Weekly Photo Roundup: March 12 2018
This week marks the beginning of the spring Mountain School season! Graduate students and other naturalist instructors paired up to teach fifth graders with Clear Lake Elementary and the Bellingham Family Partnership Program. Lucky for us, there were some glorious days of sunshine up at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, along with the typical rainy moments.
Below is the final photo from our first session of the week. Don’t you just love the energy of Mountain School media?
Graduate student Liz Grewal led a short lesson on compost during the opening ceremony of Mountain School. After the kids ate lunch, they walked to the front of the amphitheater to sort their leftovers into the landfill, compost, or recycling bins – an action related to our Foodshed Initiative.
Later in the day, the trail group Amy Sanchez and I led named themselves the Wild Wolverines. Every time we shouted “Wolverines, wolverines!” the kids would reply “Rawr, rawr!” and hold their hands up like claws. It was a cute way to regain our group’s energetic attention, and an avenue of community pride for the kiddos.
This week Tanner Johnson and other instructors utilized the Wild Ginger Library to read stories to the trail groups. It is definitely a cozy space for learning, and we’re all excited to incorporate it into our routine with the kids.
Fifth graders Alexis and Rose painted and drew pictures of a forest during a break inside from the cold rain. I was surprised by how much the children enjoyed our “naturalist art time.” The energy was very calm.
Caitlyn drew her best impression of a young Douglas fir outside the window. We looked through field guides for trees to identify its various features.
And Mikita drew a picture of the North Cascades mountain range, featuring a wild wolverine! Isn’t this great?
On the last day of Mountain School, Zoe Wadkins guided our combined trail groups in a closing ceremony along the shores of Diablo Lake. I always enjoy hearing kids describe how they will bring their Mountain School experience to back home to their communities.
During our rare free time, graduate students explored the landscape surrounding the Learning Center campus. Everywhere around us plants are beginning to bud, and some are even breaking buds!
After some canoe training, a few students took a trip out onto Diablo, too. It is exciting to think about all of the recreational opportunities warmer, sunnier days will bring to our place upriver, as well as Mountain School. Fingers crossed there will be brighter days ahead as we gain an hour of daylight and inch closer to springtime!
Click here to see previous Photo Roundups!