Outdoor Education Journal
- Introduction
Dear Journal, this year we got to take a field trip to Outdoor Education. Outdoor Education is a learning experience where we get to collaborate with our classmates and faculty. We were able to participate in a wide variety of activities throughout this trip. We were all assigned cabin groups in which we would stay with throughout the trip. My cabin consisted of nine girls. My cabin mates were Jackie, Margaret, Anna, Annie, Maya, Jessica, Danielle, Maayan, and myself, Marina. We had a blast working as a team to accomplish many goals throughout our experience at Outdoor Education.
- Team Building (Mon. Afternoon)
Dear Journal, today after lunch we did the Low Ropes Course and Team Building Activities. These games were used to help show us how to work as a team and cooperate with one another. The first game we played was finger fencing. We each got into a partnership and interlaced hands. The object of the game was to poke the other person without letting go of their hand. Whoever got the most pokes won the game. I ended up losing that one, but my partner and I had a blast. After that we played the Name Game. In this game we had to work as a team to come up with a strategy. The object of the game was to pass all of the items given to us in a circle without dropping them. But the tricky part was that the item had to touch each individual before returning to the beginning. At first I thought this was going to be hard, but we eventually got the hang of it. The first item we had to pass around was a brown fluffy bear. We named it Coco. The next thing we did was come up with a strategy. We decided to pass the bear to every other person, and then bring it back to the beginning. In the first couple of tries, we had completed the first round. The next item we were introduced to was a yellow tennis ball. We named this object John. We were then told that we had to pass both objects at the same time around the circle. This made harder, but we were able to do it. The last object we included in our game was another tennis ball. This time we named it Tony the Great. After, we began to pass around all three objects. The first couple of times we did not succeed. Some of us would drop the items but we kept starting over until we got the hang of it. While we played the Name Game, we came up with a Five Finger Rule. These rules helped us to work as a grouping playing these games. The pinkie finger was the “weak” finger. It taught us to help one another in a situation. The ring finger was the “commitment” finger. This finger signified commitment towards the game or problem we are trying to solve or complete. The middle finger was the “ NO disrespect” finger. It taught us to show respect towards our peers and teachers. The pointer finger was the “NO blaming” finger. This meant that no one could blame someone for his or her mistakes. This rule helped us understand that everyone makes mistakes and we learn from them. Last but not least, the thumb finger was the “fun” finger! It showed us to have fun and congratulate our group members when a task was completed. When we were done explaining the five rules to each other, we moved on to a new challenge. This was called the Boat Challenge. The goal of the game was to get from a wooden raft/boat onto a platform, but you could only use a rope and your teammates. The catch was that you had to get the rope first, before you send someone over. We thought for a minute or two and figured out that if we tie some shoes together, we could swing them around the rope and pull it in. We tried our idea and it worked. We had the rope, now all we had to do was try to get people over to the other platform with a strategy. We sat for a few minutes to come up with a strategy. Our plan was to let everyone cross except for the person with the most abdominal strength. We thought that it would be easier for them to get on the rope and swing across with no help. We carried out our plan. We got about half of the people onto the platform and then something interrupted our strategy. The person that we chose to be last had gotten tired from helping other people across. We had to wait for that person to take a break before completing the activity a few minutes later. Once we were done with the Boat Challenge, we moved on to the Help Maze. The object of the game was to follow a rope, blindfolded, through the woods. Once you have gone through it once, you will start to feel as if it were déjà vu. From there, you would raise your hand and ask for help. Stacey, our activity leader, would then guide you out of the maze and back to the entrance. A teacher blindfolded us each, and we began to walk through the maze. Once we were about five minutes into the activity, I began to feel rope burn. I thought I was near the end of the maze, so I continued on. I was wrong. The maze ended up being never-ending. The purpose of this activity was to show us that you should never be afraid to ask someone for help. We all looked at each other and smiled. I had a wonderful time working with my group in our Team Building activities. This was a day I will never forget.
- Insects (Entomology)
Dear Journal, today we did Entomology. Entomology is the study of insects. First, we got to sit down and have a “bug talk.” We talked about the special characteristics of a bug and different types of insects. We were then showed examples of different types of insects. We saw a moth, a bee, and a grasshopper. After, we talked about the differences between a moth and a butterfly. We looked at both of their life cycles and larvae. We determined that both moths and butterflies have the same life cycle. We then played a game called “Can You Guess Your Bug?” We had different pictures of bugs taped to our backs. We had the chance to go around and ask our classmates about our insects. Once we knew enough about our bugs, we had the chance to guess what we had on our back. I guessed mine on the first try. I really enjoyed doing this activity. We then made our own bugs out of different types of candy. We had to create a bug with six legs, a name, and a special ability. My bug was the Terminator. It was able to kill its prey by injecting a poison into their bodies. Everyone was able to share their bugs and its special ability. Once everyone was done presenting their insect we got to eat them. My bug was very tasteful! Overall, entomology was a very informative class.
- Survival
Dear Journal, today we had Survival class. We learned about the different survival techniques. Something cool that we were able to do was to build a fort in the forest. I was in a group with Margaret, Jackie, and Annie. We started off by finding a good building spot in the trees. Our goal was to make a stable “house” with a door and a roof. We were aiming to find a tall, sturdy tree. Once we finally found one, we marked it as our own. We then set out on our search for thick tree branches. Our strategy was to use solid branches and pile them on top of each other to create a roof. Once we found enough branches, we started to construct our shelter. We started off with the biggest branches at the bottom to create a base, and then we used the thin branches to fill in the holes at the top. We were working within a limited time period so we needed to move quickly. We started to help each other carry different logs over to make things move a bit faster. We were able to use this method for the rest of our building time. We did not end up completing our shelter but we came close. We had the roof down and we had a door in the making but the horn was blown before we could finish. Once everyone stopped building, we all came together. We walked around the forest to each other’s houses and talked about how we built it. When it came to ours, we described the strategy that we used and where we found the parts of the house. Our house fascinated many of our classmates. When everyone was done talking about their shelter we sat down in front of a fire and talked about survival facts. I learned that you can only last 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food, and 3 minutes without oxygen (under certain conditions.) We also talked about what 3 things we would bring in our backpack if we were to go on a hike. I said that I would bring food, water, and some extra clothes. I learned a lot of things in survival class. All in all, I think that this class was very informative and exciting.
- Archery
Dear Journal, today we had Archery. We learned how to use a bow and arrow and how to set up in the proper stance. The first thing that we had to do was talk about the different parts of the bow and arrow. I learned that the little block on the bow in called a nock locator. I also learned that when you shoot an arrow you should stand sideways. It gives you better aim and more speed. Once we were done talking, we all went up to the shooting range. We talked about the rules of the range. Some rules were that you had to wait for a command to be able to retrieve your arrows, and you had to walk in the shooting range, not run. After we were done going over the rules, we got to shoot! I was in the first group to shoot. Everyone placed their arrow on the nock locator and pulled back on their bow. We aimed, and then quickly released! The sight of the arrow flying through the air with great momentum and speed was very fascinating. It was as if it were a rocket. We got to shoot a total of two arrows in one turn. Once our group was done, we rotated to the next group. We went in a continuous rotation until everyone got a turn. Then we played a game. We set up balloons all over the shooting range. Each balloon was worth a specific amount of points. Our goal was to score a certain number of points. My group went up first. I shot the first balloon and earned five points for my team! We were not able to reach our goal. We were very disappointed, but we did have a lot fun. Overall, archery was definitely one of my favorite activities at camp.
- Nature Awareness
Dear Journal, today we learned about Nature Awareness. In this class they taught us about the importance of nature and its qualities. We were also able to learn about animals that live in the wilderness, such as squirrels. We did several activities in this class. The first activity we did was a “Squirrel Game.” We got our thumbs taped to the palms of our hands with masking tape. The point of this game was to try to do things without using our thumbs. After everyone’s hands were taped we sat in a small circle. We got candy thrown at us and we had to catch it. Once all of the candy was taken, we set it out in front of us. We had to try to open it without using our thumbs. It was very difficult at first, but I got the hang of it. It was hard to imagine a squirrel having to go through this everyday. After we were done with that activity, we moved on to a different one. We went on a Scavenger Hunt through the woods. Ms. Wright made a trail with peppermint spray through the woods, and hid pieces of paper near the trail. We set out on the hunt. We started on the bottom of a hill, near the lake. There was a dirt road leading up to the top of hill and around. We followed that trail. I would smell every log and tree to see if I could find any clues. Every time Ms. Wright stopped, we knew we were near a clue. By the end of the scavenger hunt, we had found all of the six clues. We all got candy as a reward and we returned to the field, at the bottom of the hill. Overall, Nature Awareness was a very entertaining class.
- Orienteering
Dear Journal, today we did Orienteering. Orienteering is a sport, where you have to get to certain checkpoints, using only a compass and a map. We had a meeting on the big field to discuss how to use/control a compass. You first have to turn the degrees dial to a certain number. This depends on the angle you want to turn to. Then you have to “put red Fred in the shed” and get the arrow in the “lane.” After you have completed those few steps, then you can start walking in the direction that the arrow is pointing towards. After we were done talking about our compasses, we began a game. It was the “Penny Locator.” We were each given a penny. We had to set the penny down in the grass and follow the directions that Mr. Ogden gave us. If we followed the directions correctly, then we would end up in the exact same spot as we started. We began the game. Every one would turn to the right, and then to the left, and then behind. It was as if we were in a maze. After we were done, we did one more activity. We did a Scavenger Hunt. We chose partners to go with, and I chose Chelsea. We were given a little sheet of paper with degrees on it and the number of steps you have to take once you have found the direction in which you should walk. We were given the Oak Start as our starting point. We then set out on our adventure. The goal of this hunt was to find certain trees that had letters on them. Once you found the trees and their letters, you had to write down the specific letter on your sheet of paper. We completed the first trail in no time. It was a breeze. We were then given our next trail. We started in the same place, the Oak Start. This trail was trickier than the first. We had to take almost triple the steps in the second route than we did in the first trail. We eventually finished and we returned back to the big field. Orienteering was over, and I was disappointed. This was definitely on of my favorite classes.
- New Games
Dear Journal, today we did New Games with my physical education teacher, Mrs. Mazur. We were supposed to do the new games outside, but it began to rain. So we decided to play in the big gym. We played a few different games. We started off by playing Frisbee Keep-away. The point of the game was to protect the Frisbee from the opponents. After we were done listening to the rules, we were divided into teams. From there, we began to play. We played this game for about ten minutes. We then played Ultimate Nerf. The object of the game is to get a Frisbee from one side of the room to other, without dropping. It. We were split into teams and chose an end zone for each team. The end zone would be the designated scoring side for a specific team. We then began to play. My team started off with the Frisbee. We made a few passes before throwing it into the end zone. We scored the first couple of points, but the other team caught up. We played Ultimate Nerf until one of the teams got to five points. After Ultimate Nerf, we played Monarch. The object of the game was to hit as many people, with a Gator ball, as you could. First, you had to choose two Monarchs to begin with the Gator balls. I was chosen to be one of the Monarchs. My partner and I began with the Gator balls in the middle of the gym. When my physical education teacher said, “Begin!” we both ran toward the middle of the gym. We each grabbed a ball and held in firmly in our hands. We searched for a target, and released our balls. They flew through the air and hit our classmate on his side. He then became one of the Monarchs, since the Monarchs that started hit him. We continued with this game for about fifteen minutes. By the time New Games was over, we were all tired and ready for a nap.
- High Ropes/Climbing Wall
Dear Journal, today we did High Ropes and the Climbing Wall. The High Ropes course was a big obstacle course in the air. There were different parts to it. You would have to complete one part at a time before you could go to a different part of the course. I started off with the Tight Rope. The goal was to get across from one platform to the other walking across a thin wire, about 1in thick. It looked very challenging, but I decided to give it a try. I climbed up the ladder and stood on the big, blue platform. I curled my toes over the edge and took a deep breath. I slowly set one foot on the wire and began to walk. I took one step at a time and put my arms out to balance. There was a rope above me, which I could hold on to in case I lost my balance. I used the rope a couple of times. The next part of the obstacle course I chose to do was the Swings. This part of the course was made up of several swings lined up. The goal was to try to make it across from platform to platform by stepping across on the swings. This was very difficult because you never knew when one of the swings would be uneven or swing to far back or forward. I climbed up the ladder and stood at the edge of the platform. I took a few glances at the swings and took a deep breath. I began to step onto the first swing. It began to rock but I was able to keep my balance. I was doing well until I got to the last couple of swings. The few swings at the end were very uneven. I had to step on the higher side and then step across on the lower side. I was able to make it to the side safely. I was full of relief. After I had done about half of the High Ropes Course, I moved on to the Climbing Wall. I was on the rock wall on the side of the tower. Once you were done climbing the wall, you had the chance to zip-line down to the ground. I chose to climb the backside of the Climbing tower. I put on my harness and stood in line for about five minutes. When it was my turn I put on helmet. I was clipped on to the rope. After I was secure, I began to climb. I set my foot on a rock, and my hand on another. I pushed up with my dominant leg found more rocks to support myself with. I was about three quarters of the way up the wall, when I began to feel tired. I stopped and took a few deep breaths. I started to climb again. I eventually made it to the top. I was then taken off of the rope and attached to a leash. The leash prevented me from falling off of the platform, at the very top of the climbing tower. When it was finally my turn to get on the zip-line, I was taken off of the leash, and attached to a rope. I held onto the top of the rope and jumped off of the tower. I flew through the air like a bird. I could feel the wind rush through my hair. It was an amazing experience. Once the zip-line came to an end, I stood on a ladder and unhooked the rope from my harness. These two activities were both superb experiences!
- Closing
Dear Journal, this year in Sixth Grade we went to Outdoor Education. We stayed at Snake River Adventure Center. It was lots of fun. We got to do many activities while we were there. We participated in Team Building, Entomology, Survival, Archery, Nature Awareness, Orienteering, and New Games. We got to work as a team and individually. Throughout this entire experience we got to work together and cooperate with our classmates. These skills are going to help us not only now, but in the future as well. This trip showed us that working with others make things easier for you and your teammates. We got to learn all of these skills through a course of activities. Overall, Outdoor Education was by far, the best field trip I have ever been on!
