Two years ago New Jersey became the first state in the Nation to establish a climate change curriculum in its primary schools. This year the new program rolls out for the students, and John Moore, education director of the Palmyra Cove Nature Park is ready to bring a new kind of approach for the students.
Rather than sitting in a classroom and reading about climate change, students will be able to see firsthand at the Cove Center the impact of climate change on the plants and animal life all around. Students learn best when they are challenged with real life. The Education Center at Palmyra Cove aims to do that.
Nestled at the base of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, the park offers birding and wildlife trails, a beaver pond, wetlands, and a peregrine falcon with a webcam pointed at the nest. It may seem to be a strange place for a park, but all around us there are unexpected places where God’s creation bursts out in extraordinary ways. We just need to be open to seeing them.
Prayer for the Day
The sliver of the moon in the sky with hues of blues and violets,
Tell us another day dawns manifesting your creation, O God;
Trees, still only visible as dark green shadows against the growing light,
Bend and bow with your gentle breeze from above;
Open our eyes and ears to the world around us, Blessed One,
As we begin the day with the rest of creation.
In the name of the One who is always with us,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
We don't want to overwhelm students. We want to empower students. So we want to say, ‘Yes, this is a problem. But guess what? This is how we can solve it.
- Kristen Crawford, Science curriculum supervisor, Chatham, New Jersey
We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.
- Barack Obama, former President
O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless God’s name; tell of God’s salvation from day to day.
Declare God’s glory among the nations, God’s marvelous works among the people.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.
Psalm 96: 1-4