When experiential learning includes a full day into evening or overnight and an outdoor setting are combined, it is often a student's most fond memory of their school career!

In addition to helping students develop positive personal relationships with fellow students and teachers, students take part in activities that develop conceptual, communicative, and computational skills, and discover the ecological relationships between humans and the natural environment through the intensive exploration of diverse habitats. An extended day of overnight residential experience is available at both of the Nassau BOCES Environmental Centers: Brookville or Caumsett.

The Setting

At our Caumsett facility, students will have access to a variety of habitats to explore within the 1600 acre State Park facilitated by our naturalists.

The Brookville site provides unique opportunities to engage students: challenge courses, colonial craft workshops and more. Students will have the true outdoor experience as they will stay in tents and cook their meals.

Program Selection

In addition to each site's regular day program offerings, the activities below may be selected for evening or early morning activities:

1. Astronomy
   Following a brief introductory presentation, students explore the evening sky through the use of star charts and telescopes. They locate constellations and hear and share the legends associated with these stars.
2. Birds
   This program exposes the students to the feathered inhabitants at each site. Avian structure, function and adaptation will be stressed. (May be used as a pre-breakfast activity).
3. Exploratory Hike
   This pre-breakfast program is a brisk walk designed to "wake-up" the students with fresh air and exercise.
4. Nocturnal Awareness and Night Walk
   These activities are designed to help students become more comfortable in the nocturnal world by increasing their familiarity with its sounds and smells, as well as with the wildlife that is generally active.
5. Solo Walk
   This activity is designed to enhance the sensory awareness of each individual through exploration and experiences while in the natural environment at night.
6. Environmental Issues (Caumsett)
   Students will better understand the many sides of important environmental issues when they assume the roles of special interest groups and express their concerns at a "town meeting." A student task force will preside over the meeting and decide the outcome.

CoSer: 401.510