Country School Students Visit Wolf Conservation Center

From New Canaan Country School: New Canaan Country School fourth graders visited the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY Wed., April 4, as part of their study of ecology in science class. They observed four ambassador wolves and learned about wolf behavior.

In class, the children have been studying the interconnectedness of living and non-living things and how food chains and food webs affect a working ecosystem. They took a deep dive into the role of wolves in nature to understand how each part of a system affects the whole. They began by learning about the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Their extinction in the area caused the overpopulation of elk, which then caused the dramatic decrease of birds and other animals in the area. “Their study of Yellowstone helped to give them context for when they visited the local conservation center,” said Science Teacher Chantal Detlefs.

The fourth graders took a keen interest in wolf behavior. “They got hooked to the drama of wolves, of the power dynamics and hierarchy of the pack,” said Ms. Detlefs. “They asked so many good questions and were mesmerized by the topic.”

New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent day school for students in Pre-K through Grade 9. Located on a 75-acre campus in New Canaan, the school provides transportation to families living throughout Westchester and Fairfield counties. For more information about the school, please visit www.countryschool.net.

Photo credit: New Canaan Country School