Roots & Shoots is a program that was designed by the Jane Goodall Institute. Its purpose is to educate children on the environment, animals and the human community, and inspire them to work together to come up with solutions and ideas to help.
Our group is made up entirely of homeschoolers, and for now, is only a summer program. We hope to become a year round group within the next couple of years. There is no membership fee to pay. Just show up at our events! For now, our group is mostly comprised of children under age 10, so our focus has been chiefly on educating ourselves on issues that are important, such as recycling, conservation and being responsible for our actions. My daughter, Alecia, and myself started this group after the death of Steve Irwin. Alecia wanted to know what she could do to continue his mission as a conservationalist, humanitarian and environmental warrior. So, here we are! Our long term goals are to form a strong group over the years that can eventually make a real impact on the world! We'd like to someday put together programs to protect our local environment, help local conservation programs, and even move on to helping global conservation programs, maybe even make a few trips to places like Africa and the Amazon! We are the generation that has to make the changes!
For now, here is our summer program lineup! Please join us at any or all of them!

June 10th
Field Trip: NREL Visitor's Center www.nrel.gov
10:30 am
No picnic lunch planned. I have never been here myself, but have heard it is a really neat place for kiddos to learn about windpower and other alternative energy sources.

July 1st
Hike/Plant and Creature Study: Matthews/Winters Open Space
10:30 am, followed by a picnic lunch.
There is some great stream wandering here, and really good spots for lunches.
We've done this hike a number of times, it is a really nice spot with good potties.:) I'm thinking a small hike around and then cooling off with a picnic lunch under the trees with the kids eating a bit and splashing a bit. Dress for wading.

July 22nd
Field Trip:Global Children's Gardens www.globalchildrensgardens.com
?? am, followed by a picnic lunch.
We'll visit the spectacular GEBO greenhouse with Global Children's Gardens in Evergreen. This is a really wonderful place to visit and learn. Afterwords we will enjoy a picnic lunch either on the grounds or at the nearby Dedisse Park. Exact time still to be determined.

August 12th
Hike/Plant and Creature Study: Lair O' the Bear
10:30am, followed by picnic lunch
This is our family's number one favorite hiking place. We can go for a long hike if we want and end up playing in the creek. Wear clothes that can get wet!! Picnic lunch before/after/whenever hungry.

August 26th
Field Trip: Berry Patch Farms
www.berrypatchfarms.com
10:30am, followed by picnic lunch.
This is an organic 'pick your own' farm. August is strawberry pickin' season. Yum. We are planning on doing the 'To Bee or not to Bee' field trip. There is a price, $5 per student. Here is the description from the website:

TRACK B: "TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE": This ninety minute field trip explores the fascinating world of bees. An informative video and talk as well as a tour of the Honey House will compliment the student's understanding of bees and their respective importance in agriculture. Included in the ninety minute field trip is berry picking (strawberry or raspberry whichever is in season) whereby the class will take a hayride out to the berry fields to enjoy picking a pint of berries. Colorado Teaching Standards: Life Science 3.1; Math 1 & 4.

Sepember 9th
End of the 'year' celebration!
I haven't worked out any of the details on this one, I'm hoping we can do that together! I'd like to do something fun. I am thinking about it being at the Bear Creek Lake beach. It won't be as busy with kids gone back to school.