Kindergarten students at Elizabeth Barrett have spent the past couple of months studying and learning about the wildlife that considers Cochrane it's home.

Last Thursday (May 23), students invited their families into the school for a celebratory afternoon which told the story of their learning through song, artwork, and stories written.

Jessica Powers, Kindergarten teacher shares the students have been fascinated by the animals that frequent our area and were quite eager to learn. What started off as a few images of wildlife captured around town, quickly morphed into an 8-week incredible learning opportunity that the young learners loved. "We tracked and counted the animals every week, made graphs, and we charted largest to smallest. It was really good, and they learned a lot."

More than just the number and species of animals, the students also learned what to and not to do when coming face to face with wildlife. "They really got to know what to do if they encounter wild animals because we had a moose at school. So what is the protocol? We ran through that even with the parents as what to do when you see a moose; back away, give it space, hide behind a tree, if it chases you and you fall down don't get up and run again just cover your head."

Besides learning practical tips when it comes to encountering wild animals, students also learned why Cochrane attracts an array of wildlife, how we can protect them, and how residents and wildlife can harmoniously live together. 

It was never a struggle for Powers to engage the kindergartners in learning throughout the 8-week inquiry journey. "It gets the students to dig deeper not just doing a worksheet and that stuff, but digging deep and asking questions. That is the kind of learning that drives me to do what I do. They learn so much more and not just on the surface."

Not only did the students display their artwork, data research, and photo collection, they also had a donation jar set up in which money from the students helping at home was collected to benefit the Cochrane Ecological Institute.