| Fifth Grade
An Overnight Trip to the Outdoor Lab
This is what a typical fifth grade overnight might look light. Modifications are made depending on group size, time of year, teacher/student need’s, and weather.
Upon arriving at the Lab students are given introductory information and then are shown how to set up their own tents. Tent set-up lasts until lunchtime when kids eat the bag lunch they brought.
Over the course of the next two days students rotate, in smaller groups, through three activities that could include:
-
A demonstration of the properties of air and its’ role, together with water and the sun’s energy, in weather. We investigate what air pressure and lightning.
-
A trip to the animal “Lab” to learn about organismal classification with the help of various specimens (whale vertebrae, starfish, mushrooms, etc.) and live reptiles and amphibians. Emphasis is on the five Kingdoms and especially, the five Vertebrate groups within the Animal Kingdom.
-
A stream study in which students catch aquatic animals and assess the water quality.
-
An investigation of rocks with emphasis on the origin of the three basic rock types. Students will use hammers and hand lens to look at native rock and compare this to other rock specimens.
The afternoon of the first day involves a hike over a “mountain” with more first hand exposure to types of plants, animals, and fungi and how energy is cycled through an ecosystem. Emphasis is on vascular vs. non-vascular plants, decomposition/nutrient recycling, and the role of fungus in the ecosystem.
A time to play (free time) is provided after the hike and on the second day if time allows. Students can fish in the pond, go on a boat ride, play soccer, or explore the forest on their own. At all times adults are keeping an eye on the students.
The evening activity starts with lessons about the nocturnal animals and our sensory responses to the dark, especially sight. We take a walk outside in the dark without the aid of flashlights. Along the way we might listen for animal sounds or observe the night sky. The night hike ends with a campfire before kids head to be.
Day two involves breakfast preparation, tent take-down, completion of the activity rotation, free time, and a hot dog cookout.
|
