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Class Descriptions
(this is a sample of some of our favorite classes, we offer many more)
Students should come prepared to get wet in the Pond/Stream classes, however, students have the option to stay dry.
POND & STREAM or POND
ACTIVITIES: Students will review the water cycle and the importance of freshwater environments to plants and animals. Students gather and observe life from both a pond and a stream, then participate in activities to help them better understand these aquatic ecosystems and the human impacts upon them.
PRINCIPLES:
· Ponds and streams, as parts of the water cycle, are important to all organisms, including humans.
· Aquatic creatures are diverse yet interrelated.
· Aquatic creatures have specialized adaptations for feeding, breathing and moving to help them survive in a specific micro-habitat such as the surface or bottom, the pool or riffle.
· Human actions can alter the health of a stream.
KEY TERMS: water cycle, food chain, adaptation, nymph, larvae, detritus, pollution, tolerance, tributary, erosion, sediment, species, indicator species, macro-invertebrate, sampling, habitat |
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STREAM STUDIES
7th-12th graders
Strenuous 1/2 mile hike
(3 hours) |
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ACTIVITIES: Through biological sampling and chemical testing of a pristine stream, students gain an understanding of water quality parameters, learn how to assess water quality and become aware of the impact that humans can have on waterways.
PRINCIPLES:
· The physical and chemical properties of a body of water determine what organisms can live there.
· Aquatic creatures have different tolerance levels to pollution based on their physical characteristics and behaviors.
· Human actions can alter the chemical and physical properties of a stream and thus affect its health.
· Each of us can help to monitor and improve water quality.
KEY TERMS: aquatic, adaptation, nymph, larvae, species, indicator species, detritus, pollution, tolerance, tributary, erosion, sediment, titration, dissolved oxygen, pH, acid, base, turbidity, water molecule, watershed
DOWN TO EARTH
ACTIVITIES: On a canyon hike to a waterfall, students examine topics such as soil, ground water, electricity, and the geologic history of the area. They also witness effects of surface coal mining and reclamation and explore the relationship between use of natural resources and conservation of our environment.
PRINCIPLES:
· Erosion occurs constantly and has a great effect on the landscape.
· Coal is one of Alabama’s natural resources, which is used to produce electricity.
· Human use of natural resources affects the environment and conservation of natural resources helps the environment. |
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KEY TERMS: ground water, spring, sediment, pollution, surface mining, reclamation, sandstone, erosion, layering, ironpan, coal, dragline, conservation, natural resource, electricity
NATIVE AMERICANS & THE EARTH
(3 hours)
ACTIVITIES: Hands-on activities including games, crafts, tools, weapons, useful plants and demonstration shelters help students to understand the sustainability of the prehistoric Native American lifestyle.
PRINCIPLES:
· People depend upon the environment for food, water and shelter.
· Subsistence living requires a great knowledge of nature.
· The prehistoric Native American lifestyle, which was closely connected with nature, led to a respect for the environment.
· After meeting the basic needs for survival, prehistoric Native Americans could then enjoy luxuries such as recreation, adornment and entertainment. |
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KEY TERMS: hunter/gatherer, hemlock, edible, artifact, technology, primitive, prehistoric, sustainable, bluff shelter, debris hut, village, roundhouse, atlatl
TEAM CHALLENGE
(3 hours)
ACTIVITIES: Faced with mental and physical team challenges, students practice group problem solving and
cooperation. Facilitated discussion in a supportive atmosphere helps students learn from each other and their
experiences. This class focuses on progression of activities for an extended period of time. Participants will
work on communication, leadership, and cooperation with ground elements and on the Low Ropes Course.
The sequencing of the activities is decided by the instructor / facilitator and is based upon the group’s needs. Because of this, not all of your students will have an identical experience with the same kinds of challenges on the Low Ropes Course.
PRINCIPLES:
· How you work with others to solve a problem is as important as finding the solution.
· Active sharing and listening helps the group work toward solutions.
· There are many possible solutions to a problem.
· You can often trust and rely on others.
· Problem-solving skills (brainstorming, experimenting, piggybacking, etc.) are best learned through practice.
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KEY TERMS: problem-solving, consensus, decision-making, compromise, cooperation, trust, communication, leadership, support, planning, trial and error, diversity
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