Teatown, a non-profit nature preserve located in the lower Hudson Valley, thrilled students at Washington Irving on December 4, when representatives from the Nature in the Classroom program visited the school with a presentation about a variety of animals found in our area. Teatown educators Elissa Schilmeister and Jesse Predmore taught third graders how the animals survive in their natural habitat and the role each plays in nature.
The students saw an owl, falcon, diamondback terrapin and a five-foot rat snake. They learned about animal’s habitats, which species are endangered, and how they hunt for food. They also discovered that wolves formerly lived in our area and heard why coyotes have become prevalent.
Nature in the Classroom travels from school-to-school to educate children about animals they may never see on their own and enables students to get close to them safely. The mission of Teatown, a 1000-acre nature preserve and educational center, is to inspire the community to become caretakers for the environment.
