2. I. Introduction and Rationale
The Richmond Public School System currently offers differentiated and pull out
instruction for gifted learners in grades K-8 (Brandon, 2012). This proposal describes a
program plan that calls for the expansion of science activities and authentic learning
experiences available to gifted learners in the Richmond Public School System.
This program plan was developed in response to a needs assessment, which
demonstrated that teachers in the Richmond Public School system believed that science
instruction for gifted learners is in need of improvement. In addition, the needs
assessment determined that the teachers believed that gifted learners had limited
opportunities to explore science and the natural world in an authentic manner. This
program plan attempts to address these needs by creating an Outdoor Learning Center
and an Afterschool Outdoor Gifted Science Enrichment Program at three schools in the
Richmond Public School System. Data will be collected throughout the school year and
at the end of the school year the effects of the enrichment programs will be determined.
This program plan will create three new multiuse facilities that will be useful
learning centers not only for the gifted learners in the afterschool program but also to the
rest of the school community at each school where they are constructed. The gifted
learners in the afterschool program will benefit from eight additional hours per week of
afterschool science instruction as well as the opportunity to attend six additional field
trips over the course of the school year. The effect of this program will be to
dramatically increase gifted student engagement with science and the natural world
resulting in significant improvement in standard measures of academic success.
3. II. Documentation of Needand Description of Proposed Plan
The needs assessment surveyed teachers in the Richmond Public School System.
This needs assessment was hindered by a small sample size which most likely skewed
some of the data. For example, 100% of the respondents were female. The needs
assessment found the 66% of respondents taught in sixth grade, 33% taught in seventh
grade, and 33% taught eighth grade students. The needs assessment found that 33% of
the teachers surveyed taught gifted-identified English students, 33% of the teachers
taught special education, and 33% of the teacher taught art students. The needs
assessment found that 100% of the teachers taught at a public school.
The needs assessment found that a majority of schools represented by the teachers
surveyed were not near bodies of water. For example, 67% of teachers surveyed
indicated that their school was not within walking distance of a pond, lake, or creek,
while 33% indicated that their school was within walking distance of the James River. In
addition, the teachers surveyed indicated that their schools were not near parks or open
spaces: 33% indicated that being near a park or open space was somewhat like their
school, 33% indicated that this condition was somewhat not like their school, and 33%
indicated that this condition was not like their school. This survey data indicates that an
outdoor education program which would be require frequent trips to a park or body of
water would not be practical.
The needs assessment data on teacher attitudes towards outdoor education
indicated interest in outdoor education. The needs assessment found that 33% of teachers
agreed that they believed that outdoor education can help meet their student’s academic
needs, 33% agreed somewhat with this statement, and 33% disagreed somewhat. In
4. addition, the needs assessment determined that the surveyed teachers believed students at
their school would like to learn more about biology and the environments by directly
experiencing the natural world; 33% indicated that this statement described students at
their school, and 67% indicated that this statement somewhat described students at their
school. The needs assessment asked teachers if they believed a new afterschool program
at their school in which students learned to conduct experiments and study the natural
world outside would improve student science performance at their school; 100% agreed
somewhat with this proposal.
While the needs assessment indicated teacher interest in an outdoor education-
based afterschool program, the needs assessment also indicated that opportunities for
students to study the natural world outside were limited. When asked if most students at
their schools had never spent time exploring a forest, 33% of teachers surveyed indicated
that this statement somewhat did not describe their school, 33% of the teachers indicated
this statement did somewhat describe their school, and 33% of the teachers indicated that
this statement described their school. The needs assessment also asked the teachers if
most students at their school had never travelled to the ocean. For this statement 67% of
teachers indicated this statement somewhat described the students at their school and
33% indicated that this statement described the students at their school.
The needs assessment also found that school support for outdoor education and
science education in general at their schools were in need of improvement. When asked
if their schools had adequate extracurricular opportunities that allowed gifted students to
study science outside of the classroom only 33% of teachers agreed that this statement
described their school, while 67% of teachers felt that this statement did not describe
5. their school. When asked if their schools had afterschool programs designed for gifted
science enrichment for gifted students only 33% agreed somewhat that their school had
this program, while 67% did not agree at all that their school had this program. The
needs assessment found low levels of school support for gifted science education in the
form of field trips directly related to science education: 33% of the teachers indicated
that the school did have such field trips, while 67% indicated that their schools did not.
Finally the teachers surveyed recognized a need to improve science performance
outcomes at their schools, with 33% agreeing this need exists and 67% somewhat
agreeing this need exists.
The needs assessment revealed that teachers were interested in providing more
outdoor science education opportunities for their students and that the teachers surveyed
believed student science outcomes needed to improve. However, the needs assessment
also demonstrated that school support for gifted outdoor science enrichment was limited.
The needs assessment indicated that an outdoor education based afterschool science
enrichment program could fill a need for improved student performance and engagement
with science and the natural world.
III. ResearchReview
Gifted-identified students who are studying science derive a variety of benefits
from outdoor education. These benefits become apparent through the linkage of
environmental action and environmental education. Environmental action may be seen as
an educational approach. In this context environmental action does not focus on
modifying specific behaviors like recycling or water conservation, rather it “engages
6. youth in planning and taking action on environmental issues they find relevant” (Schusler
& Krasny, 2010).
Environmental action implemented in the context of environmental education
fosters decision-making and citizenship skills (Schusler & Krasny, 2010). A potential
benefit of environmental education is the promotion of students’ physical, intellectual,
psychological, and social wellbeing (Schusler & Krasny, 2010). Physical developmental
benefits include healthy habits such as nutrition and fitness and health risk management
(Schusler & Krasny, 2010). Intellectual developmental benefits include content
knowledge, job preparation, learning the value of hard work, and vocational skills
(Schusler & Krasny, 2010). Psychological and emotional developmental benefits include
positive self-regard, emotional self-regulation, confidence in personal efficacy, and a
sense of personal autonomy and responsibility (Schusler & Krasny, 2010). Social
developmental benefits include connectedness, and commitment to civic engagement
(Schusler & Krasny, 2010). Schusler & Krasny (2010) identified nine major themes in
which to categorize the benefits of environmental education, including “creating safe
spaces, providing structure, building relationships, bridging differences, setting
expectations, providing opportunities for meaningful contribution, supporting youth,
connecting youth with their community, and expanding horizons.”
The benefits of outdoor educational experiences may be further understood in
terms of the student’s interaction with the environment. Three main groups of
conceptions regarding the relationship of the individual to his or her environment have
been developed: egocentric, guardianship, and ecocentric (Palmberg & Kuru, 2000). In
the egocentric conception, individuals are concerned about their own health, safety, and
7. quality of life (Palmberg & Kuru, 2000). In the guardianship conception, individuals
are concerned about the future of their children and the survival of the Earth (Palmberg &
Kuru, 2000). In the ecocentric conception, individuals view humanity as an equal or
interdependent part of the environment (Palmberg & Kuru, 2000). The purpose of
outdoor educational activities “is to give pupils out-of-classroom education experiences
involving direct contact with various environments” (Palmberg & Kuru, 2000).
Outdoor educational experiences provide learning opportunities for gifted learners
that traditional educational experiences do not adequately provide. This problem is most
apparent in traditional science education. Traditional science teaching methods consist of
teacher directed instruction, rote memorization or facts, and provide little opportunity to
move around the room (Pfouts & Schultz, 2003). Outdoor education provides gifted
learners with the opportunity to access science concepts and principles by directly
interacting with materials, objects, and situations related to the science curriculum
(Pfouts & Schultz, 2003). Outdoor education gives gifted students the chance to be
active learners through the use of hands-on activities that allow them to form their own
hypotheses and to test them out through social interaction, physical manipulation, and
their own though processes (Pfouts & Schultz, 2003).
Given an understanding of the benefits of outdoor education and the interactions
with the environment outdoor education facilitates in gifted learners, the specifics of
outdoor education activities for gifted learners must be defined. One activity, which acts
as an entry point to a variety of educational experiences, is the creation of an outdoor
learning center. An outdoor learning center is a garden with a variety of uses. Students
first become engaged in the design process of the outdoor learning center. Members of
8. the community also become engaged as volunteers to help construct the outdoor learning
center. The outdoor learning center can include a variety of flowering plants to attract
pollinators as well as bird and hummingbird feeders (Pfouts & Schultz, 2003). The
outdoor learning center can also contain benches and a podium and can be used as an
outdoor classroom (Pfouts & Schultz, 2003).
An outdoor learning center requires a significant expenditure of resources and
time. For this reason the outdoor learning center must be developed with a commitment
to “whole school ownership” (Pfouts & Schultz, 2003). As many teachers as possible
should be involved in the project. In addition administrators and support staff must be
involved in the planning, development, and construction of the outdoor learning center
(Pfouts & Schultz, 2003). Most importantly members of the community should be
engaged in the project. Local organizations such as the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts
can be helpful by contributing to the maintenance of the outdoor learning center (Pfouts
& Schultz, 2003).
IV. Target Population to Be Addressed
Data on the enrollment of gifted students in the Richmond Public School system
exists for the 2011 to 2012 school year. The Richmond Public School System serves
23,336 students: 1% are Asian, 81% are African American, 7% are Hispanic, 10% are
White, and 1% are of two or more races (Virginia Department of Education, 2012). The
gifted-identified population makes up a small fraction of the overall school system
population; 144 students are identified as gifted, 48% are African American and 41% are
White (Virginia Department of Education, 2012). The Richmond Public School System
9. provides gifted services for students identified with general intelligence aptitude
(Brandon, 2012).
Gifted-identified students are provided with pullout resource services in grades K-
5 (Brandon, 2012). In grades 6-8 gifted-identified students have the options to take
elective courses, take International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, and to take courses for
high school credit (Brandon, 2012). In grades 9-12 gifted-identified students can
continue to take IB courses, and can apply to three specialized high schools for gifted
services including Richmond Community High School, Appomattox Regional
Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology, and Maggie L. Walker Governor’s
School for Government and International Studies.
This program plan seeks to provide an outdoor learning center and an outdoor
enrichment afterschool program to three schools that provide gifted services in the
Richmond Public School System. Because gifted learners in the Richmond public school
system attend schools that are also used by general education students the outdoor
learning centers described in this program plan must be designed with the needs of the
general education students at the targeted schools as well. In the first year of
implementation this program plan intends to build three outdoor learning centers for use
over a one-year trial period. The schools will be selected based upon the interest of
teachers and administrators as well as facilities suitable for the location and maintenance
of a community garden and outdoor classroom.
10. V. Goals of the Plan
This program plan has three primary goals. The first is to measurably increase the
engagement and academic proficiency with science of gifted learners in the Richmond
Public School System. The second is to construct three Outdoor Learning Centers at
three selected schools that will serve as centers of learning and as centers of community
engagement. The third is to construct an outdoor-based science curriculum, which will
enhance and compliment the existing science curriculum at the elementary, middle, and
high school levels.
In order to measurably increase science engagement and proficiency of the gifted
learners who enroll in this program data must be collected throughout the school year as
the program progresses. This proposal will fund the hiring of an Outdoor Enrichment
Gifted Science Coordinator. This Coordinator will develop lesson plans and activities
designed to enhance and complement the existing science curriculum. The Coordinator
will work closely with three Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science Facilitators to deliver
this content to the students in the program and will conduct professional development
sessions for science teachers. These professional development sessions will help teachers
use the Outdoor Learning Centers and incorporate their use into lesson planning. The
Coordinators and the Facilitators will collect data on the efficacy of the program
throughout the school year. This data will include student scores on standardized tests,
student and teacher evaluations of the program, and a pre-instruction and post-
instructional assessment. This data will allow the school system’s administrators to
determine the future directions of the program.
11. This program will increase student engagement by allowing the students in the
program to design, build, and manage an Outdoor Learning Center. The creation and
management of these centers will require students to interact with content in a variety of
science fields including engineering, biology, and physics. An example of an activity
that could be conducted in the Outdoor Learning Centers is an experiment to determine
the mercury content of the soil. Students in the afterschool program will also have the
opportunity to attend six field trips throughout the year. The field trips will provide the
students with authentic learning experiences. For example, this means that students who
are learning about ecosystems will have the opportunity to visit a state park and learn
how park rangers manage the wildlife in that park. Over the course of the school year the
Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science Coordinator and Facilitators will develop new
additions to the curriculum as they create and implement new lesson plans for the
afterschool program and for the construction and management of the Outdoor learning
Centers.
VI. Major Tasks/Activities to Be Completed
The major objectives of this program consist of two key parts. The first is to
create a multipurpose outdoor learning center. The second is to create an afterschool
science enrichment program targeting gifted students. An outdoor learning center and
afterschool science enrichment program will be created at the schools in the Richmond
Public School System for a trial period of one year.
In order to determine which schools will benefit most from this gifted science
enrichment program the Office of the Superintendent will fund three grants which will be
12. made available to all of the schools in the Richmond Public School System that serve
gifted students. The grants will consider teacher and administrator interest in accepting
the grants as well as the availability of necessary facility resources at the school sites
considered. The school sites must have an open grass lot of at least twenty by forty feet
to be used as the site of the outdoor learning center. The Office of the Superintendent
will hire an Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science Coordinator. The Gifted Science
Coordinator will connect the afterschool science enrichment program to the Richmond
Public School System’s gifted curriculum and learning objectives. The Gifted Science
Coordinator will secure material support from the community to build the Outdoor
Learning Centers and will conduct professional development for teachers to learn how to
use the Outdoor Learning Centers to support gifted science education. The Gifted
Science coordinator will select sites for and implement field trips to be conducted as part
of the afterschool science enrichment program.
After the three school sites have been chosen funding will be provided to hire one
teacher at each school as the school’s Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science Facilitator.
The Gifted Science Facilitator will partner with the Gifted Science Coordinator, school
administration, other faculty members, and members of the community to begin
construction of the Outdoor Learning Center. The Gifted Science Facilitator will run the
afterschool science enrichment program that will be provided to students free of charge.
Construction of the Outdoor Learning Center will occur in multiple phases. First,
the Gifted Science Facilitator will engage students in the design process of the Outdoor
Learning Center. The design phase will be integrated into the gifted science curriculum.
Construction of the Outdoor Learning Centers will occur during afterschool enrichment
13. program. Each Outdoor Learning Center will feature a garden with plant species selected
to attract pollinators. Other components will include bird and hummingbird feeders,
weather and temperature-monitoring devices such as rain gauges, sundials, barometers,
and thermometers, as well as benches and a podium for outdoor instruction. Teachers at
the selected school will have the option to use the Outdoor Learning Center to conduct
classes outside. The Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science Coordinator will seek out
community partners to aid in construction and maintenance of the Outdoor Learning
Center.
The afterschool science enrichment program will run for two hours per day, four
days per week. Students in the program will receive advanced supplemental science
instruction developed by the Gifted Science Facilitator and implemented by the Gifted
Science Coordinator. In addition the students will attend three field trips per semester
that will focus on science and biology. These field trips could include trips to science
museums and authentic experiences such as trips to natural parks to observe park
management and wildlife monitoring.
VII. Areas of Responsibility
Office of the Superintendent
Hiring of an Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science
Coordinator
Hiring of three Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Facilitators
Provides funding for construction of three
Outdoor Learning centers
Provides funding for three afterschool outdoor
14. science enrichment programs
Receives and monitors data on the efficacy of the
Outdoor Science Gifted Enrichment Programs
School Level Administrators
Supervision of the Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Facilitator
Coordination with the Outdoor Enrichment
Gifted Science Coordinator and the Outdoor
Enrichment Gifted Science Facilitator to make sure
the academic goals of the Outdoor Enrichment
Gifted Science Program are met
Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Coordinator
Coordinates with School Administrators,
teachers at the selected school sites, community
members, and the Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Facilitators to construct the Outdoor
Learning Centers
Conducts professional development for all
teachers involved with the Outdoor Enrichment
Gifted Science Program
Monitors Gifted Science Facilitators and assists
with delivery of content targeted for gifted science
enrichment
Assists with data collection to determine the
efficacy of the Outdoor Education Gifted Science
Enrichment Program
Attends field trips and supervises students
Creates a website to document the program
Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Facilitator
Works directly with students during the
afterschool Gifted Science Enrichment Program
Collects data from students to determine the
effectiveness of the program
Attends field trips and supervises students
15. VIII. Benefits
This program plan offers direct benefits for the gifted learners enrolled in the
afterschool enrichment program. It will also benefit general education students, teachers,
and community members at the three schools chosen as the sites for the Outdoor
Learning Centers. The program can be expanded over subsequent years to cover more
students and content areas.
This program will cover gifted learners at three public schools in the school
system selected for teacher and administrator interest as well as suitability of the schools’
facilities. Gifted learners in the program will benefit from eight additional hours of
science content instruction per week. The students will also be engaged in the design,
construction, and maintenance of a long-term project: the creation and management of
the Outdoor Learning Centers. Gifted learners in the program will benefit from
attendance of six additional field trips per school year, which will be chosen for their
appropriateness as authentic learning experiences. In addition the program will be
evaluated on the basis of data collected from teachers, administrators, and students
ensuring that the benefits of the program can be measured quantitatively.
Construction of the outdoor learning centers will have tangible benefits for the
entire school community at the school where each one is created. During the building
phase of these centers teachers, students, and community members at the school sites will
have the opportunity to become involved in the project through volunteering. The
Outdoor Learning Centers will become a new multiuse school facility. These facilities
will allow teachers in many different subjects to take a break from their daily schedule
and reengage their students by holding class outside.
16. IX. Timeline
July 1, 2014 The school board office begins hiring
process for Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Coordinator and three Facilitators
August 23, 2014 Dead Line for Hiring of Outdoor
Enrichment Gifted Science Coordinator
and Facilitators
August 24, 2014 Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science
Coordinator begins designing professional
development sessions for Facilitators and
lesson plans integrating the Outdoor
Learning Center as well as lesson plans for
the Afterschool Gifted Outdoor Enrichment
Program
September 3, 2014 Student’s first day. Students are recruited
for the Afterschool Gifted Outdoor
Enrichment Program
September 10, 2014 Afterschool Gifted Outdoor Enrichment
Program Begins, the afterschool program
will run for two hours per day after school
four days per week and will feature three
relevant field trips per semester Facilitators
lead students in the design phase of the
Outdoor Learning Centers
October 3, 2014 Facilitators partner with students, other
faculty, administrators, and community
members to begin construction of Outdoor
Learning Centers
November 3, 2014 Fall Semester Construction of the Outdoor
Learning Centers is completed
January 6, 2015 Classes resume after break, Gifted Outdoor
Enrichment Program Resumes. Data is
collected on Efficacy of first semester of
the Outdoor Enrichment program. Three
field trips will be run as part of the program
this semester.
March 20, 2015 Spring Planting at Outdoor Learning
Centers Begins
June 6, 2015 Gifted Outdoor Enrichment Program ends
for the year. Coordinators and Facilitators
submit data to the Office of the
Superintendent to document the efficacy of
the program.
17. X. Documentation of Progress
Documentation of progress will come from multiple sources. Students enrolled in
the program will be assessed for science content knowledge at the beginning of the
program and at the end of each school quarter. Data will be collected from student
performance in science classes. This data will include scores on homework, tests, lab
activities, and other assignments. At each quarter students enrolled in the program will
complete a survey in which they will describe their experiences in the program and what
they believe they have accomplished and learned.
The Outdoor Enrichment Gifted Science Facilitators and the Outdoor Enrichment
Gifted Science Coordinator will work together to document the achievements of the
program. The Gifted Science Facilitators will complete a survey describing the
effectiveness of the program and will qualitatively assessment individual student
achievement in the program. The Gifted Science Coordinator will manage a website to
document the design and construction of the Outdoor Learning Centers. The Gifted
Science Coordinator will survey teachers and administrators at each of the school sites to
assess the degree to which other teachers at the school site are using the Outdoor
Learning Centers and to determine if participation in the Outdoor Gifted Science
Enrichment program has improved student performance in other academic subjects. In
addition the Gifted Science Coordinator will report data on the degree of community
involvement in the program, including material support and volunteer hours.
18. XI. Budget
Item Price
Salary for Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Coordinator
45,000
Salary for three Outdoor Enrichment Gifted
Science Facilitators
18,000
Lumber for Construction of three Outdoor
Learning Centers
6,000
Plants for Fall planting at Outdoor
Learning Centers
1,200
Plants for Spring Planting at Outdoor
Learning Centers
1,500
School Bus Rental (to include salary for
driver) for 6 Field trips
2,400
Funding for student participation in field
trips
3,000
Total 77,100
19. XII. Bibliography
Brandon, Y. W. (2012) Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted. Richmond City
Public Schools. Retrieved from
http://web.richmond.k12.va.us/Portals/0/assets/Gifted/pdfs/LPEG.pdf
Palmberg, I. E., & Kuru, J. (2000). Outdoor activities as a basis for environmental
responsibility. The Journal of Environmental Education, 31(4), 32-36.
Pfouts, D. K., & Schultz, R. (2003). The benefits of outdoor learning centers for young
gifted learners. Gifted Child Today, 26(1), 56-69.
Schusler, T. M., & Krasny, M. E. (2010). Environmental action as context for youth
development, The Journal of Environmental Education, 41(4), 208-223.
Virginia Department of Education. (2012). Gifted students, statewide and by school
division, 2011-12, retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/gifted-students-data
20. XIII. Appendices
Dear Teacher,
Thank you for your hard work and for taking the time to complete this survey. The
purpose of this survey is to determine the degree to which teachers at your school
utilize outdoor education as an educational strategy. I also wish to determine your
attitudes towards outdoor education and the degree to which outdoor education
strategies are feasible in your field of instruction. I am interested in feedback from
teachers of all subject areas and grade levels.
I am a student taking a graduate course called Programs and Models in Gifted
Education with Dr. Kimberley Chandler at the College of William and Mary. This
survey may take 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Please take your time and answer
these questions honestly. Your answers will be kept anonymous. Data will be
collected in a non-personally identifiable manner. Aggregate data from this survey
will be presented to my graduate class. If you have questions about this survey or
would like more information please contact me by email or phone. Thank you very
much for your participation.
Respectfully,
Kyle Guzik
kaguzik@email.wm.edu
225-354-5411
I agree to participate in this survey on outdoor education strategies for gifted
students. I understand that participation is voluntary. I understand that my
answers will remain confidential and will be used only for the purpose of the
development of a program plan
____________________________________ ___________________________________
Signature Date
21. Outdoor Gifted Science Education Questionnaire
1. In what city is your school located?
2. What is your gender
3. How many years have you been a teacher?
4. What subjects do you currently teach?
5. At what grade level do you currently teach?
6. Please list all content areas and levels in which you are currently certified.
7. Dou any of the following apply to you:
a. School counselor
b. Gifted Education Teacher
c. Special education teacher
d. Gifted education certification
e. Special education certification
f. Teacher of gifted students
g. Parent of a gifted child
h. Other (please explain)
8. Is the school you work at
a. A public school
b. A private school
c. Other (please explain)
9. My school is with walking distance of a pond, lake, or creek.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
f. Other form of water (please describe)
22. 10. My school is within walking distance of a park or other open space
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
11. I believe outdoor education can help meet my students’ academic needs.
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Somewhat disagree
d. Strongly disagree
12. My school has adequate extracurricular opportunities that allow gifted students to
study science outside of the classroom.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
13. My school has after school programs designed for gifted science enrichment for
gifted students.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
14. My school supports gifted science education for gifted students by sponsoring
field trips related to science.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
15. Most students as my school have never travelled to the ocean.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
23. d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
16. Most students at my school have never spent time exploring a forest.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
17. Students at my school would like to learn about biology and the environment by
directly experiencing the natural world.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
18. There is a need to improve science performance outcomes at my school.
a. Like my school
b. Somewhat life my school
c. Somewhat not like my school
d. Not like my school
e. Unknown
19. I believe a new afterschool program at my school in which students learn to
conduct experiments and study the natural world outside would improve student
science performance at my school.
a. Strongly agree
b. Somewhat agree
c. Somewhat disagree
d. Strongly disagree
24. Needs Assessment Data
1. In what city is your school located?
Richmond (3)
2. What is your gender
Female (3)
3. How many years have you been a teacher?
2, 18, 22
4. What subjects do you currently teach?
English (1)
Special Education (1)
Art (1)
5. At what grade level do you currently teach?
6 (3)
7 (2)
8(2)
6. Please list all content areas and levels in which you are currently certified.
Art preK-12 (1)
English and Social Studies (1)
English 6-12 (1)
7. Do any of the following apply to you:
Teacher of gifted students (1)
Special education certification (1)
None of these (1)
8. Is the school you work at
A public school (3)
9. My school is with walking distance of a pond, lake, or creek.
Not Like my school (2)
Other- The James River (1)
25. 10. My school is within walking distance of a park or other open space
Somewhat like my school (1)
Somewhat not like my school (1)
Not like my school (1)
11. I believe outdoor education can help meet my students’ academic needs.
Agree (1)
Somewhat agree (1)
Somewhat disagree (1)
13. My school has adequate extracurricular opportunities that allow gifted students to
study science outside of the classroom.
Like my school (1)
Not like my school (2)
14. My school has after school programs designed for gifted science enrichment for
gifted students.
Somewhat like my school (1)
Not like my school (2)
15. My school supports gifted science education for gifted students by sponsoring field
trips related to science.
Like my school (1)
Not like my school (2)
16. Most students as my school have never travelled to the ocean.
Like my school (1)
Somewhat like my school (2)
17. Most students at my school have never spent time exploring a forest.
Like my school (1)
Somewhat like my school (1)
Somewhat not like my school (1)
18. Students at my school would like to learn about biology and the environment by
directly experiencing the natural world.
Like my school (1)
26. Somewhat like my school (2)
19. There is a need to improve science performance outcomes at my school.
Like my school (1)
Somewhat like my school (2)
20. I believe a new afterschool program at my school in which students learn to conduct
experiments and study the natural world outside would improve student science
performance at my school.
Somewhat like my school (3)
