A Field Trip On A Beautiful Day

As I return to my 5th grade classroom, I am filled with an overwhelming feeling of joy. I really missed being here. I am amazed by the relationships that have been forged in such a short time. It is truly hard to believe that I didn't know any of these students before this school year started. We went on a field trip this past week. It was an action packed day at the wetlands. We started by rotating through activity stations and then went on a "safari" that culminated with a stroll through the inner wetlands. I was impressed by how thoughtfully my resident teacher had organized the field trip. She took care placing students in groups, talking to them about what they would be seeing, and she was so organized that the day progressed smoothly.
Pre-owl Pellets
Here come the owl pellets


Investigating
 The first activity that students in my group started with was dissecting owl pellets. They worked in teams and meticulously examined what that owl had eaten. There was a volunteer that introduced how owls ate and digested food. The students were thoroughly engaged and all of them begged for more time to dissect.
What we might find
Working together
Owl Skull

We learned many interesting things while we were listening to the volunteer about owls. She taught us that owl skulls have reinforced bone around their eye sockets. Their eyes are so heavy that their eyes are locked in place, and that is why they are able to turn their necks so easily.




ready to migrate
mural in the field


 The next station that the students visited was about migration. They pretended that they were birds migrating from one point to the other. Along the way they were affected by disease, oil spills, shopping malls that were built over their wetlands, and other events. We discussed the importance that wetlands play in birds lives. The students loved taking turns being the first bird in the "v" pattern.
Mid-migration

A beautiful day in the wetland

beaver skull and a foot reproduction
The third rotation took students on a short walk where they were nature detectives. They were asked to think about how they could tell that creatures lived in the wetlands even if they didn't see them. Students walked around looking for clues. Volunteers had placed snake skins on the path, bird nests in trees, and foot prints in the mud. It was so wonderful to see the students scanning everywhere looking for signs that something had been there. At the end of the walk, the volunteer showed the students a beaver's skull and rubber reproductions of their feet. This prompted a rich conversation about why their feet were shaped how they were and what advantages they would give a beaver.


Sand ready to see some tracks

one student making an impression
 Next, we went to the station about scat and prints. There were reproductions of various creatures scat and feet. Students discussed why their scat would look the way that it did (green because they ate algae).  At first, they wanted nothing to do with the scat, but as the discussion progressed one student grabbed all the reproductions and placed them side by side. The conversation then moved to guessing what creature's feet what which. I was impressed by how many students were able to identify the owners of the prints. There was a box of sand that students used to make impressions of the feet. It was such a wonderful activity that really allowed students to investigate the process of leaving prints, and to think about how they might observe the world around them more closely in the future.
a footprint


an invitation to explore


Mrs. Dailey in the Wetlands

Mrs. Dailey searching for some bugs
 The final rotation found us knee deep in the wetlands! We donned some boots, grabbed a net, and went hunting for bugs. I decided that this was an opportunity I couldn't miss out on, so I went in too. After we caught some specimens in our nets, we got an up close look with magnifying glasses, and then returned them to their habitats.
I got one!
Beaver

Learning how to use binoculars
our tools
Students were introduced to binoculars and practiced their skills before loading up in cars and beginning the "safari". We had a double sided card containing possible birds that we might see, and walkie talkies to listen to the volunteer that was leading the trip, and to announce bird sightings to the group. The students had such keen eyes, and they loved seeing swans, red tailed hawks, and an Ibus glide through the clear sky.
a quiet place with a view

looking at swans and coots


watching a wasp

looking at a red tailed hawk

such a wonderful day
We ended the field trip with a short walk out where students were surrounded by wetlands on all sides. It was quiet and there was life everywhere.It was a beautiful day, and I am glad that I was there to see these wonderful students experience the wetlands for the first time.
Mrs. Dailey very Happy

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