Our Programs Environmental Education in the Schools The major focus of Tin Mountain is the environmental education programs in the local schools. These programs include our 51 hour September to June Environmental Studies Program; Forests For the Future courses at junior highs in Tamworth and Fryeburg; Project KITE in the Fryeburg elementary and middle schools; teacher workshops, school-wide projects, extra hour programs, field trips, and special projects. Our Environmental Studies Program offers weekly classes for students in grade 3 at four elementary schools (grades 2-6 at one other) in the Mt. Washington Valley. Three teacher/naturalists work closely with classroom teachers on developing, coordinating and evaluating activities throughout the school year. It is recognized as the backbone of our school programs because it allows our teacher/naturalists to work closely with the same children each week for the school year, providing in-depth instruction and curriculum support. The Extra Hours Program in 4 elementary schools provides teachers with Tin Mountain time to use in a variety of ways including field trips, helping identify resources and materials, and doing special projects such as recycling or river studies. Project KITE, Kids In The Environment, is a multi-disciplinary program for grades K-7 in the Fryeburg schools. Each unit was developed by Tin Mountain to support science curriculum while focusing on such natural resources as the Saco River, the White Mountains, the forests, and area wildlife. Tin Mountain works closely with teachers, assisting them as they cover these units with their students. A Tin Mountain naturalist also makes classroom visits and leads a field trip for each class. Forests For the Future is a program for junior high school students which focuses on forest ecology and natural resource management. This field-oriented course regularly takes eighth grade classes in Tamworth and Fryeburg's Molly Ockett Middle School to forest study sites. The courses cover all aspects of ecology, including mammalogy, forest inventory, wetlands study, and more, permitting students to develop and present forest management plans for each study site. Environmental Education at Summer Camp Tin Mountain's environmentally oriented camp program has grown from one camp with 30 campers in 1987 to eight camps with more than 200 campers each summer. The camps promote awareness and appreciation of the environment and respect for nature and others in an outdoor setting. Camps include: * Kindercamp for 4 and 5 year olds in Jackson. * Kindercamp for 4 and 5 year olds in Tamworth. * Kindercamp for 4 and 5 year olds in Conway. * Day Camp for 6 to 10 year olds at our Jackson Field Station. * Day Camp for 6 to 10 year olds in South Tamworth. * Day Camp for 6 to 10 year olds at our Fryeburg camp. * Explorer Camps for 9 to 15 year olds in the mountains, lakes and rivers of the North Country, including Trekkers (an introduction to camping); Peaks & Paddles (introductions to hiking and canoeing); Paths & Peaks (hiking above treeline); and Canoe Voyageurs (canoeing the Saco River and Lake Umbagog). Environmental Education in the Community Sponsorship from L.L. Bean allows Tin Mountain to offer 18-20 natural history programs, slide lectures, hikes, and field trips to adults and families each year. These programs provide the opportunity for the public to learn about pertinent environmental issues and land use topics in an informal and relaxed atmosphere while raising Tin Mountain's profile in the community.