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.
The value of getting out and away from the TV
When you are my age you hear this all the time, "in my day we made our own fun. We didn't have games or phones to play with." Unfortunately our phones are more addictive than the things that we can do on the outside. This is starting to become a big concern and not just to me because I hate texting and phones in general. So what is the benefit from spending time outdoors? If they are sitting there playing a game doesn't that help with their hand eye coordination and other important brain function? Maybe it is but at what cost to the rest of the system? All the other senses are... more
Thursday, here we come!
Good morning on-line learners! I am excited for another adventure filled day of learning.
Today we are focusing on the value of public lands for human and ecosystem health.
We will be spending most of the day at Eagle Island State Park! There are 26 acres of recreational use at the park including a 15 acre man-made lake. We will meet Chelsea Merriman from BSU to discuss how humans play a large role in shaping the environment. We will then hike the mile trail around the lake to discuss and explore our relationship with the environment and wildlife. We will also be... more
Sharing Cycles
Idaho is know as "The Wilderness State," containing the Sawtooth, Hemingway-Boulders, Jerry Peak, White Clouds, Frank Church, Selway-Bitteroot, Gospel Hump and Hell's Canyon Wilderness areas in Central and North Idaho. These areas are defined that serve to host humans and are untrammeled by those interactions. The Wilderness Act must balance the goals of various groups and seem to make the "Wilderness accessible to those Americans who wish to use it." As educators we must accommodate to differentiated classrooms and share with all students the joy and importance of preserving Wild and... more
Wednesday's Questions for the day! Who wants to tackle one of them!??
There are many uses in the Boise Watershed, pick one stakeholder from the list below and think about water resources from that perspective. What issues are important your stakeholder regarding water use? How can you work together with other stakeholders to achieve your goals? Plants/wildlife, recreationalists, farmers, Boise citizen, Dam operator, climate scientist.
What are some specific ecosystem services that biodiversity provides to humans? How can we use the ES framework to maintain and manage healthy ecosystems?
So what now?
Now that you have had a few days in class, what are your initial thoughts as to how you'll implement what you've learned into your classrooms?
Birds, Pollinators and Fish, Oh My!
As I think over the day, my mind is a whirlwind of perspectives at which to approach the complexity of the relationship between the stakeholders of the Boise Watershed.
The day began with birds....beautiful and delicate, yet resilient to the the everchanging availability of resources. The thought of catching, observing and releasing these wild birds is exhilarating! Our visit to the Idaho Bird Observatory offered just such an opportunity. Then off to the Suez drinking water treatment plant. Here we were taken through the intricacies of providing clean, healthy drinking water... more