Shaver’s Creek Environmental Team

About our Event

Theme- Murder mystery based on disappearing songbirds
○ Pesticides
○ cars/vehicles
○ migration
○ Predators
○ Shade-grown coffee

Goal - to educate students on the immediate threats to songbirds while providing

them with an enjoyable murder mystery experience. Combine themes of outdoor
skills, murder mystery, and education.
Date- Tuesday, April 5th from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M.
Location- Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
 Shaver’s Creek - Sponsoring Agency
Mission: to extend the university’s goal of research, instruction, and service through providing hands on
opportunities involving the natural world.
Additional values included in event: Minimize waste and raise awareness for disappearing songbirds.
Location: 3400 Discovery Rd,Petersburg, PA
Agency Consultant: Doug Wentzel
● Advised throughout planning process
● Accommodated to our groups challenges
● Open to all ideas
● Helped where needed during event/ assisted with last minute plans
● Made everything possible
 Target Audience
● Penn State/ college students

● SEED students from Shaver’s Creek

● Students from outdoor organizations

● 13 students in attendance ( A 550% increase in attendance compared to the

last RPTM 456 event at Shaver’s Creek)
Marketing Strategies
● Advertised to different classes
○ SEED students
○ Multiple RPTM classes
● Flyers hung in various buildings
○ IM Building
○ Ford and Rackley Building
○ HUB
● Spoke to various clubs
○ CHAPS
○ PSU Western Equestrian
● Shared via Social Media
 Sponsorship
Conference and Institutes, Lowes, and Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center
provided donations for our event

● Conference and Institutes donated $30 worth of food through Walmart to

make sure participants were not hungry after the event
● Lowes donated $5 worth of potting soil that was used to plant brown eyed
susan flowers and sunflowers
● Raffle Prize from Shaver’s Creek- $10 value

Total of donations- $45

 Facility
● Outdoor event, took place throughout Shaver’s Creek
● Not many decorations were utilized
● Took advantage of natural resources, scenery
● Posters marking each activity
Map of Venue and Schedule of Events

Registration

Opening
Ceremony

#2

#3 #4

Closing #5
Ceremony #1

#6
 Storyline

Songbirds were being found dead

3 suspects, 3 different owls
Participants were given case files with basic clues
Had to travel to each activity to find each clue
 Bird Identification
Outcome Objective 1: Participants will be able to comprehend basic terminology
about birds and be able to apply the knowledge in the event.

Outcome Objective 2: Participants will be able to distinguish features of predatory

birds.

Outcome Objective 3: Reflect on the many factor that contribute to the decline in
the songbird population.
 Bird Identification
Description: The participants were handed a worksheet that highlighted three
predatory birds. Their mission was to go into the aviary and observe all the bird
enclosures. As they found each bird on the sheet the participants were to fill out
the worksheet using the information provided on the enclosures.

Equipment: Clipboards, pencils, worksheets

Flow: Explained the activity, sent participants to the aviary to work in small groups,
regrouped at the end to discuss declining bird populations.

Time: 25 minutes
 Bird Identification
This is where the group found their first piece of hard evidence to solve the
murder.

At the end as a group I gave the group hints based on the sound each predatory
bird made to use as part of a clue to solve the murder.
 Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
Lesson Goals: Teach participants some of the more uncommon ways birds are dying
because of human impacts.

Outcome Objective 1: Identify what transportation habits are killing birds

Outcome Objective 2: Identify what behaviors they can change to help save some birds
in their area

Outcome Objective 3: Learn what green energy alternatives that are killing a lot of birds
 Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Activity was placed in the outdoor stage

There was ample room for people to gather

This area was also the introductory area

 Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Short activity provided a small level of engagement

Activity seemed to not be effective with a larger group

I didn’t ask enough questions to the audience

The points that I did touch on were informational and conveyed my message
 Songbird Garden - Outcome Objectives
#1: Participants will be able to identify one flower that attracts songbirds as
measured by the exit survey.

#2: Participants will be able to identify two ways to reduce usages of pesticides as
measured by the exit survey.

#3: Participants will be able to state two dangers of pesticides in regard to

songbirds as measured by the exit survey.
 Songbird Garden Description
Designed as a large group activity
Students planted black eyed susan or sunflowers
● Organic soil
● Biodegradable cups
Decorated popsicle sticks and named their plants
Discussed why flowers attract songbirds and
the dangers of pesticides
 Strengths & Challenges
Strengths:

Educational and fun

Enhanced the storyline

Challenges:

Activity was short

People were occupying this space, had to kindly ask them to move
 The Coffee Shop
Outcome Objective 1: We wanted to have a social activity where not much was
required from the student and they could learn about shade-grown coffee and sit
around and talk to one another while drinking it.

Outcome Objective 2: Give participants knowledge about shade-grown coffee and

the effect it has on bird and their habitats.

Outcome Objective 3: Inform the participants on how they could buy some if they
liked it, and contribute to the preservation of bird’s habitats
 Coffee Shop Description
● The activity took place in the Pavilion
right outside of the Hamer classroom
● It was a large group activity, where
they tried the coffee and shared their
thoughts on it.
● Taught the participants about the
benefits shade-grown coffee has on
the ecosystem
 Strengths and Challenges
Strengths

● Educational and social

● Had all food/drink activities together under pavilion
● Provided energy for participants to finish the event

Challenges

● Not all participants like coffee

● Had to take time to make two pots so there was enough for everyone
 Campfire Cookout
Outcome Objective #1: Participants will be able
to learn how to prepare potatoes for cooking over
a fire and will be measured by Conversational
questions about the cooking process.
Outcome Objective #2: Participants will be able
to perfect making smores over the fire and will be
able to practice once murder mystery comes to a
closing
Outcome Objective #3: Participants will be able
to sort the trash created after this activity and
measured by how well they sort their own trash
after eating.
 Campfire Cookout Description
Designed for a large group

Participants learned how to prepare a cooked potato over the fire while learning
how to sort trash into recycling and compost to minimize our impact on our
environment. They then enjoyed the food once done with the Geocache hike.

This activity needed

-Butter -Tin Foil -Firewood
-10 lbs of Potatoes -salt, pepper and seasoning -Fireplace
 Strengths and Challenges
Strengths- Once participants knew about making food
they were excited
-Participants were excited and pleased with the result
-Fire added to experience of Coffee Shop and closing
of the activity
Challenges- Checking if participants sorted their food
correctly once they have thrown it out
-Keeping the participants engaged after potatoes are in
the fire
-Displaying all the information prepared (prepared too
much cooking rather than fire safety)
 Geocache Hike/Migration Station
Outcome Objective #1: Participants will be able to utilize the skills they learned
about Geocaching.

Outcome Objective #2: Participants will have a breadth of migration knowledge

and will be able to apply that to the event/activity.

Outcome Objective #3: Participants will be able to identify at least two ways
migration can have an impact on the disappearance of songbirds.
 Geocache Hike/Migration Station
Description: Participants learned some tips for geocaching, got a rundown of what
the raffle prize was, and then set off on our short trail hike. Participants stopped at
an overlook and learned about migration and the impact it has on songbirds.
Participants then went Geocaching looking for a clue to the mystery.
Equipment: Geocache
Flow: Started at the marked location. Proceeded to the overlook for a lesson on
migration. Geocache activity took us further down the trail. Completed the loop
which brought us back to Shaver’s Creek Visitor Center.
Time: 30-40 minutes
 Geocache Hike/Migration Station
Challenges:

- Needing to expand my activity last minute to cover more material and use up
some more time.
- I realized that we had some shaver’s creek regulars in the group so I had to
run down the hill while they were at another station and adjust how I did my
geocache clue because I figured they would know where it was. (they didn’t
know where it was)
- The group was large so it was somewhat difficult to control.
 Staffing
Our event had one volunteer on standby to assist where needed. An overview of
our event flow and plan was given to the volunteer an hour prior to the event

Doug Wentzel, our agency contact was present and provided assistance

Shaver’s Creek intern, Keaton Startoni, assisted with fire building and cooking

Everyone led their own activities and received support from members that had
finished their activities
 Event Objective 1
70% of participants can state one new way to reduce environmental impact as
measured by the exit survey on April 5th.
 Event Objective 2
80% of participants will be able to identify three songbirds that can be found in
Pennsylvania as measured by the exit survey on April 5th.
 Event Objective 3
80% of participants will be able to identify three ways they can attract/protect
songbirds as measured by the exit survey on April 5th.
Survey
 Survey Results
How were people informed about the event

1. Christian Kotch
2. Kathleen Raupach
3. RPTM 456
4. flyer

Areas for improvement

1. Further develop the activities and story line that goes along with it.
2. No improvements. Thought the event was good.
3. Incorporate background music
 Challenges
Lost three team members up until the week before our event

Communication

Finding availability for all members

Completing work on times

Event venue is far from campus

Creating a storyline from scratch was incredibly difficult!

 Event Strengths
Event was designed to adapt to a variety of external factors

● Weather
● Number of participants

Engaging for participants

Teamwork, helping outside of everyone’s activities

 Team Strengths

Enthusiasm and creativity

Understanding from all parties, team members included
Ability to incorporate the mission of the agency while hosting
a fun event
 What would we do differently?
Open event to public, not just PSU students
Meet more outside of class
Further develop the storyline
Assign specific tasks to each member
Meet with Doug more
Visit the venue an additional time
Before the Event: do a quick practice run of each activity