Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/669580
nonprofit Mountain Watch. Ken McIntire, then head of the orga- nization, built it with fellow volunteers, including parents and local arborist Tim Chang. During a recent Educator visit, Rios had students conduct experiments with pinecones and other natural items to learn about dependent and independent variables. On nice days, her students enjoy silent sustained reading there. "I think it's really cool," says sixth-grader Rebecca Tapia. "ere's nature all around us." Students especially love seeing wildlife. On hikes they have encountered hawks, snakes, a fox, Brisbane's flock of wild par- rots, and even a coyote. "The coyote was beautiful and not threatening," recounts sixth-grader Olivia Hayer. "It wasn't growling. It reminded me of what nature is all about." G A R D E N TO C A F É G R OWS R O OTS I N SA N D I E G O Michelle Stuart was surprised to hear students say that one of the things they loved most about working in the Crawford High School garden was weeding. Yes, weeding. "It sounds like the silliest thing to enjoy pulling weeds, but students say they like it because it's quiet and they can listen to the sounds of nature," says Stuart, a math and AVID teacher who serves as adviser for the school's Garden Club. On this day, Lipman Middle School educator Holly Rios uses items found in nature to teach students about dependent and independent variables. 19 April 2016