The Nature Explore Classroom at
Bellevue Public Schools Early Childhood Program

Bellevue Public Schools has now entered into its 2nd year as a Certified Nature Explore Classroom.

The Bellevue Public Schools Early Childhood Program children were busy in the garden this year, planting tomatoes, radishes, carrots, lettuce, dill, pumpkins and several varieties of wildflowers.  Produce harvested turned into garden salads that all enjoyed.  The children also planted sunflowers and were excited to create a collage of its life cycle, labeling all the parts.  The large, dried heads of
the sunflowers were put on the sensory table for exploration.

Bellevue Public Schools Preschool classes came for weekly nature field trips during the fall and a Family/Community Day Open House was held.  A nature scavenger hunt encouraged children to find all types of artificial and real examples of spiders, snakes, bees, ladybugs, toads, grasshoppers, butterflies, beetles and birds.

Greenlife Gardens returned to plant trees and bushes.  They also facilitated lessons to educate staff and children on maintenance and watering of living plant areas.   A new snow/rain/temperature gauge introduced into the classroom is helping educate students on temperature and precipitation.

A new picnic area was added into the classroom for children, families, staff and the community to gather and share stories, food and fun.  It has been a busy year for the children of Bellevue Public Schools Early Childhood Program and one that has connected them to nature on a daily basis in
many ways.