Something BIG on Belle Isle

There’s something BIG going on at the Belle Isle Nature Center.

The Nature Center, operated by the Detroit Zoological Society, is one of several organizations on the island to give back to Detroit youth through the Big Belle Isle Lesson, which brings students and teachers to the island, connects them to nature-based education and gives them a full school week immersed in place-based learning.

The Big Lesson was created by former Michigan Teacher of the Year Margaret Holtschlag in 1999. The program, which featured immersive, nature-based and place-based field trips throughout mid-Michigan, served three purposes:

• To be a professional development model for immersion learning

• To be a study trip for students, parents and teachers

• To foster partnerships between community resources and Michigan schools.

Since that first lesson, many similar projects have come about — including the Big Belle Isle Lesson. The first seed of the Big Belle Isle Lesson was planted last summer when the Belle Isle Nature Center partnered with Dr. June Teisan, the Belle Isle Aquarium and Bunche Academy to offer elementary students, teachers and parents an entire week of immersive, nature-based learning. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students from Bunche Academy explored Belle Isle, engaging in water quality testing, animal observation and journaling. Teachers and translators tailored the experience, fostering deep connections with nature. The program’s success led to monthly classroom visits, reinforcing lessons and expanding its reach, nurturing a growing garden of knowledge and community.

Belle Isle Nature Center Director Amy Greene says the program has been a “big” success, and she can’t wait to see it expand to more classrooms and schools.

“The Big Belle Isle Lesson doesn’t end when the field trip does,” she says. “The Lesson is the first step in a year-long learning process and connection with science and nature. It’s a fantastic program that makes a big difference.”