Barbara Watson and Joe Dana at the Dana Adobe
Barbara, thanks for visiting my blog. I know you were
instrumental in creating the Dana Adobe’s school education program.
How did the Adobe's school field trips begin?
Thanks for asking, Wanda. I love talking about the Dana Adobe.
Dana Adobe is a California Historic Landmark being restored and retrofitted by the non-profit organization Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos. Shortly after the DANA came into being, we accepted the stewardship to save and protect the old Dana Adobe that had been neglected for many years. Our vision was to restore the house and the land around it in order to create a historical place where visitors could learn the stories of the people who lived here long ago.
Then we met a teacher from a local school who had been bringing his students to the Adobe on field trips and began
thinking of all the children who did not have the opportunity to experience the adobe. So a small group of us got together to plan a field trip program and decided to concentrate on fourth graders as that is the year in school when students learn about California history. We followed the California curriculum standards in choosing the activities that would be supplementary to the classroom experiences. We then determined the objectives that would be followed at each station. After rehearsing our program we notified fourth grade teachers of our plan and invited them to bring their students to the Dana Adobe. This is how the field trips at the Adobe came about.
Over the past ten years we have averaged close to one thousand students a year who visit the Adobe and participate in our program. Some classes come for the morning activities, others spend the day and have lunch between activities. Stations are set up, with each providing a different experience. Students, in small groups, travel from station to station, learning about who lived and worked on the rancho, the stories that were told, the animals who lived there, the music and dancing that took place and many other wonderful things.
The most recent addition to the Dana education program is the Nature Walk. Students spend the morning studying the trees, plants and birds that inhabit the Dana Rancho. They learn about the trees and plants that have been growing at the rancho for many years and why some of them are known as native plants. They also learn to recognize plants that do not belong on the ranch but have been brought here or arrived on their own.
The interactive activities assure that each student’s experience is successful. Eventually, we hope to have summer programs at the Dana Rancho where visitors will have the opportunity to study both the past and the present at this special
place.
To see all the happenings at the Adobe visit Danaadobe.org
instrumental in creating the Dana Adobe’s school education program.
How did the Adobe's school field trips begin?
Thanks for asking, Wanda. I love talking about the Dana Adobe.
Dana Adobe is a California Historic Landmark being restored and retrofitted by the non-profit organization Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos. Shortly after the DANA came into being, we accepted the stewardship to save and protect the old Dana Adobe that had been neglected for many years. Our vision was to restore the house and the land around it in order to create a historical place where visitors could learn the stories of the people who lived here long ago.
Then we met a teacher from a local school who had been bringing his students to the Adobe on field trips and began
thinking of all the children who did not have the opportunity to experience the adobe. So a small group of us got together to plan a field trip program and decided to concentrate on fourth graders as that is the year in school when students learn about California history. We followed the California curriculum standards in choosing the activities that would be supplementary to the classroom experiences. We then determined the objectives that would be followed at each station. After rehearsing our program we notified fourth grade teachers of our plan and invited them to bring their students to the Dana Adobe. This is how the field trips at the Adobe came about.
Over the past ten years we have averaged close to one thousand students a year who visit the Adobe and participate in our program. Some classes come for the morning activities, others spend the day and have lunch between activities. Stations are set up, with each providing a different experience. Students, in small groups, travel from station to station, learning about who lived and worked on the rancho, the stories that were told, the animals who lived there, the music and dancing that took place and many other wonderful things.
The most recent addition to the Dana education program is the Nature Walk. Students spend the morning studying the trees, plants and birds that inhabit the Dana Rancho. They learn about the trees and plants that have been growing at the rancho for many years and why some of them are known as native plants. They also learn to recognize plants that do not belong on the ranch but have been brought here or arrived on their own.
The interactive activities assure that each student’s experience is successful. Eventually, we hope to have summer programs at the Dana Rancho where visitors will have the opportunity to study both the past and the present at this special
place.
To see all the happenings at the Adobe visit Danaadobe.org
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