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FAQs |
| Full Circle FAQs | |
| Q. What is Full Circle? Is it an environmental education program? | |
| A. Yes...and then some Full Circle is an outdoor-based character development and community-building program. Full Circle is also a holistic, integrated, multi-disciplinary learning and enrichment program. Using nature as the curriculum's starting point, Full Circle equates natural ecology with human diversity and community interaction. Throughout the program there is an emphasis on the development of positive listening and communication skills. Students develop a sense of community as well as an understanding of personal responsibility. The outdoors is the primary location for program activities. These activities include hands-on natural science lessons, a ropes course and team-building activities, native customs and wilderness survival skills, natural and urban photo explorations, a collaborative art project, the content development for a commemorative web site and a community service project. Students also maintain a journal, developing and applying reflective writing skills. |
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| Q. Who is Full Circle for? | |
| A. Elementary school classes, usually 4th or 5th grade in the Los Angeles area. | Top |
| Q. What about middle or high schools? | |
| A. Full Circle can work in any school that can devote sufficient time during the school day. | Top |
| Q. Can only one class participate at a time? | |
| A. No. With the school administration's participation, several classes can take part together. | Top |
| Q. What about community groups, churches or other programs working with young people? | |
| A. The Wildwoods Foundation can work with any group to develop a customized outdoor-based program that suits their needs. | Top |
| Q. What is the length of Full Circle? | |
| A. There are 8 segments of the program. The program is usually once a week for two months. | Top |
| Q. How long is the program day? | |
| A. Full Circle program activities are usually the length of a normal school day. | Top |
| Q. Is the schedule flexible? | |
| A. Yes. Each Full Circle program is built around the needs of the individual classroom. The program day can be customized to fit any school day calendar. | Top |
| Q. Can a school make any changes to the program? | |
| A. Some. For instance, some schools elect to add supplementary field trips or projects. The fundamental order of the program activities, however, must be followed in order to maintain the flow and integrity of the program. | Top |
| Q. Where does Full Circle take place? | |
| A. There are two field trips to parks in the Santa Monica Mountains, an exploration of the community around the school, as well as on-campus and classroom projects. | Top |
| Q. Who teaches Full Circle? | |
| A. Full Circle Program Instructors include former classroom teachers, outdoor and adventure challenge facilitators, naturalists, graduate students and teachers-in-training. For each of the off-campus activities, Program Assistants are enlisted, specific to the project task. | Top |
| Q. Does Full Circle align with California State Academic Standards? | |
| A. Yes. It meets several key points in 4th and 5th grade standards in Social Studies, Natural Science, Language Arts and Math. | Top |
| Q. Is training available for the classroom teacher? | |
| A. Yes. There are two days of program orientation offered. | Top |
| Q. What is the level of classroom teacher involvement? | |
| A. Teachers are responsible for collecting all necessary permission slips and release forms, plus all evaluation materials. Beyond that, the level of commitment is entirely up to the individual teacher. However, the full benefit of Full Circle is realized only through additional integration and exploration of the program's subject matter. Please see Teachers & Administrators page for more information. | Top |
| Q. Are there additional resources available for the classroom teacher? | |
| A. Yes. There is a Teacher's Guide provided to the classroom teacher, which includes an hourly breakdown of the week's activities, plus suggested preparatory and follow-up discussions or projects for the class. Also, there is an extensive collection of supplemental reading material and essays relevant to Full Circle. | Top |
| Q. How much does the program cost? | |
| A. That depends on the number of children participating during
the program, as well as any modification schools might wish to make to
customize their Full Circle
experience (such as additional field trips).
Schools can mitigate program costs by contributing in-kind donations (materials, transportation or other services) or by joining in collaborative fund-raising efforts. Additionally, the Wildwoods Foundation often provides scholarships based on the number of students participating in the Free & Reduced Lunch Program or other economic need indicators. To discuss the cost of Full Circle at your school or more information about in-kind contributions and scholarships, contact Info@WildwoodsFoundation.org or call (213) 989-1955. |
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