Becket-Chimney Corners YMCA's
Berkshire Outdoor Center
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Outdoor Education
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Environmental Education For Schools

Educational programs for schools that provide hands-on nature lessons, opportunities to reinforce lessons learned in the classroom and an appreciation for the environment. Aspects of our Outdoor Education Program are typically combined with these environmental lessons.

Typically, our Environmental Education incorporates some various ecology classes, such as beaver ecology, forest ecology, animal ecology and pond ecology. Our bog walk is a very interesting component newly added to the program. We usually also blend in teambuilding, low ropes activities and some recreational adventure activities. We can design the package, or you can! Full List of Activities

Our Environmental Education program is designed to be a less intense scientific experience than the Berkshire Outdoor Science School. All activities are designed with the age of students in mind.

Our environmental education participants usually range from 3rd to 8th grade. Our staff are trained to manipulate to match the age and academic level of all participants.

All of our activities have been matched with the curriculum frameworks of MA, CT and NY State. Each of the activities satisfies objectives within these curricula. Checklist of Berkshire Outdoor Center Activities and MA, CT & NY Curricula.
Sample of Our Most Popular Environmental Education Activities

  • Pond Ecology – Students will learn about animal adaptations to an aquatic habitat, focusing on insect life in the pond. Students will also explore water quality issues and how their actions may affect aquatic habitats.

  • Beaver Ecology - Beaver Ecology is a fun study of beavers, which involves learning about beaver adaptations and habitats. The class will also visit a beaver lodge, search for evidence of beaver activity and hope to catch a glimpse of these large rodents.

  • Forest Ecology – Students will learn what it takes for a tree to survive including the inner layers of a trunk and the basic process of photosynthesis. In a hike around camp, students will learn to identify common trees and plants. They will also take a look at the layers of the forest and how forest composition impacts the animals found there.

  • Bog Walk – Students will hike to the bog at Camp Becket to see first-hand the special conditions that define a bog. Students will also examine the water quality in the bog and look at plants and animals living in the bog.

  • Predator Prey - All things are interdependent in this come-to-life role play activity where students learn about food chains, predator-prey relationships and the web of life that connects all living things. This is a very active outdoor activity where students interact as predators or prey species. The concepts of bioaccumulation and the trophic pyramid are also discussed.

  • Night Hike - This is a program that all ages can enjoy and appreciate. It’s not so much a night hike, but rather a night experience. Students will learn about the ways in which the nocturnal world comes alive through games and experiments involving all of the senses. Sensory awareness, predator-prey relationships and the anatomy of animal eyes and ears are just some of the topics of discussion and activity on this night time excursion.
Our Environmental Education Staff
Our instructors are the best asset to our programs. A diverse range of staff from a variety of countries return year after year to run our Outdoor Education programs. The extensive cultural diversity and interesting perspective each of them brings to our organization and to our guests is truly an exceptional contribution to the programs. And our seasoned veterans are the best staff in their field, passionate about living and working here in the Berkshires. (Learn More About Our Staff)