Getting Close to Nature

It was a cold and blustery day when the 41 students from Encampment’s kindergarten through third grade got off the bus at Lewis Lake in the Snowy Range.

Rayna Greenwood, the third-grade teacher, had all the students gather at a picnic table to be divided into groups. The goal for September 18 included doing environmental artwork inspired by Andy Goldsworthy, a scavenger hunt and the study of rocks and minerals, led by Justin Stern, the education coordinator and resource specialist with the Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District (SERCD).

“We want our students to build skills, gain experience and create lasting memories in and out of the classroom,” Greenwood said. “Field trips are one way students get to experience new things and broaden their perspectives.”

The students were split up into three groups, which consisted of all grades involved. Greenwood said this lets the students build their community at the school by working with students from other grades.

Even though the wind was blowing, and the temperature was at a cool 37 degrees Fahrenheit, the children were full of energy and ready to explore.

The children rotated through the stations with their respective teachers/leaders of each group, Kindergarten teacher Annie Jordan, first-grade teacher Noelle Peterson, second-grade teacher Valerie Rigali and Greenwood. Jordan and Rigali were combined with one group of students. Bailey Detterer, a special education paraprofessional and bus driver Sam Buffington also helped with the field trip. Greenwood said all of the paraprofessionals in the school are rock stars and support the students in every way possible, including on field trips.

The art project was making sculptures using sticks, rocks and pinecones found in the Lewis Lake area. The students learned how environmentalist Goldsworthy, who is also an artist, created land art made directly into the landscape. A few students made a campfire, while others made towers. One ambitious group of boys dragged a fallen tree onto a rock to make their sculpture. Greenwood credited Peterson for being the brains behind this idea.

The scavenger hunt was complex as it challenged students to find things in nature which included a puffball, three different primary producers—an organism that gets it energy from the sun—a sign that fall is near, plants with needles and signs of an animal such as scat, fur or bones, to name a few. The children were given boundaries of where to look and they scattered, racing to be the first to find a treasure. Greenwood said the scavenger hunt allows students to use their observational skills to find and interact with nature.

Stern led the students on a small hike to learn about local rocks and minerals.

When the students had visited all the stations, they gathered in a less windy area surrounded by trees and ate a sack lunch provided by the school cooks. The students sat with their friends and chattered as they ate their lunch.

Kindergarten student Brant Johnston said he enjoyed riding the bus the most. He said he had fun, but his hands were cold.

First grader Jaxton Rakness’ favorite part of the day was building the towers for the art program. When asked what he learned he said he learned about bugs and water.

Second grader Sierra Vorn said she enjoyed building the cairn. It was part of the scavenger hunt to find rocks to stack and make a cairn which is a memorial, landmark or used to mark a trail. She liked searching for the rocks. She said she learned about bushes and seeing a road that was a mine trail.

Third grader Greicy Melcher said she also enjoyed building a tower for an art project. She said she learned that nature is all over and even people are part of nature.

The students all agreed they had fun, but they were a little cold. The cool weather, however, did not seem to dampen their spirits or their willingness to climb over branches and rocks exploring the area. After lunch, the children sang happy birthday to Alvira Giacometto, who covered her smiling face in embarrassment.

They finished the day off with a hike on a trail around Lewis Lake. Greenwood said this is the third year of Kindergarten through third grade students to participate in this particular field trip. Greenwood credits the entire school staff to make a field trip like this possible.