Discover the Forest is an outdoor environmental education program for grades K-6 offered in the diverse habitats of the 48-acre Yost Park in Edmonds. The park is mostly mixed second-growth forest, and encompasses a network of trails that meander through the riparian Shell Creek Valley and forested uplands. There are currently three Discover the Forest Programs to choose from.
Traditional Interpretive Program
1.5 hours, Grades K-6
Students explore Yost Park using all five senses to learn about the forest ecosystem. A variety of hands-on activities encourage students to uncover to the secrets of the forest and establish their own connections to the natural world. Next Generation Science Standards addressed: ESS3.A&C (Natural Resources & Human Impacts on Earth Systems), LS2.A (Biodiversity in Humans & Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems).
Everyone Has a Habitat
1.5 hours, Grades 1-4
Students discover how plants and animals live in places (habitats) where their basic needs are met. Groups of students will work together to decide what food and shelter their assigned animal will need in order to survive in the forest and present their findings to the rest of the class. Next Generation Science Standards addressed: LS1.A,C,D (Structure and Fuction, Organization of Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms, Information Processing), LS2.A (Biodiversity in Humans & Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems), LS3.B (Variation of Traits), LS4.B&C (Natural Selection & Adaptation).
Plants and Soil Ecology
1.5 hours, Grades 1-6
Students participate in activities designed to help them answer questions such as "What is soil made of?" "How and where do plants grow?" and "What lives and grows on a rotten log?" The questions and answers are unlimited in this inquiry-driven program. Next Generation Science Standards addressed: ESS3.A (Natural Resources), LS1.A&D (Structure and Faction & Organization of Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms), LS2.A&B (Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems & Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems).