Taking the classroom outdoors
Winter can start to feel pretty long in a classroom. Between cold temperatures, inclement weather, and short days, it can be pretty difficult to find time to go enjoy the great outdoors. The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness (FSPW) know this as well as anyone, and last year they thought it would be a good idea to get students out in the field during the winter months to educate them about our local ecology.
The educational program, cleverly called Winter Tracks, was quite a success; successful enough that the Friends expanded the program this winter. Almost 100 students have been out to participate in the program so far, and FSPW expects at least as many in late February and early March.
On Jan. 14, students from Sandpoint High School visited Round Lake State park for a day of fun and education. The next day, a middle school class from the Spokane Montessori School came out to enjoy the program, and on Feb. 11, two classes from Forrest M. Bird Charter School participated in the program.
Once at Round Lake, the students split into groups, which rotated through four stations. At each station, students were taught a variety of skills, facts and ideas pertaining to the ecology of the Inland Northwest. Teachers at each station had years, if not decades, of experience in their subject matter, and were able to impart a great deal of knowledge to the students, while still having a lot of fun.
The first station, from which the program gets its name, is focused on tracking wildlife. Students hiked along Round Lake to find signs of wildlife, and interpret the animal sign that they found. In one of the most interesting discoveries, the class from Forrest M Bird Charter School found a bobcat track on a log, which the bobcat had made while peering over the log, possibly when stalking prey. At the second station, students learned to identify the major tree species that are commonly found in our local forests. At the third station, students were shown pelts, skulls, and antler sheds from some of the most interesting mammals found in this area. They were fascinated by the enormity of an elk antler and loved to feel the softness of fisher and ermine pelts. Finally, the students learned about the seven Leave No Trace Principles, talked about the various habitats that can be found in our local forests and learned about the importance of preserving those habitats.
Besides learning about the importance of our local forests, and why we should preserve places like the Scotchman Peaks, students also seemed to have a lot of fun. In one of the more lighthearted moments from the three events, a student from Forrest M. Bird remarked “Yeah, I’ve had a lot of fun. When we were on the way here, I didn’t think it would be that fun, but it was actually a lot of fun!”
The students weren’t the only ones having fun. FSPW Program Coordinator and tracking class teacher Sandy Compton said “It’s always so rewarding to see these kids light up when they find a track and figure out what the animal was doing when they made it. It reminds me of the magic that wild places can provide.”
The Winter Tracks Program will continue through late February and into early March. FSPW will be hosting Noxon School on Feb. 25, Clark Fork High School on Feb. 26, and Lincoln County events in the weeks following. If you would like to help out with any of these events, please contact Nathan Mynatt at Nathan@scotchmanpeaks.org.