Blog
Browse this page for blog postings related to middle- and high-school-teacher Adventure Learning workshops taking place across Idaho. Use the widgets to the right (or at bottom of this page, for smaller devices) to filter blog posts.
Students and Nature
Getting students involved in nature is important. As a special education teacher I try to promote the students to go outside as often as possible. Students these days are so in tune with technology and video games that they are missing so much outside. When the weather is nice I try to take my kids outside as often as possible for a walk around the school and talk about all of the things that nature has to offer. I wish there was more I could do to engage my students in nature at their levels with the resources provided.
Student Values
When I think about how to get students invested in our ecosystem I think about all the times that I take them outside. Experiences in nature create a sense of value and passion by just being in nature. But...most students are influenced mostly by their home life and the values of their parents. I think it’s important to teach kids to think independently and be able to make their own decisions. If students are given the opportunity to appreciate our environment and be good stewards of this earth, I hope they will also see the value in socioecological systems that we have in place as our... more
Day 4 and a bit stressed about this Digital Storytelling Project I must complete in 24 hours and 45 minutes....
Made observations around Eagle Island Park - nature verses humans and their interactions. Gary Worthington joined us with his "birding" knowledge. I took a Birds of Prey class 27 years ago and I have been wanting to get back into knowing my birds especially since we are outdoors in Donnelly, Idaho a lot. E Bird data base and Merlin Bird I'd app are two great iPhone sources. After listening to Dave Draper and the Monarch butterfly activity, Fabiola and I are really interested in getting involved with the Monarch program. There was estimated 1 billion in 1996 and today there is 27... more
Take the Kids Outside
The value of spending time outside is immense and so important. There are health benefits, peace of mind, and creates a clear consciousness of the environment. There are a lot of studies that show statistics about the benefits of being outdoors and as teachers we should begin to take more opportunities to capitalize on this. During the course of the week of Adventure Learning I've learned so much about resources that are right out our proverbial black door. For most students, they can become aware of their environment and its bountiful resources if you spend a small... more
My Playground
Idaho has been blessed with a huge amount of public land. Humans benefit from these lands in many ways. When I consider all of the ways that I use our public lands I feel blessed to live in Idaho. Upon moving here from the Midwest in the late 90's I noticed that people had a different attitude towards public lands. I noticed that treasure valley residents, especially north Boise and Eagle catered their lifestyles around public land access and recreation. I'm unclear if you can place a monetary value on our public lands but I do know that most of us that live here would be very upset... more
Outdoor Lesson: Scavenger Hunt
I am resharing my blog post from my first day as an in-person adventurer in Pocatello. We were asked to form groups of two. We were given pencil, paper, and 30 minutes at Edson Fichter Pond and Nature Area in Pocatello to complete the scavenger hunt list bullet pointed below. I posed the same activity to the Pocatello digi-learners. Adapt the assignment below to your classroom:
Choose a location near and dear to you. This could be as small scale as your home, your own backyard, your neighborhood, or on a more communal scale your school campus or favorite park. Spend some time... more