K-12 Environmental Education
CHARLIE KAHN
Environmental Education Coordinator
My name is Charlie Kahn and I feel so lucky to be the Environmental Education Coordinator here at Westgate! I get to work with all grade levels to help cultivate a love for the environment and community through lesson plans, field trips, and service-learning projects. I teach on topics that are related to our goats, chickens, gardens, recycling, food waste programs, and everything in the environmental realm. I love that EE can be incorporated with all subjects and grade levels.
I previously taught through nonprofits, after-school programs, and nature camps. I moved to Colorado in 2021 from California, where I spent my time exploring the redwoods. I have been exploring nature as long as I can remember, and I’ve seen the curiosity and wonder it can bring into student’s lives. I am also a huge fan of backpacking, hiking, climbing, aerial yoga/yoga, and camping.
Six Acres of Outdoor Space
Outdoor Classrooms - click the link to the left to see the classrooms
- Owl's Nest
- Westgate Amphitheater
- Pollinator Gardens
- Pavilion
- Solar Plaza
- Gardens
Animals
- Cats
- Goats
- Chickens
- Bees
Gardens
- Eight planting beds
- Student and volunteers were maintained with lots of help from Ms. Maupin.
- Includes vegetables, herbs and flowers
Service Learning
- Weekly in grades K–12
- An outlet for students with different skill sets to shine
- Students become experts on a topic and present their project to the community
- Past projects include: recycling, wild animal habitats, wildfires, systemic racism, homeless populations, goats and gardening
Benefits of Environmental Education (Environmental Education) for K-12 Students
Academic
- Academic Skills: critical thinking, decision-making, systems thinking
- Academic Performance
- Student Engagement
21st Century Skills
- Lifelong learners
- Lifelong skills
- Problem solvers
- Leadership
- Communication
- Independence
- Teamwork