First and foremost, the Bent Twig Outdoor Education Area was developed by the Westwood Garden club as an educational resource for the University and community at large. The Garden Club was filled with mothers whose children were active in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Boy Scout Troops 361 and 261 were active in exploring, developing and building the Outdoor Education Center.
On May 9th, 1970, the first science classes were held out the Westwood Lodge. Led by Dr. James Townsend, Assistant Professor of Life Sciences biology students collected plants in the undeveloped amphitheatre area.
In time, the envisioned Girl Scout and Boy Scout Troops utilized it for environmental and ecological badge work and day camps. Local schools visiting the natural areas for supplemental instruction taught by science faculty. Doris, Eicher, who spear headed most of the major projects in the Outdoor Education Center, worked with the local Audubon Society in foraging programs, serving up the local greens and mushrooms she gathered in woods surrounding campus.
Today, the entire trail system is a treasure trove of science waiting to be explored by families. Pott College of Science, Engineering and Education hosts high school Environmental Science days. Student teachers develop education curriculum on science, the environment and ecology on the nature found on the trails. The following PDFs are nature and science curriculum developed by teacher education candidates that is approved by their faculty. Curriculum is being updated every year for the trails.
Spring Science PDF
These are natural science worksheets designed by USI Teacher Education candidates for elementary education students. They designed them to be used on USI's many trails.
Summer Science PDF
Here are some PDFs of educational content that teacher education candidates created for elementary education students based on the nature found on the USI Trails in the Summer.
Fall Educational PDFs
Here are some PDFs of educational content that teacher education candidates created for elementary education students based on the nature found on the USI Trails for Fall.
Winter Educational PDFs
Here are some PDFs of educational content that teacher education candidates created for elementary education students based on the nature found on the USI Trails for Winter
Westwood Garden Club
A story about the history of the Westwood Garden Club and their partnership with David L. Rice in establishing the USI Trail system and the Bent Twig Outdoor Science and Education Area.
Blue Bird Trail
A story on how the Westwood Garden Club established the Bluebird Trail as a conservation effort and how it's used for research today by the USI Biology Department.
