Education and Outreach

2024-2025 School Booklet

We appreciate all the support that Gaston County Schools has shown us.  A special thanks to Gaston County School staff for approving the program material for school use.

We invite teachers, home school groups and other civic organizations to explore the booklet below by clicking the picture.  Use this booklet as a resource for both you and your classroom. We offer a variety of educational programs, free of charge! 

Art Teachers:  We will not be offering our Arbor Day Poster Contest and Recycled Art Contest during this school year. 

Chronolog

Did you know that all the nature you're observing could actually be helpful to scientists and to different city departments to collect needed data? Keep Gastonia Beautiful, in partnership with our Storm Water Utility Division, has installed two Chronolog stands along our waterways.  Chronolog is Time-lapse Photography initiative, with devices installed at Rankin Lake (on the bridge between the Clubhouse and the Lake) and the Greenway at Lineberger Park (after the bridge and before Forest Drive).

How It Works:
1. Take a photo at one of the Chronolog devices.
2.  Follow the instructions on the stand to email your photo to Chronolog, with the site specific code.
3. The online platform compiles and organizes these photos.
4. Watch as we capture environmental changes and track bank stability and erosion over time.

Your participation helps us monitor and protect our natural spaces. It's a fun and easy way to get involved in community science!

Watch how the water changes at each location but clicking on the links below. 

Avon Creek at Lineberger Park

Kaglor Creek at Rankin Lake

We all spend a lot of time outdoors, whether it’s at a park, on a bike path, or even just walking around town. Community Science allows us to share the things we see and experience while enjoying the great outdoors. If you like spending time in nature and want to help out your community, we encourage you to look into community science at our Chronolog stands. By our powers combined, we can track data to better understand what is happening in Gastonia and beyond.

Storywalk

Our Storywalk is located at Rankin Lake 1750 Rankin Lake Road, Gastonia, NC.
Start your journey by the boathouse and end by the pavilions.  This is an all paved path along the waterfront with 13 pages for your family to enjoy!

What is a StoryWalk®?  It's a fun activity that engages families in literacy and getting active. Pages from a children's book are printed and placed in displays along a walkable path.  Families will be able to walk a short path at Rankin Lake and read a page of a book at each stop.We welcome children of all ages, the chance to get out and read while they are at Rankin Lake!

Tag us on social media or send us a picture of your group enjoying this new addition to our beautiful park!#KGBStoryWalk

Interested in finding other Story Trails throughout the state?  Head over to the NC State Library 

The Storywalk® concept was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and was developed with the help of Rachel Senechal, Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Now this concept has been brought to Gastonia provided by Gaston County DHHS through a grant to Keep Gastonia Beautiful.

Current featured book:

Save the Air by Bethany Stahl

Coming soon:
 Save the Bees by Bethany Stahl 

The Little Raindrop by Joanna Gray

Over in a River Flowing Out to the Sea by Marianne Berkes

 The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming & Nicola Slater

Little Turtle and the Changing Sea by Becky Davies

Save the Butterflies by Bethany Stahl

 Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev

Save the Air by Bethany Stahl

I Can Save the Earth! by Allison Inches

Mari the Mariola By Sarah McCune