Day 6...7th Graders!

I have to admit, today was not as bad as I thought it could have been. I tried to go back to high school when I was a 6th grade camp counselor. I did that for 3 years, this shouldn't be too much different. Well, it was quite different than camp. At camp, I would just be the one in charge, but I didn't have to teach the students anything. Teaching them, and getting them to care about what we are teaching them is the hardest part, in my opinion. When I was their age, I remember loving field trips like those and I would always be engaged in the activities...and some were, but some were not, and that made it hard. I had to figure out how to talk to them on their level and gain their attention over the person beside them.

Erin Eagle and I were in charge of the dipping station. We only had to push two students to wear waders, the rest willingly embraced the stylish look. Once they got them on, we gave them sifters and sent them into the water to find cool stuff. The first few groups found a lot, but then as each group passed, we were finding less and less macroinvertebrates. On a positive note, not one person fell in! (that I know of!)

After a long day with our students, we got the opportunity to hang out with this guy named Erik. He showed us how to peel an Elm Tree! I wasn't sure what they meant when they said we would peel it...but it was pretty amazing!

He explained how you have to cut through the bark at the bottom and the top of where you are taking the bark. Then, you make a slit down the middle and peel away the bark. Finally, you take the nifty tool he had and you peel away the rest of the bark all in one piece! It was really neat to watch him do it and to hear him explain how he makes things like baskets out of them. 

By the end...he just unwrapped the tree and had the entire piece connected and peeled together. It was really awesome to see! It was also neat to see how soft and wet it gets underneath the bark.

After going out for ice cream, Jordan Jay Bird and Alejandro Apis  and I went owling with the ornithology group. We had so much fun and got to see a Barred Owl! It flew around us a few times and was very talkative! We ended our night with some great music and great friends.