IslandWood provides four-day, overnight environmental education programs for students on its 255-acre campus featuring diverse ecosystems. The goal is to inspire lifelong environmental stewardship through hands-on, place-based learning experiences. Studies show that IslandWood significantly increases students' knowledge of environmental content and helps build cooperation and problem-solving skills.

1. School Overnight Program:
part of your village…

3. to provide
exceptional learning
experiences and
inspire lifelong
environmental and
community
stewardship.
IslandWood’s mission is. . .

4. STEWARDSHIP:
Content: Ecosystems
& Civics
Context: IslandWood
Pillars
“Action that arises from
caring and informed
relationships in one’s
natural and cultural
communities.”

5. Building a foundation…
Foundational Set
for Stewardship
DifferentLifestyle
Pro-Env.Behaviors
EmbraceAdventure
PartofCommunity
EngagewithPlace
Content: Ecosystems & Civics

6. CONTENT:
Next Generation Science
Standards & Environmental
and Sustainability Education
Standards
Investigations
and
Teambuilding

7. “I thought IslandWood was going to be so
boring- just telling me things about the
environment. This is the opposite, you’re
showing me!” – student from Bennett

8. Some Sobering Trends and Realities:
 Nabhan and Trimble – 20 years ago, 80% of
children walked to school and were allowed to
go through a daily process of exploration and
inquiry. Today, that percentage is reversed with
more than 80% of kids being dropped off in
front of schools. Their interactions with nature
and wild places are greatly diminished.
 NEETF, 2005 – The average seven year-old can
identify up to 200 corporate logos but cannot
name the type of tree in their front yard.
(National Environmental Education and Training Foundation )

9. Can you identify these?

10. How about these?

12. Arts and Culture
“I’m not trying to be
smart, IslandWood just has
that affect on me.” –
Challenger student

13. Yellow Sunflower
Looks like a big yellow sun
but it’s a flower

14. 
The wind sings me
a song of truth.
I hear every word,
so clear, so bold.
I start to sing along.
The song soothes me,
it is calm.
The trees start to sing too.
If only the world would hear
our song
of truth and peace.

15. “They’re in the
classroom 180
days, bogged down. But
they come back from
IslandWood more
cohesive…with common
bonds and you see them
connecting when they
otherwise wouldn’t even
mingle.” – Eric
deVeer, teacher, Suquam
ish Elementary
Community Building

16. Teamwork and Problem
Solving
“This week is changing the
dynamics with kids. The kids
respond differently to others
here. Kids believe in
themselves when they hear it
from their instructors.”
 Judy Harris, teacher, Eagle
Rock School

17. Quality of Instruction…
“The biggest
difference here from
other outdoor camps
is the instructors. The
quality of
instruction, their role
as educators.” - Karin
Scott, teacher, Open
Window School

18. Value vs. Expense
Starting Cost and
Discounts/student
Cost/student
Actual cost per student $580
IW Overall Discount per
student. This is for any
school; we never charge
full rate.
-$300 = $280/student
Week of:
• instruction
• journals
• food
• lodging
Also included:
• liaisons
• professional development
• pre/post lessons
• student and parent
orientations
• help with stewardship
projects
• fundraising support
Starting Cost Other expenses
One night at the Great
Wolf Lodge, May 12
$229.99 + tax food, gas,
Three nights at Super 8
Motel, SeaTac May 12 – 15
$222.63 Food (other than free
breakfast), parking, gas,
$ for doing anything
else

19. What’s left?
 Transportation:
 To ferry: parents or bus
 On ferry: $2…that’s it!
 From ferry to IW: bus
 Application:
 Lead teacher
 All forms: individual teachers
 Deposit: $1000
 Fundraising: We can help!

20. Students wrote “Not Yet” on the inside of the bus as
they were getting ready to pull away…

21. Thank you!

22. The true meaning of life is to
plant trees, under whose
shade you do not expect to
sit.
-Nelson Henderson

23. Top Ten Reasons to come in
Winter
10. Coming in winter allows time for preparatory and follow-up visits by your IslandWood liaison to help
integrate the experience into your school’s curriculum..
9. IslandWood will give you and your students a needed boost of inspiration and energy in the mid-winter
slump.
8. Animal tracks are more visible in the mud, forest birds and mammals are easier to see when the leaves have
fallen off the undergrowth, and it is easier to grasp the idea of a watershed when water is actually flowing.
7. We book Artists in Residence more consistently in the winter months to help bring additional light to this
season of shorter days.
6. Comfort food is delicious in the winter, especially when the kids have made it themselves in hands-on
cooking lessons with our chefs.

24. Top Ten Reasons to come in
Winter
5. Our timbered lodges with fireplaces and radiant floor heating are extra cozy in the winter months. We also have
warm, water-proof clothes to lend and plenty of covered and indoor teaching spaces.
4. It’s really dark for the night hike!
3. Coming in the winter gives your students the rest of the school year to put into practice the team-building skills they
will practice at IslandWood.
2. The Pacific Northwest is a place of water. For kids (and adults) who live here, it is important to understand that they
can have fun outside no matter what the weather. Once they are on the trail, kids don’t even seem to notice that it’s
raining.
And the number one reason to come to IslandWood in the winter:
1. IT MIGHT BE THE ONLY TIME WE HAVE SPACE AVAILABLE NEXT YEAR!!

26. Results of the Four Day Overnight
Program
An example of a student’s knowledge and
interest before and after coming to IslandWood:

27. Student Work - Pre

28. Student Work Post

31. Change in Environmental Content
Knowledge while at IslandWood
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Pre-Test Post-Test
Time
PercentCorrect

32. IslandWood’s
natural/biological assets - 255
acres
 Complete watershed
 Five ecosystems
– Pond
– Stream
– Wetlands
– Estuary
– Forest

33. Children’s design workshops

34. Children’s design outcomes

35. Children’s design outcomes

36. Children’s design outcomes

37. Children’s design outcomes