.

A School Team of 24 attended Science Camp August 1- August 5, 2005 at the Land for Learning Environment Center at Little Grassy Camp near Giant City State Park in Carbondale, Illinois. A coach school bus departed from Thornton High School at 9:30 a.m. on Monday August 1, 2005 to the Land of Learning. Participants slept in cabins on bunk beds. Food was provided at the camp.

Goals for Science Camp 2005 were to achieve the following through exciting and challenging activities.

1.             Develop environmental awareness, an appreciation for nature and its diversity

2.             Enhance personal communication and team skills.

3.             Learn strategies to investigate and analyze the environment.

4.             Reflect on ways to continue exploring the environment, after the camp experience.

The School Team explored the meteorological, geological, and geographical environments with the staff at Land for Learning. The School Team conducted biological and chemical studies to compare ecosystems. These activities included the following.

Biological and Chemical Studies

Freshwater Ecology

The School Teams took samples of water from the Little Grassy Lake to test the levels of dissolved oxygen to determine levels of pollution in the water. The study continued with the collection and identification of macroinvertabrates taken from the freshwater environment. They were able to determine fresh water quality by looking at the macroinvertabrates and testing the quality of water by looking at dissolved oxygen. The students learned different data collection strategies to record the information

Nature Hikes

School Teams learned to identify trees, small animals, and insects and by naturalist and scientist from the University of Illinois affectionately referred to as Critter John.  A soil scientist from the US Department of Agriculture taught the school team the water cycle. One of the students remarked that they heard the sounds of nature for the first time. Another remarked that they never stop to think about all the different things that lived in the forest.

Owl Prowl

Students were taken on guided nature hike at dusk. They learned the call of three different owls native to the area. The team was successful in seeing a Bart Owl. I over heard one student telling another that he thought the owl prowl was going to be lame. Later that night I observed the student-making owl sounds on his return to his assigned cabin.

Heron Pond

The School Team toured the Cache River State Natural Area situated on the Cache River in southern Illinois within a flood plain carved out by glacier floodwater of the Ohio River. The area is home to a swamp area filled with cypress and tupelo trees. Some of these trees are over 1000 years old, 40 feet in circumference and hundreds of feet high. One of the students asked, “ Why there weren’t any mosquitoes in the area even though there was water in the swamp.” Critter John quickly responded, “ Good observation. The ecosystem is balanced.” The student stood speechless for a minute and responded, “ Everything depends on each other.”  The student got it.  It was a teachers  “ah-huh” moment.

The diversity of wildlife and wild places found in Cache River State Natural Area provides food, cover and water for an incredible number of plant and animal species, more than 100 of which have been listed as endangered or threatened by the State of Illinois.

Meteorology

The School Team attended an outside lecture to view the constellation and here the stories of mythology. Students were able to point out the stars with their flashlights from the campground.

Caving

School Teams explored a natural cave created over millions of years on the grounds of Eagle Creek Natural Preserve. The Team was able to observe the rock formation and the life inside the cave, such as, bats and centipedes.

In addition, the school team participated in recreational activities such as canoeing, hiking, swimming, team and leadership exercises as well as arts and crafts.

The science summer camp was the most rewarding experience that I can recall in my career as a teacher.  I was able to bond with the students and families in a special way. It is still difficult for me to identify the right words to express my feelings. However, I can relate to you an experience that happened on the bus on the return trip. I asked Mrs. King what she thought of science camp. She looked me in the eye and tears rounded down her face. She said, “ It was fantastic. It allowed me to know my kids and their friends s in a different way. I learned and feel I have been changed.”

This experience will enhance our students’ skills in science, mathematics, team and leadership skills. Teachers will receive some curriculum materials and participate in staff development to assist in integration of similar activities into the classroom.

I learned about this opportunity through staff development at the Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science. The program was developed and staffed through TAMS until recent budget cuts. Southern Illinois University now sponsors the program.

The bus returned to Thornton High School on August 5, 2005 at approximately 8:00 pm there is no significant incidence to report.  Thank you for this opportunity. I hope to have the same opportunity this school year.