Program intended to spark love of land
By Kathy Thomson
Aproximately 120 Nancy Smith Elementary School students in third, fourth, and sixth grades participated in the Kids on the Land (KOL) program at Lambshead Ranch last week, where they were exposed to a variety of hands-on experiences designed to connect them to the land and spark a love of science.
KOL director Peggy Maddock, a core group of instructors that came with her to Shackelford County, and community volunteers, Albany ISD teachers and administrators including Chris Beard, John Gallagher, and Jonathan Scott, 11 FFA students, and leaders from organizations across the state, worked together to teach the students about science using the plants, animals, insects, and soil found at Lambshead.
Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation planner Alex Smith from Albany and NRCS employees from Breckenridge and Graham were among the instructors.
Maddox praised the Matthews family for doing an amazing job of stewarding the land and keeping one of the most famous ranches in Texas together.
“We are honored they allow us to teach Kids On the Land here,” she said.
Each of the participating grades from NSES spent one day at the ranch.
The third grade students were at Lambshead for most of the school day on Tuesday, Oct. 1, learning to do the work of an entomologist.
“Third Grade day is one of my favorites,” said Maddox. “Eight years old is the best age to learn all about insects!”
The students collected insects with nets and also used egg cartons and pipe cleaners to create their own bugs that they could take home.
Entomologist Paul Bain Mark helped the students identify their live catches and learn about complete and incomplete metamorphosis life cycles.
The fourth graders learned about becoming naturalists and about prairie preservation on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and sixth graders focused on the importance of healthy soil on Thursday, Oct. 3.
The KOL program is a unique Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) environmental program designed to teach children about the region where they live, connecting them to the land and a more sustainable future.
“KOL is so glad to be partnering again with Matt Matthews and Lambs-head Ranch to connect the school children of Albany to this historic place,” said Angie Dickson, one of the three founders of Kids on the Land. “The Albany community and folks across Texas really turn out to support this STEM Environmental Science program whose mission is to reconnect children to the place where they live.”
The Kids On the Land program is important, according to Maddox, not only for kids, but also for their teachers who report that it helps bring up scores in science, history, and writing.
To learn more about KOL, go to www.kidsonthe land.org.
