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Winter 2009
Middle School Programs
Winter Middle School Days
The mission of middle school days is to provide an opportunity for
students in grades 6 through 8 to experience a variety of hands-on
activities that will enhance their own sense of place in the natural
world. In addition, they will be exposed to several skills common to South
Dakota outdoors, such as ice fishing, snowshoeing and cross country
skiing.
How many students can come
each day?
The Outdoor Campus
can accommodate up to 70 students each day. Larger schools may need to
come two separate days. Smaller schools can combine grade levels to bring
the maximum number or may be able to join another smaller school for the
day.
When are Middle School Days?
This winter, Middle
School Days will be held on the following Thursdays: January 15th and
22nd; February 5th and 19th; March 5th and 19th.
How long will we be at The
Outdoor Campus?
Students will be at
The Outdoor Campus from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. During that time, they will
rotate through 4-5 stations. Also included is a 30 minute lunch break. An
additional station can be added and the day lengthened if you choose to
visit the Sertoma Butterfly House. (see Butterfly House Experience)
What are my responsibilities?
In addition to
preparing your students for this experience, you must provide 10
chaperones. Each student, chaperone and teacher must also bring a sack
lunch.
How many times can I come to
Middle School Days?
Due to the
popularity of this day, schools are allowed to participate once a school
year. We do offer these days every season (Fall, Winter and Spring).
Winter Program Options
The following
options will be available for participating schools. Once selected, you
will meet with the program coordinator and decide which sessions you would
like offered. In the event of inclement weather, alternative sessions
will be planned at the discretion of The Outdoor Campus staff.
Ice Fishing (alternative
fly-tying)
This session will
cover the basics of ice fishing, equipment needed, techniques of fishing
and students will practice ice fishing on the pond.
Owl Pellets
Enter the world of
the owl—a nocturnal raptor. Learn about food chains and dissect an owl
pellet to determine what was eaten.
Skins and Skulls
Enter the animal
kingdom and investigate who eats what through the use of skulls. Identify
adaptations that aid in survival in the animal world.
Wildlife ID
This session will
focus on identifying South Dakota wildlife and what they do in the winter.
Students will also try to identify tracks made by common
South Dakota
animals.
Snowshoeing (alternative:
ecology hike)
This session covers
a brief history of snowshoeing, basic techniques and a hike around the
Campus in snowshoes.
Cross Country Skiing
(alternative: owl pellets or track and traces)
Basic techniques,
choosing the correct skis, and practice on the skis will be the focus of
this session.
Mystery Tree Challenge
Join in the fun of
investigating plant classification. Discover how scientists classify
trees. Be a tree detective, sorting through the clues to identify your
tree “sample.”
Going WILD at TOC!
Investigate South
Dakota’s natural resources and the conservation of them through activities
taken from Project WILD.
Sertoma Butterfly House
Experience
If you would like
to take time in your day to visit the Sertoma Butterfly House, this can
become one of the stations or we can extend the day to include it. There
is a reduced entrance fee of $1.50/student for the flight room experience
only. It is a wonderful look at butterflies and moths from around the
world as they flutter past and possibly even land on you.
Application
Procedure for Winter Middle School Days
We will be offering middle
school days six Thursdays this session. They are January 15th and 22nd,
February 5th and 19th and March 5th and 19th.
1. Fill out the application
form completely. You can drop it off at The Outdoor Campus in person; mail
it to 4500 S. Oxbow Ave., Sioux Falls, SD, 57106; fax it to (605)
362-2704; pull up our website at
www.outdoorcampus.org and complete it online; or simply call and we
will take
the information over the
telephone. This must be done by
5:00 p.m. on November 14th to
get in the first drawing.
2. Each grade is allowed to
attend one middle school day per school year from this brochure.
3. Each teacher is allowed to
attend one program per school year from this brochure.
4. On November 17th, Campus
staff will select names randomly and number them in the order drawn.
5. The winter schedule will
then be filled in, beginning with application number 1 and continuing
until all middle school day slots are filled or all applications are
scheduled. Any remaining slots will be filled on a first-come first-serve
basis.
6. Everyone will be contacted
within the next week concerning registration.
A teacher
resource: Critter Crates
The Outdoor Campus lends
crates of animal artifacts and teaching materials to anyone in South
Dakota. Following is a list of the crates we ship throughout the state.
-
2 Mammal Crates Bat Crate
Beaver Crate
-
Coyote Crate Elk Crate
Endangered Species
-
Grasslands/Sod Box 8 GPS
Units Prairie Crate
-
Tree Trunk Crate
We have a few other crates
available, but they must be picked up and cannot be shipped.
-
In-Town Mammal Crate
-
2 Group Snowshoe Crates
-
Wetlands Trunk
-
2 Family Showshoe Crates
Contact Kay Gannon at
(605)-362-2777 or
kay.gannon@state.sd.us
to reserve a crate, to request a crate inventory sheet, or with questions
about our use policy.
On Your Own Visits
School and preschool groups
may visit our museum and grounds on their own. This option is popular
with groups who are not able to schedule a field trip led by our staff.
The following guidelines will make your trip successful:
• You must call and schedule
your group in advance. This prevents conflicts with other groups and
Outdoor Campus programs.
• Plan 15 to 20 minutes for
visits to the museum.
• Groups that use the grounds
must remain in the designated areas and trails.
• A touch table containing
furs, skulls, mystery boxes and other artifacts for younger students is
available near the front of the museum. You may request scavenger hunt
cards for younger children to use in the museum or on our trails. How we
meet state and national science standards: http//www.outdoorcampus.org/classesschopre.htm
Contact Information
4500 South Oxbow Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57106—4114
(605)362-2777
toc@state.sd.us
www.outdoorcampus.org
Hours: M-F 8-5, Sat. 10-4, Sun. 1-4
Closed State Holidays |
