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Amongst The Ancients: Field Trip Curriculum: Introduction To The Andrews
Amongst The Ancients: Field Trip Curriculum: Introduction To The Andrews
Amongst The Ancients: Field Trip Curriculum: Introduction To The Andrews
Amongst The Ancients: Field Trip Curriculum
Introduction to the Andrews
Developed by: Ned Maynard, Chelsea Sussman
Time: 30 minutes or less
Overview
The introduction is meant to be a chance to lay out a clear itinerary, remind students of group
behavior agreements, and get students excited for the day so each participant feels comfortable
and safe. We will be providing hard hats and ensuring that they are fitted properly for safety.
Rationale
We need to make sure that everyone on the field trip understands the expectations for their
behavior and involvement in the trip. We want to make sure that each and every individual
student feels comfortable in the space so as to maximize enjoyment of the day. Students should
understand that safety and respect are paramount and major themes for the day.
Materials Needed
❏ Masking tape and 2 Sharpies for name tags
❏ Extra Rain gear
❏ 8 Maps (attached)
❏ Clues (attached)
Background
The quest that will be woven throughout the day is a combination of a handdrawn map and
clues that correspond to each station within H. J. Andrews. The clues are written such that the
quest can be completed in any order. Facilitators will have helmets prepared.
Activity Description
Step 1: Bathroom Breaks/Preparation Time: 5 minutes
❖ As the students step off the bus, they will be taken to the restrooms by one facilitator
❖ As students return from the restrooms, get them into their groups. Their names will be
labeled on hard hats that correspond in color to the facilitator.
❖ Individual groups will circle up
❖ Ensure proper hard hat usage. A fun way to do this is “The Bobblehead Test”
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Step 2: Reiteration of Expectations Time: 5 minutes
❖ Establish group agreements by asking the group:
➢ What group agreements did we agree on when we were in the classroom?
■ Be safe, be respectful, be kind
■ Leave No Trace
Step 3: Introduction of Animal Senses Time: 3 minutes
❖ Teach the students about Owl Eyes, Deer Ears, Raccoon Touch, Vole Nose, and Fox Feet
❖ Explain that using these will heighten their experience by widening their perspective
Step 4: Introduction of OWLS Time: 2 minutes
❖ Ask students what they think makes an old growth forest
❖ Incorporate their ideas into an explanation about OWLS
➢ Old trees
➢ Woody debris
➢ Layers
➢ Snags
❖ Ask students to keep a lookout for these throughout the day
Step 4: Excitement Circle Time: 5 minutes
❖ Establish that everyone will participate and express enthusiasm for the trip
❖ Ask students to share what they are excited about for the day
❖ Introduce theme of natural cycles
Step 5: Questing Time: 5 minutes
❖ Establish that students will take turns being Riddler (who reads the clues) and Navigator
(who reads the map)
❖ Establish that only by working together will they be able to navigate the forest
❖ Give them the name of the station and assist them with interpretation
❖ While on the move, reinforce key species in the forest and have the students call out
when they find a particularly interesting specimen
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Exploring New Heights
Developed by: Ned Maynard, Chelsea Sussman
Time: 75 minutes
Overview
This station is designed to introduce scientific concepts in a personally engaging way by having
students formulate hypotheses that compare multiple variables as they climb 100 feet into an
oldgrowth Douglasfir tree. It is meant to use personal, emotional connections created by the
awe and reverence of being in an oldgrowth tree to bring the students awareness of natural
cycles.
Rationale
Handson learning has been shown to improve literacy, material engagement, and the
understanding and retention of information. Keeping students excited about nature helps develop
a relationship between ourselves and our ecosystem, which forms the scaffolding upon which we
build community action and civic engagement. Nothing else has been so effective at promoting
this connection, empathy, and understanding as handson experience outside. There is no
substitute.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this station, students will be able to:
1. State a testable hypothesis
2. Read a line graph
Materials Needed
❏ Large whiteboard
❏ Five different colors of dry erase markers
❏ Flagging
❏ Pojar and Mackinnon field guide: Plants of the Pacific Northwest
Background Information
Pacific Tree Climbing Institute will be running the canopy ascent. They are a registered, bonded,
and insured outfitter guide with the state of Oregon. Their guides are highly trained and their
equipment is high quality. The group is dedicated to safety, fun, and professionalism. They will
be doing a safety talk with the students, securing them in climbing harnesses, and leading the
students and the facilitator up the tree.
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A testable hypothesis is a tentative answer to a scientific question that can be proven true or false
and it must be possible to reproduce the results of the answer.
Activity Description
Step 1: Science Based Discussion Time: 5 minutes
❖ Ask students to define hypothesis:
➢ A proposed explanation for a phenomenon.
➢ A falsifiable, testable guess or explanation about a direct causal relationship.
❖ Discuss hypotheses for tree climb:
➢ How do you think the temperature will change as you move up the tree?
➢ Why do you think that change occurs?
➢ How do you think the temperatures will change as the day goes on?
➢ What do you think the temperatures were/will be at sunrise/midnight/dusk?
❖ Show the students how the graph will be created when they come down from the climb.
❖ Designate a recorder for the temperatures (students can record the thermometers on the
tree if they are working, otherwise a facilitator will record the three temperatures at the
three levels of the tree).
Step 2: Safety and Tree Climb Time: 50
minutes
❖ Pacific Tree Climbing Institute will give a safety talk.
❖ PTCI will harness the students and begin the climb.
❖ Temperatures will be recorded at different levels of the tree, including the base, several
midlayer spots, and the canopy.
Alternative Step 2: Activity for nonclimbers Time: 50 minutes
❖ Establish that a “crow call” means return to the station
❖ Using Pojar’s Field Guide, have any nonclimbers (accompanied by chaperone) work
together to identify preflagged key species spread through the area
➢ Teach students how to use the dichotomous key in the book
➢ Tell them that there are 20 tagged plants, trees and lichens to find
➢ Have them sketch each plant that they find and identify, writing key identifying
features
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Step 3: Graphing Time: 10 minutes
❖ Upon return from the climb, students will graph the data they collected on a premade line
chart.
❖ Each group throughout the day will use a different color marker so the comparisons
throughout the day will be clear.
❖ As students change out of gear and finish their graph, ask:
➢ How did your hypothesis compare to the results?
➢ How will the temperatures we recorded compare to those taken by other groups?
❖ The facilitator who does the tree station last will bring the whiteboard to the clearing for
the end of the day talks.
Step 4: Questing Time: 5 minutes
❖ Establish that students will take turns being Riddler (who reads the clues) and Navigator
(who reads the map)
❖ Establish that only by working together will they be able to navigate the forest
❖ Give them the name of the station and assist them with interpretation
❖ While on the move, reinforce key species in the forest and have the students call out
when they find a particularly interesting specimen
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