Wild About Learning

Make a WILD DIFFERENCE for deserving first-graders!

It’s back-to-school time for our animal ambassadors!

Feathered, furry, and not, our wildlife education animals bring science, literacy, and social-emotional lessons to life for hundreds of deserving first-graders through our Wild About Learning (WAL) program.

You can make a lasting difference. Your gift today, in any amount, can take early learning to new heights! But most importantly, you can help our youngest community members have the skills they need to soar.

DONATE

From the classroom…

Nature is an amazing teacher. Wild About Learning combines storybooks and live animal presentations over six weeks of classroom visits.

Experiences with the outside, natural world nurture cooperation and decision-making skills, empowering our youngest citizens (and future leaders) to be self-aware about what’s happening inside their hearts and minds in relationship to others, all while seeding an environmental ethic.

…to a nature preserve

It all culminates in a field trip to the 77.5-acre Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus, PA. Many of these students have never been on a hike before the field trip experience which includes a habitat hike, a pond study, and the building blocks for the future of environmental stewardship.

Make a WILD DIFFERENCE today!

You can make a lasting difference!

It costs about $3,000 to bring WAL to one first-grade classroom this school year. Your gift today, in any amount, help make a WILD DIFFERENCE for deserving first-graders.

Support Wild About Learning students’ mindful listening, emotional literacy, and much more through books.

Price: $20.00

GIVE A STORYBOOK

Provide a nature journal and craft supplies to one student.

Price: $50.00

PROVIDE A NATURE JOURNAL

Support the care of and feeding of one animal ambassador.

Price: $150.00

CARE FOR AN ANIMAL AMBASSADOR

Send one deserving first-grader on a field trip with their class to our Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus, PA

Price: $250.00

GIVE A STUDENT A FIELD TRIP

Contribute what you can—every little bit helps Wild About Learning!

Price: Whatever you choose to contribute!

CHOOSE YOUR AMOUNT

Our Wild About Learning Animal Ambassadors

Wildlife education animals like Bartram the Screech Owl and Juniper the Opossum bring underserved students up close to nature – and so much more.

Our Wild About Learning Teachers & Students

First-grade teachers say Wild About Learning fosters enthusiastic participation, hands-on engagement, and connection with environmental conservation.

years of helping local first-graders develop literacy and social emotional skills in connection with nature
local first-graders have benefitted from the WAL program to date
of students derived significant
benefits according to participating teachers.

Success Stories

I really loved how the program incorporated mindfulness along with animal sharing.

Our students, since they are inner city kids, do not have many opportunities to interact with animals that are found in the wild.

They learned that animals, just like people, have feelings too. They also learned to respect the animals while
learning many interesting facts.
First-grade teacher
Allentown School District

Success Stories

One particular field trip from spring stands out in my memory. There was a student who often struggled with controlling his emotions in the classroom, often having outbursts and enthusiastic interruptions.

However, on the field trip, when we took the learning outdoors for a water quality study at a nearby pond, something remarkable happened. This student, who typically had difficulty focusing, became completely engrossed in finding and identifying aquatic critters. It was truly amazing to see him break away from his usual behavior patterns and dive so enthusiastically into the hands-on learning experience.
 
Nicole Landis
Senior Environmental Educator, Wildlands Conservancy

QUESTIONS ABOUT WILD ABOUT LEARNING

If you have any questions about WAL for your class or school group, contact our department of education.

Nicole Landis, Senior Environmental Educator
610-965-4397, ext. 145 | nlandis@wildlandspa.org