Backpacking into Nature

Hiking Trail

Kristi Calkins, an English as a Second Language teacher at Waggoner Road Elementary School, loves to share her passion for nature and education with her students, their parents, and her peers. 

Growing up, both of her parents were educators -- her dad was a fourth-grade teacher like Calkins for many years.  When not in school, her family spent much time outdoors.

“It was a coast-to-coast bicycle trip when I was 16 that really got me hooked on learning and living out in nature, as we were outside for seven weeks,” she said.   After college, she spent her first year of teaching in Brazil, teaching Social Studies, English, and girls' Physical Education in high school before returning to Ohio.

Kristi has been a teacher with Reynoldsburg ever since and has been awarded Mini Grants three times from the Reynoldsburg Education Foundation in recent years.  The first grant was for the purchase of creek exploration items to be used at Pine Quarry Park for a field trip with Taylor Road Elementary.  While at Taylor Road, she also created an evening hike, which served as an opportunity to hike and connect with students and parents outside of the school day.  The most recent grant was used for camping chairs at Waggoner Road, to help students get outside for reading and learning. Her second grant, though, has proved to be the most popular with students and teachers alike -- creating Nature Backpacks for the school.

The backpacks contain trail guides, binoculars, magnifying glasses, nature books, Ohio Trail Guides, and leaf rubbing plates, and are available in two different grade bands: one for K-2 and the other for 3-5.  Items were carefully labeled and packaged in waterproof bags to preserve the life of the items, and a cabinet was designated for storage of the backpacks when they are not in use.  They are available through a checkout system and can be utilized by all classrooms in the building.

“I worked to organize them in the most teacher-friendly way for everyone to go outdoors to learn,” Calkins said.  The students even worked to create a YouTube video that serves as an instructional guide on how to use the backpacks.

But the fun doesn’t stop there.

“These Nature Backpacks inspired me to take things to the next level and form a Nature Committee at our school to get students involved in outdoor education,” Calkins added. “It is a different way of thinking when learning is outside, and calms everyone down.”

The Nature Committee (which was originally comprised of teachers in the building who designed and planned lessons and events that encourage outdoor learning, as well as writing grants for additional funding) has since evolved into the Nature Club, so that students are able to participate as well. 

Students have taken advantage of the benefits of the backpacks by utilizing them for creek exploration and hiking, under the guidance of the classroom teacher, to learn more about the nature in and around the school -- and for some, in their own backyards.  The binoculars and the magnifying glasses were the most popular items in the backpacks, based on a Google survey of the students following their outdoor learning experiences.

The future looks very bright for the Nature Club.  There is currently a five-year mission statement, and the goal is to provide a permanent outdoor learning space for 25 students at Waggoner Road.  The club is currently applying for a grant through Bass Pro Shops for a hammock garden to encourage outdoor learning and lay the groundwork for a native wildflower garden.  In addition, the club has received a grant that provides Metro Park grade signs along the path (titled Wolf Run, after the building’s mascot). 

One of the biggest obstacles is funding for the Nature Club.  Grants provide an amazing opportunity for funds to be used for a specific purpose to grow the program, while crowdfunding sites charge fees, which cut into the dollars that are desperately needed to expand and grow the outdoor learning space. 

Like the outdoor gardens, nature backpacks, and alternative outdoor seating, creative ideas abound in Reynoldsburg’s classrooms even when funding is difficult to find. Grants and giving play a major role in helping these dreams come alive.

 If you are interested in donating new or gently used binoculars, up-to-date Ohio field guide trifold brochures, or funds to the Nature Club at Waggoner Road Elementary, please reach out to Waggoner Road Elementary at (614)501-5600