Western North Carolina Nature Center

The Western North Carolina Nature Center will partner with Buncombe County Schools (BCS) to expand standards-aligned, place-based science education for 4th and 8th grade students by integrating the nature center’s wildlife collection, educators, and investigation kits into classroom instruction through a co-designed curriculum. Over a two-year period, WNC Nature Center will expand a successful wildlife adaptations curriculum pilot for 4th grade students and co-design a new Appalachian Ecology unit for 8th grade students in collaboration with BCS teachers and the district’s K-12 Science Specialist. Project activities include delivering curriculum-integrated outreach lessons featuring live animal ambassadors, developing and distributing investigation kits using animal biofacts from the nature center’s collection, producing standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, and convening a compensated teacher design cohort to develop the 8th grade unit. The project will serve approximately 2,200 students across 24 BCS during the grant period. The primary beneficiaries are Buncombe County students, who will participate in experiential learning to build science literacy skills while connecting to the wildlife and ecosystems of the Southern Appalachians. Teachers will benefit from ready-to-use curriculum materials, investigation kits, and collaborative professional support that increases their capacity to implement place-based experiential science instruction.