The Adirondack Park is a natural classroom. With its abundant wildlife, picturesque landscapes and rich history, there are lessons from every discipline waiting in the woods, waiting to be taught.

Enter the Adirondack Curriculum Project, which dates to 1999 when some educators got together to discuss how they could incorporate lessons about the Northeast's largest wilderness area into their classrooms.

"The Adirondacks have a distinct culture and natural beauty galore," said Sarah Bencze, a member of Tupper Lake United Teachers. "If nothing else, students should have a greater appreciation for where they live." 

The brainstormers developed a challenge-based curriculum concept. At workshops run by the ACP and Adirondack experts, teachers are guided through the process of creating their own "challenge."

After the workshop, teachers have a completed Adirondack lesson plan. The challenges must fit into at least one of six topics to adhere to the state learning standards: natural history, human history, culture and the arts, government and civics, economy, or health recreation and life skills.

"You can link anything that you do to their standards if you are creative enough," said Jack Drury, vice president of Leading EDGE, a consulting firm that encourages classroom innovation. Drury helped found the ACP.

Almost every challenge created at an ACP workshop is posted on the organization's Web site. Each challenge is posted with step-by-step instructions and grading rubrics.

Every challenge should result in a student-made product, such as an Adirondack poem or multi-media presentation, and ideally incorporate at least two subject areas, Drury said.

At the lodge

In August, several NYSUT members came to Huntington Lodge in Newcomb, which is owned by the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, to develop their own Adirondack challenges.

Heather Randall, a living environment and Advanced Placement biology teacher from the Carthage Teachers Association, stared at a blank template, searching for the words to fill the empty description section. Her idea was to have her AP students participate in an invasive species research challenge.

"I want my challenge written in such a way that makes sure my students have to do more investigation before they come to an answer," Randall said.

Using their findings, she wants them to create a brochure about their species and hopefully be able to teach each other about the information they compiled and organized.

Randall's presence at the workshop represents the expansion of the ACP.

"Even though we are out of the ( Adirondack) park, we certainly teach about the park," the Thousand Islands-area resident said.

The Finks, a husband-and-wife teaching duo who belong to the Minerva TA, live and work not far from Huntington Forest.

They plan on writing a challenge that takes advantage of their proximity to the park.

Sarah Fink, a middle-level science teacher, is interested in bringing students into the vast park so they can map waterways where beavers dwell.

The economy and history of beaver fur trade appeal to husband Chris, who teaches social studies, U.S. history, Government 11 and introduction to law at the middle level.

Once teachers have attended one of the ACP workshops, the Adirondacks echo in their classrooms.

An ACP teacher-facilitator is assigned to keep in touch with every attendee, said Sandra Bureau, an Indian Lake Faculty Association member and secretary-treasurer of the ACP.

After the educators have tried their challenge with the students, they are to report back to their facilitator.

"Teachers are encouraged to bring a finished product with a group of students to display at the poster board sessions at the annual Adirondack Research Consortium Conference in May," Bureau noted.

To learn more about the Adirondack Curriculum Project, browse classroom-ready Adirondack challenges and view upcoming workshop dates, go to http://www.adkcurriculumproject.org/.

— Andrew Waite