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Borrego Springs, CA

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

5th grade invasion!

For four days this week we’ll be having 100+ fifth grade students from Ocean Springs each day to learn about the refuge and the cranes. 

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Since this school has been coming here each spring with their fifth graders for over twenty years, it’s quite an organized affair.  I believe all teachers and their classes rotate through this outing over the four days.  Today I had the music teacher at my station to help with ‘crowd control’.

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The school provides three stations of their own leaving us with only two stations to present.  The teachers do the nature walk, an art project, and one other station (I’ll get details on that one tomorrow).  That leaves us with crane biology and fire stations.  I have done environmental education with school groups at many of the refuges I’ve volunteered at, but this experience both last year and this year is the only example where the school involved actually takes charge of the four hour outing.  How refreshing is that?  Usually teachers just chit chat and don’t get involved in what’s going on.  Not at this school!  They have ownership of what happens on this field trip, and in my opinion it makes for a much better experience for the students.

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I had five presentations scheduled on crane biology.  I enjoy interacting with this age group, so I was really pumped for the first group.  A little later in the afternoon, I was a bit drained.  Diana watched a couple of the presentations, and then felt comfortable enough to jump in and do the first part of the program. (Thank goodness)  One of the activities at our station is to get the students to dance like the cranes.  What a hoot this is!  When you work with 11 year olds, you can ham it up all you want and really draw them in to getting into pretending they are dancing MS Sandhill Cranes.

One little girl said, “You don’t have wings!”  My reply was, “Oh yes I do in my mind!  Come fly with me.”  Uff-dah!  By the end of the day, I was dripping wet from the heat and all that dancing.  Confused smile  It’s a good kind of exhaustion though…

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Back at the ranch, Mrs. Eastern towhee came by the Hard Rock Bird Café for a snack late this afternoon. 

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                                                 Mr. Towhee kept vigil as his sweetie dined.  Winking smile

I had to come in a little earlier this evening as I wasn’t up to personally feeding the swarming mosquitoes.  Two more days of the invading fifth graders before my son, Andy, and his family arrive.  I hope I don’t lose my voice by then…

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

25 comments:

  1. What good Karma and tribute to dance like cranes. Wish I'd been there!

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  2. Maybe the mosquitoes will go after the fifth graders? No, probably not enough meat on their bones. Good job with the presentation, Judy!

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  3. The real question is: Are you smarter than those fifth graders??? ;c)

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  4. It sometimes trying but always rewarding when you see kids of that age hanging on every word and actually taking it all in. Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  5. How I would love to see you and the 5th graders do the crane dance. What fun!

    Great pictures of one of my FAVORITE birds. Sure hope you are getting serenaded with his "drink your teeeeee". I waited for it every spring at the farm.

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  6. I would have loved to see those kids doing the 'crane dance' I'll bet it was a riot. Enjoy tomorrow!!

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  7. Being a retired school teacher I totally believe the teachers MUST be involved and set a great example for the kids. Even as a high school teacher, I loved to get involved with the young adults. And they enjoyed my involvement too...I think. ~wheresweaver

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  8. You're sure a good sport, Judy. It's great that you're not afraid to get silly with the kids - I'm sure they appreciate it and will remember it for a lifetime.

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  9. I'm with Kevin and Ruth - run for the hills. But you are just too amazing in your work with the kids.

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  10. How fun, sounds like a busy, busy day!

    Those Towhees both have beautiful coloring - I really like the male's color and design.

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  11. Awesome job, Judy. It's exhausting working a field trip. Your blog took me down memory lane for "Duck Day" a trip with middle schoolers on hay wagons down to the local "swamp" to learn about ducks, local wildlife, bogs, training of hunting dogs and other such things at nature stations. Most of the kids had never been to a marsh, nor ridden a hay wagon. The local high school FFA helped out with nature stations.We did that every year for quite a few years until one year we tracked so much mud back into the school, the principal said that was enough---no more duck days for us! That was one of my most favorite field trips with the kids.

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  12. great job on keeping those school kids busy!!..good for you for being able to stand up in front of a large group!..public speaking is not my thing that is for sure!!!

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  13. A bunch of kids would have been too much for my comfort zone & would have had to join the folks heading for the hills.

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  14. Don't you just love the 5th grade child. They are so much fun. Well, the first semester anyway. By this time of the year, they're more like 6th graders and that's not so much fun. Sounds like a great time was had by all.

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  15. I'm with Al, I would have been heading for the hills!

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  16. One of my favorite things on any NWR is when the kids come. I agree... teacher participation makes those trips a lot better. I'll have to admit though that I like smaller groups... easier to hold their attention. Sounds like fun to me!

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  17. That sounds like a great program for the kids!

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  18. Sounds like great memories in the making for those kids.

    Stay Safe

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  19. It pays to be a kid at heart! I bet it was fun watching them imitate the cranes.

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  20. Those kids are lucky to have teachers who do participate...and a NWR worker who is a great teacher herself! By the time these 5th graders roll through, and your grandkids leave, you will be in need of some much earned "down time"...Me?? I would include a nice Merlot while watching the birds with that down time.

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  21. Must be a great school, need more of those.
    What beautiful birds.

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  22. I got tired just thinking about how much work that must be - even if it is enjoyable work. Good for you!

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  23. Whew, that does look tiring! I'd need to work out about a month before those kids came so I could keep up with them ;-)
    The birds are very handsome birds.

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  24. Having teachers involved I think makes a big difference in the kids attitude. If the teachers are blase and chit chatting the kids are going to pick up on that. Good teachers can make all the difference especially at that age. CUDOS to you to be able to not only teach them but making it fun and enjoyable at the same time

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