Kicking off Another School Year with ACES Ed

---

The end of the summer and beginning of a new school year is a time of great excitement and transition for all. Students check their supply lists, learn their new teachers names and get new outfits for the biggest day of the school year. Here in the Roaring Fork Valley, ACES education team is also embarking on a new school year, gearing up for an exciting year in our classrooms. As teachers and students get to know each other during the first weeks of school, new bonds are formed and the energy is tangible.

Each day of the week in Aspen Elementary School, Basalt Elementary School and Crystal River Elementary School ACES Educators teach environmental science lessons to every grade level, kindergarten through fourth grade. Our Educators plan curriculum that is hands on, experiential and engaging. Environmental science education lends itself particularly well to unique and memorable learning experiences. As students grow and learn in the ACES Ed classroom, they being to understand the importance of becoming aware of the natural world around them and what they can do to help preserve and protect our environment.

Our school programs and field programs offer a diverse range of topics for students to experience. So far this year, kindergarten classes have been learning about mammals. This curriculum is supported by a field programs at Rock Bottom Ranch, where students can see animals in person. First graders start the year off experimenting with soil and learning the roll that it plays in our local ecosystem. Second graders are learning about the elements of habitat and what animals need to survive. Our older students in grades three and four learn about life cycles as well as biotic and abiotic factors found in our local ecosystem. And the Maroon Bells is a perfect backdrop for our 5th grade geology field programs. 

ACES education team aims to provide hands on learning experience that engage the students’ interests. By the time students make it, to middle school they will have had five years in ACES Ed. Experiences in elementary school are formative, and can have a lifelong impact on the lives of students. Our Educators are passionate about this responsibility, and embrace the opportunity to make a difference in young peoples lives. With the combination of our instruction in schools and our field programs in the Roaring Fork Valley, environmental science with ACES is a unique learning experience.

~ Jay Slater, ACES Educator