Posted by Sudbury Northern Life
At the base of a limestone cliff, waiting for us in a small crevice, were two frozen little pellets of ... leavings. When a student found the little gems and carefully excavated them on a plate of snow to show her colleagues, the mini-lesson in tracking immediately switched gears to scat identification. The squirrel tracks, which were so fascinating just moments ago, were quickly forgotten. The poos were dubbed "Fred" (both of them being one entity apparently), and the lesson became one of studying and identifying scat. The students learned how to look at the hairs and bone fragments in the scat to tell that it was from a carnivore. They also learned how to judge from size and shape what species it might be (best guess was a weasel).
In March, the Learning Through Trails program travelled to Mindemoya to visit two classes at Central Manitoulin Public School. Fred was discovered by Andre Leblanc's Grade 4 class, which was covering language arts curriculum with the goal of creating a class newspaper based on their trip to Wagg's Park. Fred provided a wonderful teachable moment, and allowed the kids to learn about something they had found - something they were interested in. It's moments like these you shouldn't pass up, even if you have a weak stomach.
The Outdoor Classroom is a monthly feature submitted by staff of the Learning Through Trails program. A Rainbow Routes Association initiative, Learning Through Trails encourages teachers to use the outdoor classroom to enhance their charges' learning experience, increase their physical activity, and foster an appreciation for the outdoors.
If your class is interested in participating in the program, phone Melissa at 674-4455, ext. 4535. We still have limited space for programs this spring. Bus subsidies are available. For more details visit www.rainbowroutes.com .
Oh and last I heard, Fred was sitting in a ziplock in someone's freezer.
For more details visit www.rainbowroutes.com .
