Living Classroom

Living Classroom is a pre-K to sixth-grade STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program that brings the great outdoors into the classroom, utilizing the natural shoreline for hands-on experiential learning.

• All classes are seventy-five minutes and taught by experienced RISE educators.
• All classes are conducted during the regular school day at RISE, situated one block from the Atlantic Ocean and Jamaica Bay, where there is an abundance of natural resources to explore.
• Programming is FREE to all Rockaway public schools. Minimum program fee for private schools, charters, or public schools outside the Rockaway peninsula. (See rates below.)

BOOK A CLASS NOW!
Class field trips are offered every Wednesday and Thursday, February through May, at 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. BOOK HERE on Explorable Places.

RISE is currently offering the following class:

LIVING CLASSROOM: GUYANESE FISHING/NET KNITTING CULTURAL IMMIGRANT INITIATIVE
This workshop teaches students about the history of Guyanese fishing and some of the crafts and skills that go into it. Students will learn about Guyanese cast net fishing, its history, the art of making the nets, and their current-day use in the Rockaways. Students will learn basic knots and will practice casting a net. All students will leave the workshop with their own knot bracelet and instruction guide.  This class takes place at RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692. Please e-mail programs@riserockaway.org with any questions.

FEES
Include instruction and class supplies for each student.

• All classes for Rockaway public schools are FREE!
• Pricing for public schools outside the Rockaways is $10 per student; maximum 25 students. Groups with fewer than 25 students cost a flat rate of $250.
• Pricing for private school groups is $20 per student; maximum 25 students. Groups with fewer than 25 students cost a flat rate of $375.
• Homeschool groups can call (718) 327-5919 for pricing.
  

Other workshops include . . .

LIVING CLASSROOM: THE SHORELINE ENVIRONMENT
This workshop focuses on the ecosystems that surround coastal communities. Students will learn about the animals and plants, including oysters, fish, sharks, and dune plants, that can be found in and around the oceans and bays in coastal areas like the Rockaways. After a brief discussion inside, students will get the opportunity to go outside to explore these wildlife communities. Activity is dependent on tide, weather, and season.This class takes place at RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692.

LIVING CLASSROOM: BIRDS OF THE ROCKAWAYS
This workshop focuses on native shorebirds and their importance to the well-being of the ecosystem. Emphasis is placed on native avian fauna of the Rockaways. Students will learn the basics of bird identification and behavior, as well as how to use binoculars, before they head outside to try their skills on the boardwalk, where they will get the chance to see a variety of different birds and work on a collaborative project. This class takes place at Arverne East Coastal Conservation Center and Nature Preserve, 190 Beach 44th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691.

LIVING CLASSROOM: MARINE DEBRIS
What is marine debris, and why is it so harmful? In this workshop, students explore the various threats that marine debris poses to wildlife and to people in and around the Rockaways. Students will get the opportunity to collect marine debris, leaving the shoreline cleaner than when they arrived. They will participate in a hands-on activity where they have the opportunity to learn, up close, about the different materials and products that make their way into the marine environment. This class takes place at RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Far Rockaway, NY 11692.

See our video done as part of Living Classroom with students at PS43