and are entertained by them every day!) Locations for Oct/Nov: Laurelhurst Park, Mt Tabor Park, Irving Park

Eco-Recess combines science, math & technology with nature connection & outdoor play!

We are excited this month to kick off our after-school class, Eco-Recess, for 6-9 yr olds. In our second season of partnering with PBS's Plum Landing online program, the EDC, and RxPlay, we are excited to offer weekly after-school science lessons about the world around us that are active, outdoors and led by dedicated naturalists. Classes are one afternoon a week, and run for 4 weeks. Peninsula Park has just one space remaining, but our class at EPCC (Outer Southeast Portland) meets on Thursday afternoons and still has lots of space! First class is October 13! See the web page for class details!

Notes from the Naturalist...

Curiosity - can we teach it? As an environmental educator primarily working with children & youth (as well as hiring all the great people who might teach them), I find myself often pondering this question. 

Can I actually teach a child or a teen or a new staff person to become curious about nature? Or is it a trait that is inherent in us? Is it present in some more than others? 

As I contemplated, I started to do some reading about curiosity, and in all honesty, I found that some of my questions are unanswerable. Curiosity - as a human trait - is still mysterious to many psychologists. We don't require curiosity, like we do food and water and shelter. And yet, we seem to have an instinctual urge to gain information we don't really need. Some camps of psychology claim that curiosity is a drive within us - an urge that longs to be satisfied. Other camps claim that curiosity comes when we are suddenly observing a situation that is incongruent with our own understanding. Some moments of curiosity are evoked by an external situation, while other moments that grab our undivided attention seem to be linked to our genes, and are greater in some more than others. One study even showed how curiosity is tied to a release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, also known as "the feel good chemical." 

Regardless of how we might explain curiosity, one thing remains true: As humans, we have an instinct to know more, and when we pursue the unexplainable and the questionable, it gives us pleasure and consequently, a new understanding. 

I find it completely logical that I ended up in Environmental Education. Most days, I can hardly quell my curiosity of nature and how the world works. I find beauty in the mundane work of ants and the multiple colors in a fall leaf. My desire to understand drives my ability to ask questions, and my "feel good" excitement drives my yearning to bring others along on the journey. Are you game? Come along and be curious!

Read more about curiosity and how it works! 

Chrissy Larson, Coordinator for Environmental Education