January 2006
Winter; the Get Outdoors Club theme for January. Although it has been a mild winter with very little snow, we managed to make the best of it without being able to snowshoe, sled or iceskate as we had planned.
As the kids returned from Christmas break, we brainstormed lists of fun outdoor recreation activities we can do in the winter time. The kids were amazed at all of the neat and exciting activities that are perfect for the cold seasons of Minnesota.
The half-melted outdoor skating rink in town was still a worthy site for the kids to learn the basics of hockey through broomball. We devised our own version of broomball using street hockey sticks and a street hockey flourescent orange ball. The kids slipped and slided in their tennis shoes and winter boots for a few days until they began to get the hang of the sport. We played broomball excessively throughout the month of January and each time we played, the kids, both boys and girls, groaned when it was time to head home.
Each month the kids design a poster that depicts the phenology, seasonal changes in nature, and the outdoor recreation activities for that season. The January poster made by the kids proudly displays an icefisherman, winter camping, two kids playing hockey and a snowman.
We did some activites centered around basic survival and winter survival. We did a mock bus crash and the kids had to use supplies from a bag of goodies I provided in order to survive. We also played a game where kids competed by sticking their hands in buckets of ice and water and pulling out as many pennies as they could, one at a time. The activity demonstrated how quickly frostbite and hypothermia can set in. We were able to have a good conversation about how important it is to be prepared and to dress appropriately for the cold winter weather.
Using the January issue of the MN Conservation Volunteer magazine, we talked briefly about winter survival for animals and the kids wrote stories in their journals about a make believe “snow day” they would enjoy and what they would do and see outside.
The Get Outdoors kids are all registered as Scouts (Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts) too. So we had the Scouts come and do some winter activities. The kids did some craft projects that helped them understand science concepts related to winter, such as a crystal activity to demonstarte the different crystal structures of snowflakes.
On a particulary nasty day, we watched the movie “IceAge” and afterward had a brief discussion about the glaciers that once covered most of Minnesota.
The kids also had the opportunity to go bowling at the local bowling alley and to try yoga this month. Providing special opportunities to participate in these sorts of health activities allows the kids to experiment with different recreational activities that they may choose to incorporate into their life-long behavior patterns.
At the conclusion of January, I observe many people in this northern region are beginning to experience the “winter blues”. But the G.O. Club kids have been active and happy. Winter time can trigger depression, isolation, overeating and other negative mental and physical health patterns. By introducing kids to many different recreational opportunities available in the winter season, we have allowed the children a variety of healthy choices they can make and we have been able to foster a better appreciation of the seasonal changes mother natures brings to us.
December 2005
Astronomy was the December theme. The kids did quite a bit of research at the library during December to learn about the planets and stars. In their journals, the kids wrote their own myths about make believe constellations. We made telescopes and played a fun game, sort of like capture the flag, to demonstrate how meteors can impact the planets (Divide into two teams, the kids represent meteors, each team tries to get to the other team’s side of the room to steal the planet (ball), whatever team steals the other team’s ball first wins).
We took a trip to a nearby planetarium and the kids learned how to identify the main constellations in the night sky. We learned the importance of the north star, Polaris, as a navigation tool that never changes it’s position in the sky because it is located at a point that lines up with the earth’s axis. The kids “Ooh’ed” and “Aah’ed” as the planetarium guide showed us several different amazing things in our sky, including the milky way and the Seven Sisters constellation that actually makes up a whole other galaxy of over 100 billion stars.
The club is excited for summertime when we plan to take some camping trips and be able to look for these constellations in the night sky.
As the Christmas break kicked off, we took an all day ice fishing trip. Almost all of the kids were scared before we left for the trip. Their parents had warned them to be very cautious on the ice and the kids were alarmed because only a couple of them had ever been out on a frozen lake before. That week of the fishing trip, we had made our own popcan fishing poles and played some games to learn about the fish of our area and the habitat needs of each fish. We also became familiar with some of the major fishing regulations by playing Fishing Ethics and Regulations Jeopardy. There was also serious discussion on ice safety and rescue.
On our way to icefishing, we visited a nearby state fish hatchery. The kids got to see how fish are raised for release into the many lakes and rivers of our state. The kids were fascinated by the numbers of fish that the state raises in just one hatchery. They really enjoyed seeing the different sizes of the fish, from eggs to fingerlings up to brood stock of over two feet long.
Down at the lake, the kids quickly overcame their fears of the ice. With the help of a professional fisherman/educator, the kids were shown how to auger a hole through the ice, bait a hook and bring in a fish. It was interesting to observe the impatient attitudes as the kids tired of fishing after about twenty minutes of zero catches. We relocated to another nearby lake and soon everyone was catching fish and the fishing addiction kicked in. The kids were hooked.
I believe we now have a club of fishing enthusiasts! We hope to incorporate many more fishing trips into the schedule.
As December concluded, I realized that the kids need more outside contact even during the cold winter months. I feel we did too many indoor activities and that the kids are not gaining as much when we use books and videos to teach them about concepts. The kids also seem to be able to focus better and interact with one another better when they are allowed time outdoors. Even though astronomy is something that, for the most part, must be taught indoors, I feel I should have done a better job of getting the kids outside. For January, I plan to offer more outdoor activities.
November 2005
The theme for November was Geology. We transitioned from the karst theme of the previous month into the geology theme by taking an all day trip on a Friday when there was no school. At a nearby farm we hiked and explored some small caves. We had a campfire and boiled water to make hot cocoa. Then we joined the local state park naturalist for a fossil collecting hunt at a road cut not far from town. The kids had fun learning to identify the common fossils found in the limestone rocks that cover our region.
This month we also did some activities to learn about the soil, minerals and rocks underfoot. We made “dirt” to eat using crushed oreo cookies, hot fudge, and gummy worms and as we enjoyed the snack, the club kids discussed soil and the natural processes that create it. There was very interesting discussion about the importance of soil and how it sustains life. We also raked leaves for a few area residents to raise money for the program and tied the activity in with our geology theme by talking about the importance of plant matter in the creation of soil.
We did a crystal growing project. The kids also did some research at the library, divided into teams, and found information on the different types of minerals and gems in the world and in our region. We then identified things in our building that were made from minerals or gems.
We try to incorporate service projects into the club whenever possible. In November we visited an area farm and assisted with some buckthorn removal. The kids explored two different forests; an oak savanah that had not yet been invaded by buckthorn and an aspen stand that was full of the invasive exotic species. They worked in teams to saw off small buckthorn bushes. A few of the boys enjoyed the project, but most of the kids were not excited about it. This really helped to drive home the point that, once established, exotic species, are very difficult to erradicate and demand much effort and time to control. We talked about how much easier it is to be proactive and work to prevent non-native species from establishing themselves in the first place in our native landscapes.
The kids had an opportunity at the buckthorn site to explore the forests. They wandered off to identify different stands of buckthorn and they really seemed to enjoy being outdoors in the forest and being free to explore. I feel they have gained a sense of comfort when they are outdoors with our club staff and they have now reached a point where they feel secure in the natural environment, at least during daylight hours.
We concluded the month with a rock climbing trip to a nearby youth center that has an indoor rock climbing wall. Several of the kids were reluctant to try climbing, but everyone was asked to at least put on the harnasses and climb up one step. It was a great opportunity for the kids to experience a very different kind of outdoor recreation activity and to gain a new appreciation for geology and the rugged terrains of our planet.
Over the month of November, the kids began to shed their fear of the natural world as they became more familiar and knowledgeable about the ecosystems around them. As an instructor and mentor for these kids, I see that the materialistic trends of these adolescents will be one of the biggest challenges to getting them to establish life-long appreciation for the environment and healthy, active outdoor lifestyles. How can I compete with MTV and Teen Magazine? How can I show them that there is so much more out there in the world besides material things? I think all I can do is continue to bring them to nature and let them discover her abundant offerings on their own. As an environmental educator, I have to accept that I cannot teach a child to appreciate the natural world and I cannot make a child comfortable in nature. But I can provide many opportunities for the child to experience and explore the land and to connect and bond with the only thing in this world that is steady and true; nature.
October 2005
The theme for the month of October was Karst landscapes. Our club is in a region that is covered with Karst topography (highly dissolvable limestone that creates features such as springs, caves, sinkholes and sinking rivers). Due to the seasonal availability of several sites we wanted to visit this year, Karst was chosen for October to allow our club to travel and experience some bluffs, caves, springs and search for fossils before the winter snowfall.
In October we utilitzed the interpretive naturalist services of a nearby state park. These services were free of charge and allowed the Get Outdoors Club to use binoculars for hawk watching on a bluff known as Chimney Rock. We were also able to watch a rattlesnake presentation, participate in a prairie bluff hike and search for and collect fossils of the Ordovician Sea of 450 million years ago.
The kids were not excited about the first hike we took outside of our community. They were whinning and reluctant to explore. They stayed close by and did not ask many questions. But the adults helping with the program were very enthusiastic about the natural world and the things along the trail and the kids began to look more closely at what was in front of them. The kids strayed further and further on their own during second and other subsequent hikes. Soon they were touching, smelling, listening to the nature around them. On their own interest, they would bring back rocks, bark, feathers, bones and other interesting natural artifacts to our gathering points to share with the group.
Probably the highlight of the month was a trip to a local cave that is managed by a state park. We toured the cave and the kids were able to discover the world under our feet and to see how surface water quickly sinks below the ground into our drinking water in karst regions. The club also had fun exploring the surface river waters that feed the underground river at the cave. Although at first glance the waters appeared to be lifeless, the kids soon discovered frogs, crayfish, fish, minnows, bugs, snails, clams and other natural wonders lurking below the water’s surface.
October activities allowed the kids to experience some of the broader resources of our region and to really explore the landscape that surrounds our community. An environmental awareness has begun to develop in the kids as they ask questions about what they observe and how different natural systems function.
September 2005
We worked on learning how to play outdoors. Yes this is for real. Many of the kids were not comfortable being outside. They preferred to be indoors in front of a video game. So the first month was focused on our town and what kinds of things we could do outdoors in our town.
From playing at the local parks to exploring the woods and fields near the cemetery and bike trails, the kids were able to experience nature in our own town. Each day that month we visited the park for a little unstructured playtime. During the month we had a scavenger hunt at the cemetery and the kids found items such as five different kinds of trees, two animal homes, two different bird sounds, two different kinds of flowers, five different animals. The kids were amazed at the nature all around them; nature they had never noticed before.
In September we also did a sidewalk hunt, using curriculum from the 4-H Exlporing the Environment curriculum series. The kids were split into teams and walked downtown exploring the cracks of the sidewalk and counting all of the ants and insects they found living there. Between the center where our club meets and the park two blocks away we found over 100 ants in the sidewalk cracks.
We did a litter hunt, once again using an activity from the 4-H Exploring the Environment Curriculum series. The kids were split into two teams and they kept track of the different kinds of litter they found on our hike down to the city recycle sheds. At the shed, we did an inventory on the types and amounts of recyclables. The kids noted that at the shed, plastics were the most common garbage but on the hike, paper items were most common on the ground.
Over the month of September, the kids became more comfortable playing outdoors and they learned how to observe the environment around them.
