Mountain Kid Messenger
S'more Outdoor Core
2023 May-June
The Homestretch.
The last 4 weeks of school are well mapped out. They also invite you outdoors more than ever. It's in the rising temps. It's in the birds - singing, courting, and building nests anew. It is in the budding of leaves of the deciduous plants and trees. And it is in the blooming of flowers. The Mules Ear, Arrow-leaf Balsam Root and Shooting Stars in the near woods of home and school. Even the deep snows of Chester and Portola have released. Please enjoy the phenomena of Spring really taking hold in our northern Sierra Nevada homeland. So many life cycles beginning again.
Thank you for a great Outdoor Mountain Kid year. Thank you for your commitment to this amazing place we live and lead learning. Thank you for making the time in a full and busy curriculum and calendar to make the beauty and power of where we live, also how we learn. These minutes and moments add up to healthier Mountain Kids who know and love the world around them. We prepare our kids for this world by exploring and discovering it every day, through the rich phenomena of the seasons.
This Mountain Kid Messenger May-June 2023 Edition is intended to be a fresh and timely breakdown of the observable phenomena occurring locally that tie to each of your grade levels, highlight and celebrate local learning and fun from the field, and share timely resources.
Time for S'more Outdoor Core!
---------------------------------------------------------
Spring Springing Bringing Singing, Winging & Flinging
Phenology. This is the natural occurrence of life cycles happening during our annual cycle around the sun. It is the most natural thing happening outside right now. It is truly the teachable moment! Right here and right now!
Below I share a few observations of these natural timings and in bold I compare this year with last year. This is the heart of the science of Phenology and it is available every single minute of every single day in Plumas County to you and your Mountain Kids. Just your journal, where and where you are, and your observation... and you have created a valuable scientific record.
- Spring Birds The birds I look and listen for are all largely returned. Yellow-headed Blackbirds and White-face Ibis in Sierra Valley. Sandhill Cranes have been home for well over a month. Yellow-rumped Warblers and the Grosbeaks have been a familiar sight. One interesting shift is when the year-0round Mountain Chickadee moves from its regular call to it's courting "Cheeseburger" song. This first started up around May 1. Please note the various spring activities of nest building, courtship flight, and more.
- Mules Ear (member of sunflower family), Location and elevation of sighting, date and time. Tracking the different phases of emergence. My first bloom in 2023 was May 15th
- Tulips and Daffodils These non-native, domesticated flowers are so prevalent in our yards and towns that they are easy to follow. Same location/elevation, date and time. - My daffodils at work came up on 3/20 (Spring Equinox) in 2022. My first daff at home in Meadow Valley came up on 3/26 in 2022. This year they finally bloomed on 4/14. The first tulip bloomed on May 5th
- Phlox - I featured phlox in April due to the connection with the Pink Full Moon, but the phlox in my yard just fully bloomed on May 13th. Keep a look out for these beautiful blooms around the area, in yards and in the wild well into summer.
Remember, each of these phenomena have a nice story quality to them as they touch on Who, Where, When, and What.
When you do the same observations year after year and you compare dates of natural phenomena it can reveal great insights. These "A-Ha" moments of discovery are what natural learning is built upon.
Keep it simple, have fun, and some deep learning will happen for everyone.
Being Still
Any hunter or fisher will tell you that part of their art is being still, especially at the right time. This is antithetical to our experience of Mountain Kids, especially when outdoors, and yet a quiet moment of stillness is possible and can be pure magic.
During the past 4 weeks I have been leading Plumas to Pacific trip for 8th and 6th graders. It is a very go-based trip but when we slow down and stop some amazing moments can happen for kids. Wonderful student insights emerge out of the stillness and silence.
Sometimes it requires a promise of a fun, anticipated game after the silence to help them motivate immobility. Give it a try. This weekend I stood silently in the sun for 5 minutes during which time a fox appeared and slowly made it's way closer and closer to me until it was only 30 feet away. I watched it hunt and catch and eat a couple of insects. It finally noticed I was there and it bounded away.
Outdoor Core Retreat Days - August 21-22, 2023
August 22nd will include scientist partners from Plumas & Lassen National Forest, Plumas Audubon, Trout Unlimited, Feather River College, FR Trout Unlimited, and more. Get the time you always wish you had more of and start your year fully ready by attending one or both days. Each out to Rob with any questions and to RSVP.
Venus at Sunset
Venus, our nearest neighbor to the sun has an interesting split identity. It is known both as the morning star and the evening star. The only times we can enjoy the sight of it in the night sky is near to when the sun is out. That means just after sunset to the West or just before sunrise to the East.
Currently the phenomenon is the former. That large, stunning star emerging at dusk is the planet Venus. Enjoy the dual joy of of a mountain sunset and Venus shine into the early evening.
----------------------------------------------------------
Summer Reading: Outdoor Core Field Resources - Nature Journaling, John Muir Laws, & Learning Landscapes
How to Teach Nature Journaling
Learning Landscapes Field Handbook
We all have our Outdoor Classrooms and adjacent Learning Landscapes but having a plan once you are out there is essential. The LL Field Handbook and the Journaling resources can help you to make the most of these Mountain Kid spaces.
Handbook LinkNature Journal Connection - Video Library
-------------------------------------------------------------
Kindergarten
Spring
The slow opening and unfolding of Spring continues and will begin to accelerate as we move toward the end of school. Depending on where you live, Spring is in a slightly different place of emergence. The snow on every playground is fully melted, our lows are rising, and the budding and blooming is everywhere. It is full swing in the garden!
Follow the Flowers
No matter your campus, take a flower loop to see where and when these perennials bloom. The day by day is especially exciting if you can make the time, as there are observable changes sometimes in even the course of a single day. And celebrate every bloom! It is fun to also look at how different flowers can be - colors, petals, size - to name a few.
Seeds
Not sure who did some indoor starts already or if you are using a greenhouse but this is still the time for getting seeds into the soil. Not too late to start your starts. Even just one for the whole class. The garden can be a gamble as we are flirting with freezing at this time of year. Consult your school garden coordinator. And for one last month I will offer this favorite song of mine about seeds by one of my favorite artists, Willie Tea Taylor - Itty Bitty Seed. I know there are other garden songs but I really have a crush on this one.
Garden Action Project
One of the things we want Mountain Kids to believe, is that they can grow their minds to know anything, and they can take actions and use that knowledge to do great things in the world around them. Planting and growing a garden is an obvious activity but perhaps there is something more that can be their idea. Pose the question, "What can we do outdoors at our school to use our Mountain Kid brains and muscle to make the school a more beautiful and healthy place for kids! Simple is better, but what a final great lesson from their first year of school!
First Grade
The bugs are back!
And by bugs I means invertebrates. You don't realize how insect free we have been all Winter until they start to emerge out of Diapause and fly and crawl around us again. Most of these revelations are joyful although I have received some mosquito bites. My windshield requires more cleaning these days. Sometimes daily.
As I reminded last month, some of the best science education is to observe and record the return of our invertebrates. Our field journaling is perfect for that. Your kids simply record who they saw, where they were, and when they observed it. Keep is simple. Please do share these with me and your First Grade PUSD colleagues.
Insect Action Project
One final consideration as we glide toward the final weeks of the year is to do something to demonstrate their care for insects, through the energy and knowledge that your Mountain Kids have grown this year. This invites problem solving skills, and is in fact engineering - the opportunity to design, create and change something in nature for insects and any invertebrate.
Another activity is to do something to help change attitudes and behaviors or grow knowledge and care about invertebrates in the larger community. This could be a specific species or all pollinators or some other misunderstood group of invertebrates (worms and cockroaches come to mind).
Your action project does not need to be a huge undertaking. In fact simple is often better. Planting a single native plant on the campus to support pollinators is making the habitat better. Make an informational poster about our little pollinators. Invertebrates are small and need a voice and our Mountain Kids can be that voice.
Second Grade
They're Back!
The Western Fence Lizards and Sierran Tree Frogs are out and alive and well throughout the region. Sometimes it is hard to find the time and place for an authentic encounter during the school day but trust your Mountain Kids to find and catch our local herps after school and during the weekend. Having them share their out of school discoveries helps to populate the coming weeks with many wiggles and hops.
Keep a Record
Your Mountain Kids can be a part of this important phenomena as they see their first of the year. For each sighting they would record - Who they saw. When they saw it (date and time), and Where they saw it. Please share those with me and your 2nd grade colleagues around the region.
Be a Herp Hero!
One final consideration as we glide toward the final weeks of the year is to do something to demonstrate care for our herps, through the energy and knowledge that your Mountain Kids have grown this year. This invites problem solving skills. This is in fact engineering - the opportunity to design, create, or change something in nature for amphibians and reptiles. They can also help change attitudes and behaviors or grow knowledge toward a specific herp species, in the larger community. It could be their families or other kids at school.
This does not need to be a huge undertaking. In fact simple is often better. To create a herp habitat is as simple as an approved place on campus where you can construct a pile that can hold moisture and shelter. Make something that might be good for amphibians on the inside but reptiles on the outside. Kids are natural at such things, and found materials are best. Another direction would be to make informational posters about a sensitive herp with one thing people can do to be a herp hero. Plan this in April, Do it in May.
Remember that I have HerpHero stickers for the kids who look out for their important, undersized friends!
Third Grade
Spring Tracking
Mammal Tracking is awesome! We love to t4ack in snow but almost as good is that other awesome earth material... mud! Untouched, moist soil of any type will catch and preserve a track quite well. If it is very wet, then the mud as it dries will preserve it even longer than snow. So don't hang up your tracking plans yet. Get out and use the fresh Spring ground tell you a mammal passing story!
Mammal Action Project
One final consideration as we glide toward the final weeks of the year is to do something to demonstrate care for your furry friends. Through the energy and knowledge that your Mountain Kids have grown this year they can make our local place better for mammals.This invites problem solving skills. This is in fact engineering - the opportunity to design, create, or change something in nature for mammals. You could also to help change attitudes and behaviors or grow knowledge about mammals in the larger community.
This does not need to be a huge undertaking. In fact simple is often better. Plant a single native plant on the campus to improve mammal habitat. Make informational posters about a threatened mammal or just a species they want to look out for.
Fourth Grade
Spring rocks for the Year of the Trout! So much going on as you hatch trout eggs, release them, and even go fishing. A big thanks to Mike Kossow and Feather River Trout Unlimited, our program partner.
Fishing Days with Amber Mouser are all booked and your bus transportation is set.
- CES - May 23rd - Lake Almanor @ Canyon Dam
- GES - May 31st - Round Valley Reservoir
- QES - June 1st - Spanish Creek Campground
- CRC - June 2nd - Lake Davis @ Honker Cover
Trout Action Project
One final consideration as we glide toward the final weeks of the year is to do something to demonstrate their care for trout. Through the energy and knowledge that your Mountain Kids have grown this year they are ready to make a difference. This invites problem solving skills. This is in fact engineering - the opportunity to design, create, or change something in nature for trout. Another way is to help change attitudes and behaviors or grow knowledge about trout in the larger community.
This does not need to be a huge undertaking. In fact simple is often better. Because we know the 3 Cs (Clean, Clear, Cold) one of the most straight forward action is is to plant willows along our riparian corridors. These willows stabilize the creek banks, reducing erosion and the turbidity (cloudiness) while also providing shade that keeps the temperatures cooler. The two biggest pollutants in mountain creeks are turbidity and temperature. We don't always think of them that way, but scientists do. Planting or "staking" a few willows on a bare bank makes a difference.
Lastly, an informational posters about trout or a sensitive aquatic species allows kids to use their new knowledge to educate others and possibly change local conditions.
Fifth Grade
Cornell News I & Cornell News II
These links have fresh and timely news and links to help you improve your birding and more. Please take a look. These are the March and April editions through my email. You can subscribe directly and they will come to your inbox monthly.
Spring Migration & Return
Spring migration continues with unique sightings every day. For those species that stick around there are so many bird phenomena to observe and explore! Nest building is in full swing, as are the courtship calls and mating displays of our birds. Every day will be a new surprise of new species and new activities. Please track them both as they are all important scientific observations.
The core details are Species, Date & Time, Location, Activity. Please document and share with me and the other 5th grade classes. Keep track and use eBird to share with the world. Even a 5 minute point-count is good citizen science any day of the year. I am serious.
Plumas Audubon Society has been supporting you through the year mostly with the help of Education Coordinator Liz Ramsey. Click on this link to see the scheduled visits, the fast approaching Big Days. They list the volunteer leads.
The Big Day
Global Big Day was just on Saturday, May 13th. I didn't have a full day to spare but I managed 53 species over a few hours. In the same way, your Big Day doesn't have to be 24 hours. Just 3 hours met with intention can be your Big Day. Here is the schedule:
- QES5 Big Day - May 31(With Jenna Hatfield)
- CRC5 Big Day - June 6 (With Jill Sloucum)
- CES5 Big Day - June 7 (With Liz Ramsey & Suzanne McDonald)
- GES5 Big Day - June 8 (With Liz Ramsey)
Avian Action Project
One final consideration as we glide toward the final weeks of the year is to do something to demonstrate care for birds through the energy and knowledge that your Mountain Kids have grown this year. This invites problem solving skills. This is in fact engineering - the opportunity to design, create, or change something in nature for birds. Another approach is to do something to help change attitudes and behaviors or grow knowledge about birds in the larger community.
This does not need to be a huge undertaking. In fact simple is often better. Plant a single native plant on the campus to improve bird habitat. Install a bird nesting box or two on Campus or your Learning Landscape (I have boxes). Make informational posters about a threatened bird or just a species they want to look out for.
Sixth Grade
SnowPack Wrap Up
Kerry McClay from Snow School has made a wrap-up video. Use the link below, and if you just want to see the Plumas County result skip ahead.
9:17 Results of the Nation-wide snowpack challenge!
12:48 Local Contest Results: Plumas County / Northern Sierra
Quincy Elementary won this year and will be having a pizza party after their Plumas to Pacific.
And snowpack is still deep up high. I asked Spanish Peak yesterday. Our tributaries are running strong for the near future, and Oroville was 94% full as of my last visit on May 9th. Amazing to see that reservoir so full after so many years of declining flows. Remember these links if you want to keep tracking. While the Plumas to Pacific trips are completing, now the kids have visited the dam and fake lake and are more connected and invested.
Plumas to Pacific & Final Reflections
This EPIC rite of passage draws to a fantastic finish with this memorable trip. Great thanks for your hard work given and to come. It is an honor to work with you. After the completion of the trip I do encourage a fun product assessment of their learning. My two favorite are:
1) The Water Challenge - I talk through this at the end of the trip but it is valuable for the kids to take the challenge of dividing water between cities, farmers, and wildlife. Sharing their solutions to California's water limitations provides a hopeful path forward.
2) Water Drop Story - Now that the kids have travelled from the Plumas Peaks and Summits to the Pacific Ocean they can write a very imaginative, and accurate Water Drop Story. This tory would narrate the many places a Feather River water drop might travel from the mountain headwaters to the ocean breakwaters.
Lastly, I am a firm believer in the value of gratitude felt and expressed. If you can, please spend some time having the kids write thank you cards for the many people and partners that made the year possible. Thanks.
Outdoor Core Mountain Kid
Email: rwade@pcoe.k12.ca.us
Website: https://www.pcoe.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/OutdoorCore
Location: Upper Feather River Region
Phone: 530 283-6500 5257