Lee Expressive Arts students use books with leaf and fruit clues to identify native Missouri trees -FWS photo by James Maritz

Students explored wetland critters -FWS photo by James Maritz

Fish and Wildlife Biologist Jane Ledwin helps students with the prairie plant and bug study -FWS photo by James Maritz

Columbia ES staff with Lee Expressive Arts School 2nd grade students and teachers -FWS photo by James Maritz

Over fifty second grade students headed for the park on October 27, 2008 for a wetland field day. The Columbia, Missouri Ecological Services office took SEEDS (Students Environment Endangered Species) students to a local nature area to explore and learn about new landscapes. SEEDS is a program that Columbia ES started in 2006 with Lee Expressive Arts School to connect elementary students with the outdoors. Four activities filled the afternoon with fun and excitement as the students experienced Missouri flora and fauna. Charlie Scott, field supervisor, and Ellie Milligan guided students through the bottomland hardwoods where they identified native trees using leaf and fruit clues. Rick Hansen, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, helped the students explore wetland critters. Hansen taught the students about wetland food chains and provided each child with a nature journal. The students used the journals to sketch and write about what they saw. Other activities included nature art and a prairie plant study. Although the weather was not ideal, the event was a big hit with the students of Lee Elementary School. Lee School is in the heart of downtown Columbia, where over 50 percent of the students are on the free and reduced lunch program. The students do not often have the chance to discover and enjoy the outdoors. With the lead of Administrative Officer Becky Clearwater and Education Specialist Hilary Shaw, the Columbia ES staff continues to plant the seeds for a love of nature in the young students of Columbia.