Newark Students Get a Unique Lesson in 'Outdoor Classroom'

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. joined with students from Branch Brook School in Newark on Wednesday, June 5 for an Urban Bird Celebration in Essex County Branch Brook Park. The event was part of a two-day birding program, performed in cooperation and with the support of NJ Audubon, in which the students identified and catalogued the types of birds they saw and heard in the park. The school has used Branch Brook Park as its “outdoor classroom” since 2009.

“I am pleased to join the students and hear about their birding project. Since 2003, we have worked with the Branch Brook Park Alliance and other community groups to revitalize and enhance Essex County Branch Brook Park so it remains as the centerpiece of the community. While our parks are hubs for recreation, today’s program highlights their educational benefits as we prepare our students to be tomorrow’s stewards of the park and our environment,” DiVincenzo said.

“I’m very proud of the students from Branch Brook School and I thank the County Executive for opening up the park to the students. In 2004, the school received National Blue Ribbon status and it’s because of the innovative programs like this that keep the children captivated and involved in their lessons,” Newark Council President Anibal Ramos said..

On the first day, the fourth grade students from Branch Brook School spent a majority of the time working in teams to identify as many species as they can throughout the northern end of Essex County Branch Brook Park. Similar to the New Jersey Audubon’s World Series of Birding, the students used a tally sheet and identified birds that they saw or heard.

On the second day, the students returned to Branch Brook Park where they presented their results during a short program. The students then created a garden, or “Celebration Station,” where the fourth graders will be able to teach students in pre-kindergarten to third grade about the birding project. All of the data collected will be entered into the Celebrate Birds website and will be used by the fourth grade students in upcoming math and science lessons.

“Our bird migration study has been one of our most important initiatives at our school. Since urban communities don’t get a chance to experience nature as much as others, Branch Brook School has made it a priority to give our students exposure by studying birds,” Branch Brook School Principal Joseph Cullen said. “Many people may not know Branch Brook Park is a stop along the Eastern Seaboard for bird migration. This experience not only brings our students closer to nature, but it provides us with an outlet for the community,” he added.

Fourth graders Angie Solano and Dario Marchena explained that the five most popular birds found in the park were the red robin, Baltimore oriole, house sparrows, crows and European starlings. “It was fun learning about the birds and their different calls and sounds,” Dario said. “After we gathered information, it was fun teaching it to the other students in the school,” Angie added.

The Urban Bird Celebration was supported with a mini-grant from Cornell University. The New Jersey Audubon worked with the school to develop the curriculum, teach the students about birds and lead them on walks in the park.

“This program goes beyond traditional classroom learning and applies knowledge to real situations. Every day NJ Audubon and other conservation organizations have scientists in the field taking surveys of plants and wildlife in an effort to better understand how humans are impacting the planet,” said Kelly Wenzel, MCRP Project Coordinator, Urban Education with the New Jersey Audubon. “What the students learned through this program is that Branch Brook Park, and other urban oases throughout Essex County and New Jersey, are vital habitats for birds and other wildlife as well as important resources for people,” she added.

The school has been utilizing Branch Brook Park as its outdoor classroom since 2009. Besides studying birds and their migration, art, music and physical education teachers all integrate visits to the park into their curriculum. The school has visited the park for bird watching, hikes, field days, soccer festivals and art classes, as well as having students participate in the Essex County Cherry Blossom Fun Run, which is part of the Annual Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival.