National Parks of Boston’s Fall School Programs Kick Off
(Photo Credit/NPB) Rangers Jen, Melissa, and Natalia visiting 5th grade students at Harvard Kent Elementary School in Charlestown
By Natalia Bayona
This fall, Boston Public School (BPS) students from the Harvard Kent, Adams, McKay and O’Donnell Schools began a yearlong exploration of the National Parks of Boston (NPB). Through this interactive, student-centered learning experience, young people will engage with activities that highlight the work of leaders and innovators associated with NPB sites. Students will be challenged to consider how they can create change in their communities and consistently reflect on this essential question: What inspires you to be a leader for positive change?
During the introductory lesson in October, students identified key elements of a park and analyzed artifacts from each NPB site. The second lesson encouraged students to reflect on the life stories of prominent women of the Underground Railroad in Boston and identify characteristics that made each woman a leader for social change. In the third lesson, students worked together as a team to make rope using innovative technology developed at the Charlestown Navy Yard.
NPB and Boston Harbor Now will continue to engage with BPS students over the winter months and hope to conclude this pilot program in the spring with a visit to Spectacle Island.