Garden News
venue for interpretive plant science displays, an observational beehive introducing visitors to the pollinator story, and peek-through windows showing the internal mechanics of the building’s sustainability features, the Center will create a welcoming new visitor attraction. The light-filled Astellas Atrium will divide the building into the Grainger Wing for classroom education and a public wing for community programs. The Grainger Wing will feature eight classrooms, including two dedicated to early childhood development, and a nature laboratory for students to investigate plants. The two early childhood classrooms and one regular classroom (primarily for adult use) will open to their own outdoor spaces. The public wing will contain two larger rooms for wellness classes, meetings, plus the ITW Kitchen Classroom, where students will learn to prepare dishes made from fresh ingredients. A second-floor office suite will accommodate staff. Early childhood education will be a highlight of program expansion within the Education Center and the surrounding Regenstein Foundation Learning Campus. The Garden plans to hire a dedicated early childhood educator in 2015 who will work with staff to launch a nature preschool, expand the Little Diggers and My First Camp programs, and increase early childhood provider training programs.
Jennifer Schwarz Ballard, Ph.D., associate vice president of education at the Garden, said she is particularly excited about the expansion of nature-based play programming for children from birth to age 3. Infants and toddlers will be able to practice gross and fine motor skills and enhance social relationships, artistic creativity, and imaginative play while immersed in a plant-rich environment. “Letting children explore the outdoors early in their development stimulates physical, cognitive, and emotional development in ways that science is just beginning to fully investigate,” said Dr. Schwarz Ballard. During construction, scheduled for completion in June 2016, education programs, including teacher professional development, student field trips, and Camp CBG, will continue to be offered at various locations around the Garden. The Campus will also include an innovative garden whose concept vision came from renowned landscape architect Mikyoung Kim. The Education Center is supported by a $750,000 grant in matched funds from the Public Museum Capital Grants Program, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois State Museum; and the generous support of The Grainger Foundation, Astellas USA Foundation, ITW, The Collins Family Foundation, Arthur D. Collins, Jr., an anonymous donor, and many other contributors.
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