GLLT/Lovell Rec Trailblazers:
Six years ago we began working with Lovell Recreation to offer nature hikes one day a week for their summer campers. That blossomed into an after-school program three years ago. Typically, we offer five session in the fall, five in the winter, and three in the spring (many more after school activities available at that time of year.)
The group may be a bit loosey goosey because after being in school all day the kids have lots of energy to release, but we just keep changing up the activities.
This afternoon, Docents Alice Goodwin and Joan Lundin had a variety of activities up their sleeves (but no salamanders).
Activities included walking like different Maine mammals, Simon Says, Following unique trail blazes to reach their after-school snack, becoming tree masters, learning about survey rods, completing a leaf scavenger hunt, and finally ironing leaves between wax paper. Phew! No wonder we're all exhausted.
We waddle like a skunk or porcupine.
Then we tried to place our hind feet in the print of our front feet had made like a perfect walker, such as a fox, coyote, bobcat.
Finally, we hopped like a snowshoe hare.
After playing Simon Says and running around the school yard for a few minutes, the group followed unique trail blazes in search of their snack. The blazes were actually apples stuck on trees. 1 apple: go straight; 2 apples: turn; 3 apples: beginning and end of trail.
The trail ended at the outdoor classroom, where they found their snack in a bag below one of the benches.
After snack--Alice showed them survey rods. If you meet a Trailblazer, ask them how many feet in a rod? (16.5) How many feet in two rods? (33) How many feet in four rods? (66). They had fun figuring out the math.
And checking out the rod—an official tool.
Then a Tree Master began to call out species and all had to locate an example such as Hemlock. Hemlocks were difficult to find until we realized there were saplings in our midst.
Red Oak and then a Beech were much more prevalent. Sometimes even side by side, like two friends. The impressive thing: when some of the younger kids recognized trees in their sapling forms.
At the very end, the kids completed a scavenger hunt to locate a variety of leaves. Their favorite seems to be the one we call nature’s toilet paper or goose foot, but they also know it as Striped Maple.
We ventured Inside the community room for the last few minutes, where they chose a few of the leaves they'd collected and then watched as Joan ironed them between pieces of wax paper.
Several tada moments finished off the afternoon.
October surely has been The Month of the Kids for the Greater Lovell Land Trust. We’re grateful for the opportunity to explore the natural world with them. We’re also grateful to their teachers and our volunteer docents, as well as Lovell Rec Director Meg Dyer. It takes a village and we love ours.