Tyler and Kathy search for their favorites in the field during the 2008 Summer Explorers Biology Camp. (Photo by Chip McAllister, 6/9/08)

SCEP Michelle Garcia and her Mighty Mites conduct a wetland investigation during the 2008 Summer Explorers Biology Camp. (Photo by Chip McAllister, 6/12/08)

Henry measure wind speed in the Mallard Marsh oak savanna during the 2008 Summer Explorers Biology Camp. (Photo by Molly Stoddard, 6/10/2008)

SCEP Michelle Garcia and her Mighty Mites investigate wetland invertebrates in Mallard Marsh during the 2008 Summer Explorers Biology Camp. (Photo by Molly Stoddard 6/11/2008)

During a Seton Watch, Corey records his discoveries in his field journal as part of the 2008 Summer Explorers Biology Camp at the PWLC. (Photo by Molly Stoddard, 6/12/2008)

Tip toe through the tulips -- er -- the bladderwort! One way to get to know Tintah Slough is to enter it, and Henry shows us how during the 2008 Summer Explorers Biology Camp at the PWLC. (Photo by Molly Stoddard, 6/12/08)

The week of June 9-13, 2008 was a time of discovery and adventure for 40 youth and 10 teachers at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center (PWLC) in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.  The PWLC hosted its 3rd annual “Summer Explorers Biology Camp” for students entering 6^thand 7^th grades, along with a concurrent “Teaching in the Outdoor Classroom” workshop for educators.  It was a tremendous opportunity for students and educators to learn together.  The camp and workshop were led by Dave Ellis and Chip McAllister, Fergus Falls ISD 544 teachers, as well as Teresa Jaskiewicz, and Molly Stoddard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service environmental educators stationed at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center.  The workshop and camp were sponsored by the Friends of the PWLC.

Ten formal and non-formal educators spent the week learning about authentic, place-based education using a constructivist approach and how to integrate the outdoor classroom into teaching subjects like science, math, art, reading, and writing.  Each educator teamed with a group of four Summer Explorers (students attending the camp), and they spent the week discovering the prairie wetlands ecosystem together.  Hands-on activities such as aquatic plant and macroinvertebrate studies, prairie and wetland plant identification, sound mapping, and bird and wetland field investigations made the camp rewarding for everyone involved.  Participants learned about Ernest Thompson Seton, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Byrd Baylor, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and other famous naturalists throughout the week.  As naturalists themselves, they recorded their discoveries, sketches, and wonders in their own field journals.  PWLC volunteer and youth participant David Budke created a DVD using photos and video captured during the week and showed it during the final morning session which was also attended by about 30 parents and siblings.  Everyone received a post-camp letter complete with photos, discoveries, and many memories made during the week.

Biological discovery highlights of the week included finding Canadian toads singing in one of the ponds (confirming that they are breeding at the PWLC), the collectively observing 43 bird species, whitecaps on Mallard Marsh, and a 13-lined ground squirrel fast and furiously digging its burrow, disappearing in a flash under the ground.

For the first time, participants included FWS employees:  Ed Lagace, park ranger from Upper Mississippi River NFWR; Ashley Berkler, Visitor Services SCEP from DeSoto NWR; and Michelle Garcia, Visitor Services SCEP from PWLC.  Other participants included a middle school art teacher, a 2^nd grade teacher, and 5^th grade, 6^th grade, and high school teachers.  Also for the first time, graduate credit was offered to participants through Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.  Participant and art teacher Lynn Ouren provided daily sketching tips for campers and educators to use in their field journals, another new feature.

The camp/workshop is funded by a $10,000 FWS R3 Challenge Cost-Share Grant.  Partners include:  Friends of Neal Smith NWR, Friends of the PWLC, Independent School District 544, Lakes Country Services Cooperative, and Hamline University.

According to evaluation of the workshop,

·       100% of the educators rated the workshop as great or good. 

·       100% rated the various qualities of the facilitators as great or good. 

·       100% of the educators stated they would change their instructional practice because of the workshop (get students outside, journal, use some of the new techniques and methodology, rely less on facts and figures, use more writing and small group discussion, instill a sense of wonder through scientific investigation, observation, and discovery). 

·       100% of the educators said their expectations for the workshop were met. 

·       More than 90% of educators made positive comments about the format of applying what they are learning with students in camp.  In the words of one teacher, “It allowed me to put learned techniques into practice – it exhibited and proved the methods’ practicality and success.”  Another wrote, “It was more meaningful than just discussing theory and wondering how it would work.”

·       Discoveries were made about connecting children and nature.  One teacher stated, “Nature-deficit is a problem that is rampant and yet unknown.”  Another wrote, “Children naturally love nature – discovery – joy – wonder – self-learners naturally... Teaching children to wonder – all they need is exposure.”

·       100% of the educators stated that they would recommend this workshop to others, many of them emphatically so.  One suggested, “I would like to see the person who teaches our English take this.”  Another advised, “Especially for FWS EE specialists.”

Student responses to the camp were overwhelmingly positive, too.  90% of the youth would recommend this camp to a friend.  Participants want to expand the camp with an overnight experience, a visit to another prairie site, spend a full 12 hours outside, and have the camp last longer than one week.  One creative camper suggested getting “pure rubber suits so we can go out in thunder and lightning storms.”  An indication of the use of their critical thinking skills, their lingering questions included: 

·       “Why can’t kids of all ages come to this camp?”

·       “How long will the RWBB [red-winged blackbird] call for mates?” 

·       “Why don’t all wetlands have cattails?” 

·       “Will the Prairie Wetlands always be here?”

·       “What grows the fastest after a burn?”

·       “Why is the scud invisible?”

·       “How many non-native plants are in the prairie?”

·       “When will I see a compass plant 11 feet tall?”

·       “Can it be any better?”

For the third year in a row, the combination kids’ camp and teacher workshop was an outstanding success.  The facilitation team subsequently will wrestle with the possibility of expanding the camp next year and incorporate younger children, mirroring expansion of the Prairie Science Class to include 4^th graders.