Dirticulum: Classes

Dirticulum: Classes

Ahh…the Dirty Classroom. No sweeping or dusting necessary. Here you’ll find our own effort at helping outdoor educators become better teachers. From the inspiration of our Staff Blog Posts and the structure of our Lesson Plans to the pure visual fun of our Videos and the detailed descriptions in our Nature Guide, we’re doing our part at making the Dirty Classroom good, clean fun.

Adventure Classes

Adventure Course

The Adventure Course is a set of classic teamwork initiatives. Talk to each other, utilize everyone’s strengths, and work like a team. A low ropes course…physically safe, but it still pushes all the right buttons.

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Archery

The invention of the bow and arrow played an invaluable role in the progression and growth of the human race. Students will not only learn the importance of archery, but they will also learn basic safety and shooting techniques and get to practice firsthand on our range.

archerylessonplan

Climbing

Fear. Limits. Safety. Challenge. Rewards. Relief. Memories. A million words can describe our Climbing Wall, which puts students 30 feet up into the air, powered solely by your own effort and determination. The experience is entirely safe and supportive. Afterwards students will discuss the difference between actual and perceived risk, and how it felt before, during, and after their experience.

climbinglessonplan

Native Culture

Students learn which local plants to steep in a glass of tea, and which leaves make a natural toothbrush. As students discover how Serranos utilized the local forest for survival, they will hear Serrano legends around a campfire they helped to build with a bow drill fire set!

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Orienteering

Being in the wilderness means not only knowing about the animals and plants, but knowing how to find your way around as well. Map and compass skills will be learned as students challenge themselves to complete a designated orienteering course.

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Environmental Classes

Earth Works

Mountains, valleys, volcanoes, and beaches. Students become budding geologists as they study weathering, minerals, the wonders of rocks and the very dirt beneath our feet.

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Environmental Awareness

Background Information / Lesson Plan

Tree huggers! Earth muffins! Each and every one of us plays an important role in the long-term health and survival of our race and planet. This class will give students a clear understanding of our environment, the challenges we face, and what we can do about it. Conservation is cool…

Objectives:

Students will be able to:
Identify a diversity of renewable and nonrenewable resources.
Identify the natural origins of common objects
Determine energy sources.
Summarize the interrelationship between natural resources and our communities.
Give examples of environmentally responsible choices related to conservation and natural resource utilization

Feathered Friends

Background Information / Lesson Plan

If only we could all jump into the air and soar off like our birds, our feathered friends. In this class students will open their eyes in wonder as they explore the natural world of birds. They will investigate first hand the homes and habitats of small birds, hawks, eagles, and owls native to the San Bernardino Mountains.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

List biotic and abiotic factors that birds need in order to survive.
Identify a diversity of local birds and their adaptations.
Describe the interdependence birds have within an ecosystem.
Summarize the interrelationship between birds and our communities.
Give examples of environmentally responsible choices related to birds.

Furry Friends

Background Information / Lesson Plan

One of the most unique characteristics of mammals is fur. Students will explore a diversity of mammals through exploration and active, experiential games. They will learn about the food chain and food web, how to spot the home of an animal, and the relationship mammals have with the rest of the forest community.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

List biotic and abiotic factors that mammals need in order to survive.
Identify a diversity of local mammals and their adaptations.
Describe the interdependence mammals have within an ecosystem.
Summarize the interrelationship between mammals and our communities.
Give examples of environmentally responsible choices related to mammals.

Little World

Background Information / Lesson Plan

When was the last time you actually sought out those little creatures all around us? We generally spend much of our time trying to scoot these creepy crawly things away. But insects, arachnids, and decomposers like fungi and bacteria serve a valuable purpose in the world. This class will allow students the opportunity to learn about the little world of insects and other decomposers. They will search everywhere to see firsthand what these little creatures look like and what they actually do with all of their time.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Define the niche of decomposers within an ecosystem.
List four types of decomposers.
Describe adaptations of common decomposers.
Give examples of environmentally responsible choices related to decomposers.

Outdoor Survival Hike

Background Information / Lesson Plan

You’re on a beautiful hike and the unexpected happens. Are you prepared? Though we can never predict what will happen when we venture off into the wilderness on a hike, we can learn skills that will help us cope if anything ever does happen. The focus of this class is on wilderness survival, but the skills are universal and can be tied to surviving a natural disaster such as an earthquake. Class begins with a comprehensive look at minimum impact hiking, how to hike, and what to carry while hiking.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

List ways to prepare for a hike and avoid survival situations.
Give examples of environmentally responsible choices related to hiking.
Identify a survival situation that could happen while hiking in the wilderness, at home, or both.
Develop and demonstrate methods for sustaining basic human needs.

Plant Detectives

Background Information / Lesson Plan

Students will explore the fascinating world of plants and trees while learning about photosynthesis in a whole new way. The forest offers many opportunities to learn about the diversity and significance of plants and trees. Students will understand how important producers are to the earth and that through various connections; we are all dependent on plants to live.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

List biotic and abiotic factors producers need in order to survive.
Identify a diversity of local producers and their adaptations.
Describe the interdependence producers have within their ecosystem.
Summarize the interrelationship between producers and our communities.
Give examples of environmentally friendly choices related to producers.

Summits

Background Information / Lesson Plan

A stay at camp would not be complete without a visit from the Lorax. This “wrap-up” class encourages responsible choices students can incorporate into their own lives. It’s also an opportunity for campers to review the good times, new friends, and memories they have from High Trails!

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Evaluate their week and make connections between High Trails and home.
Debrief the week with their group.
Take a final look at how their choices can affect the planet.

Team Discovery Hike

Background Information / Lesson Plan

Designed to acclimate students to their new environment. Through carefully planned activities, students will discover each other, their environment, and the importance of working as a team throughout the week. An excellent way to begin the camp experience, the Team Discovery Hike sets the foundation for a week of community, trust, nature, and exploration.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Establish a curiosity for discovery of self, group, environment, and surroundings.
Discover their new surroundings by locating camp on a California map and learning about local history.
Discover their new outdoor environment through planned sensory and natural history activities.
Discover their new field group through Name Games, Ice-Breakers, and Team Initiatives.

Water Wonders

Background Information / Lesson Plan

Water is the major ingredient of not only our bodies, but the earth as well. Every living thing in the world depends on it to survive. Discovering what lives in it as well as on it and around it, students will develop a practical understanding of water’s importance to a healthy and well-balanced world.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Explain the water cycle and its components.
Identify origins of water for Southern California.
Describe different types of pollution affecting the water supply.
Give examples of environmentally responsible choices related water.

Evening Classes

Astronomy

Background Information / Lesson Plan

Always fascinating, always perplexing, and truly overwhelming, the night sky offers endless discoveries to those wanting to learn and explore. Students will discover the evening sky by gazing through our telescope and learn more about the systems that organize our solar system and beyond!

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Identify a diversity of stars, planets, constellations, and asterisms.
Describe the relationship between our planet and the solar system.

Line Dancing

Background Information / Lesson Plan

After a busy day in the field learning science classes, students get the chance to cut loose and dance! Whether you’ve brought your cowboy hat or not, the music will start you moving and the rhythm will carry you away.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Learn three simple and easy dances in a safe environment.
View adults (their instructors and teachers) taking a risk and being silly.

Nocturnal Nation

Background Information / Lesson Plan

While we turn on lights and go to sleep, animals use special powers to keep on keeping on all through the dark hours. Students will learn about the adaptations of these nighttime creatures and compare them to the senses we possess as humans. To finish off the presentation, students explore the nighttime environment hands on. Utilizing the knowledge learned during the indoor class, they will explore the nocturnal world in search of owls and other nighttime creatures. This is a chance for your students to understand, appreciate, and feel comfortable in an environment that we traditionally shy away from.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Identify local nocturnal animals and their adaptations.
Describe the relationships nocturnal animals have with the ecosystem.
Give examples of environmentally responsible choices related to nocturnal animals.

Snakes

Background Information / Lesson Plan

It’s hard to imagine living with no hands and no legs until you really get to know the snake and the wonderful adaptations they have developed. Students will get the chance to learn about, and handle in person, several different friendly and live snake specimens.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Describe snake adaptations.
Summarize the interdependence between snakes and other organisms in the ecosystem.
List the major parts of snakes.
Demonstrate the proper techniques for touching snakes.

Tribes

Background Information / Lesson Plan

Tribes is a time where group bonding and sharing is paramount. It is a safe environment for students to open up to a group and learn about each other. Tribes is facilitated in a way that ensures that everyone is within their comfort zone and able to participate in anyway that suits them. Four guidelines for Tribes include (1) right to pass, (2) appropriate conversation topics, (3) no gossiping, (4) what happens in Tribes stays in Tribes!

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Be more accepting of their peers.
Identify commonalities of people in their group.
Form new positive social relationships.

Nature Guide

Largely put together by staff member Laura Cerrato, here’s an old fashioned, printable field guide full of all the animals, plants, rocks and things you might find in our neck of the woods.

Why Plants Are Important - Caroline Burdick

Did you know that this state is so large, so diverse, and geographically varied that over 5,800 plant species can call California home? This is about the same as all other states combined! We also have over 2,100 endemic...

Steller’s Jays: The birds you hate to love - Shannon Pappas When I say that I don’t always like Steller’s Jays, my students are always shocked. I, of course, understand where they are coming from. I remember when I first came to these mountains and was immediately... Where Does Our Water Come From - Kate Samp One question I always ask my students during our Water Wonders class is; “Where does our water come from?” Some students initially respond with; “The faucet!” or, “A lake!” but when I probe them... Life 101: 5 Lessons I’ve Learned Since Coming to High Trails - Emily Trostel There are shared qualities that drive us to be High Trails’ instructors. Mostly, we all share a love of the outdoors. We tend to discover early on that working in an office, teaching in a... Failure is the Best Outcome - Colleen McDonald I watch patiently as my student grabs hold of the rope, draws a breath, and leaps. He swings out across the gap of “molten lava” (the dirt and pine needles of the forest floor an... Stepping Outside of the Circle: Growing Comfort Zones - Jordan Rowell The mission statement for High Trails that is prominently displayed on all of the shirts we wear around is “Learning how we can all fit together on one healthy planet”. I believe that for all... Get Dirty - Emily Trostel In my ninth week as a new instructor, I’ve learned quite a bit from my students. For one, not to underestimate their ability to adapt. I’m somewhat ashamed to say that I was surprised when students... Coyotes - Dan Smith It’s about 8 o’clock on Monday evening—the first night of program—and my cabin group and I are sitting outside for Nocturnal Nations class. The forest is thick and dark around us, only thinning out above... I SEE What You Mean: A Close Look at Light and Vision - Robert Donisch Here at High Trails, one of the most discussed adaptations organisms have is that of sight. And we know what sight is: the ability for our eyes to detect light. But...how do we actually see? Why... The 11th Essential - Kate Leaf When walking into an outdoor store like REI, I am often overwhelmed by the sheer amount of outdoor gear, equipment and clothing available to keep us safe and healthy in the outdoors. But what do... Camouflage! - Hope Batcheller “Camouflage!” I yell, and start counting to twenty. I hear the rustling of students scattering in every direction, rushing to find good hiding places behind thick-trunked trees or downed logs. It is the middle of our... The Rise of the Pine Beetle - Benjamin Feinson Every week, one or more of my students will discover intricate mazes and pathways chewed through dead pine branches on the forest floor. I use this discovery to teach my students how just one seemingly... Beauty after the Burn: Ecological Succession - Mari Schramm “Are fires good or bad for the forest?” I ask my students. They respond with a variety of thumbs up and down. “Why are they bad?” I ask one of the more adamant students. “They kill animals!” He... Simple Beauty- Bryan Salyer ...when I look up it’s not my father’s quirky smile or his customary cut-off jeans and white socks to his knees, instead it is a... I sit on the rocky river bank watching the orange glow... Food Is Love - Robin Miller One of the first things you will notice walking into our dining hall is the “Food is Love” board. On this wood carved board are three sections detailing what we are eating, what we waste,... Outdoor Education & Line Dancing - Jade Koenigs When I say the words “Line Dancing”, the faces of my students scrunch up into a mixture of emotions. Some voice excitement, some voice disgust, but most faces bare the unmistakable feeling of apprehension, scared for... Maybe "Normal" IS Diversity - Chris Emme A hot day in a small, rural village. Three riders approach bearing news that a gang of thieves and marauders are quickly approaching. These riders, these… three amigos have pledged to help the townsfolk defend... Super Hero Squirrels - Alex Kaklamanos Tom Brown Jr., a famous tracker and naturalist, said, “We learned to be patient observers like the owl. We learned cleverness from the crow, and courage from the jay, who will attack an owl ten times... Over the Moon...Cycle - Suzanne Bosman “The common theme of calendar making is the desire to organize units of time to satisfy the needs and preoccupations of society. In addition to serving practical purposes, the process of organization provides a sense,... Taking Control of the Weather - Lisa Wise The 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing, China took place during the region's rainy season – yet during the opening ceremony there was not a cloud in the sky and the multi-week event was nearly free...

Popular Parent Links

Special Concerns: Information and form for special situations. Health Consent Form: required for every student attending High Trails. Medication Form: required if a student is bringing medication to High Trails. Discipline Form and Packing List: general information to prepare for your trip. Forms Video: check this out for a visual explanation of our forms. Printable Parent's Guide: used in lieu of the online Parent's Guide. Menu: a weekly list of the food up here.

Trail Games #1- Kyle O'Dea So what do you do while hiking with a large group of students through the forest? Play games of course! Here at High Trails Outdoor Science School we have an arsenal of games we... Guided Questioning: Turning Wah into Wow - Mark Kerstens Ever have a cool fact, idea, or concept that comes up as you hike that you want to share with the students? These teachable moments happen all the time, and are a great way to... Props: Can’t live with them, can’t live without them… Shane Hyre If you talk to anyone in the outdoor education business – talk about props. Talk about the rubber chickens, the stuffed animals, the rope, the spots, the foam thingies… props have been the underestimated “magic... Don’t Rain on My Parade! Shannon Diaz Have you ever had to teach students while outside in the rain or snow ? Here at High Trails, we hike and teach our students in three different seasons with all sorts of weather. Whether we... Morphology Makes You a Science Wizard - Jenna Ikwe Mennen “Who knows one characteristic of a mammal?” says every High Trails instructor, once a week. “Warm-blooded!” answers an eager student, remembering to raise their hand only after already blurting out the words. Now, how do we... Ode to Button-Pushers - Alex Rice Do you know the student who throws a stick when their instructor isn’t looking? The one who goes past the boundary their teacher very explicitly creates or breaks the rule that was thoroughly reviewed three... Toothpaste: Show Don't Tell - Kelsey Wentling Once inside the cabin, everyone shivers off their jackets and eagerly starts buzzing around the warm haven: home for the next three or four nights. Soon after, buzzing turns to chatting and not far off chatting... Why We Lorax - Penelope Burgess “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” –Dr. Seuss What is The Lorax? Every Friday morning at High Trails Outdoor Science School, groups of 40-120 5th or... Frontloading and Debriefing - Shannon Diaz “On your mark, get set, go!” “Huh? I don’t even know what we’re playing!” Have you ever tried playing a game or doing an activity that wasn’t explained completely or didn't make sense to you? This can... American Sign Language in Science - Sarah Beery How do you teach science to a deaf student if sign language doesn't have a way to sign the word? Science is its own language with all the varying terms ranging from photosynthesis to camouflage to... Growth Mindset - Alicia Imbrogna Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard. -Tim Notke How many times in your life have you encountered a situation that was frustrating or annoying and often appeared too difficult to overcome? Have... Flip Distractions into Discussions: Verbal Jiu-Jitsu- Alex Eisenreich You are a Teacher. So you probably know that Random Tangent Student. The one that takes extra prompting to engage in class; the one that needs redirection to stay on task; the one who doesn’t volunteer... “Whatever GRABBSS their attention...” - Shane Hyre Team Discovery Hike: it's the first activity you do with your field group on their first day at High Trails. It's time for the group to discover who you are, where they are, and what... Analogies are to Teachers as Utility Belt is to Batman - Hollyann Duskin A streak of light burns bright and brief across the night sky. A collective gasp comes from the group of students huddled in the darkness as they exclaim, “a shooting star!” As we discuss that shooting... Scientific Method in Everything - Leslie Urban In sixth grade I remember losing a spelling bee because I did not know how to spell ‘hypothesis’. Our science teacher, Ms. Miers, had spent the entire fall semester pounding the Scientific Method into our heads... Your Name? I Don't Have A Clue - Haley Cushing Instructor: “Ok, who can tell me an example of a renewable resource?” Unnamed Student Raises Hand. Your mind goes blank. You look down at your attendance sheet. Back at the student. Back at the attendance sheet.... Improv-ing Education - Cass Language Friday afternoon— busses are delayed due to snow, and you find yourself with 15 students for an hour longer than you expected. Or maybe your boss tells you to lead a 10 minute activity for... Teaching with Music - Jordan Rowell "Alright class, it’s time to earn our beads for our Furry Friends class. Let’s review what you can remember about adaptations of mammals. John, tell me at least one characteristic of a mammal?" Uhhh…. Uhhh oh is... 3,2,1, Bonus Point! Caroline Blake “Single file line in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,” This is what I shout to my students within the first 5 minutes of their arrival. The kids scurry to get into the best line that they... Building Communities - Jess Fangman “This needs to come from your heart,” I said in a soft tone. I watched anxiously as 12 different sets of eyes peered back at me in puzzlement. I had asked my cabin group of sixth... A Unique Class is a Memorable Class - Paul Adams A few weeks ago, I was attending a music festival in Santa Barbara. As I was walking around the camp ground, I met a man named Brian who invited me into his camp. We had... My Former Self - Shannon Diaz Have you ever thought back to when you were in fifth grade? What was the world like for you then? I remember when I was in fifth grade, and getting ready to go to Camp... Why Visit A Classroom? Tamara Perreault Working at High Trails, I quickly became a proponent of teaching outside. There are a lot of clear benefits. In California, class size is almost always 20 or more, but our groups are rarely more... Home - Tamara Perreault What makes a place a home? This can be a tough question. Think about it for a moment. When you say, “I feel like I’m at home” what makes you feel that way? 2,000 years ago... Science Fiction Is a Teaching Tool - Jake Sheaffer As instructors at High Trails we are constantly trying to relate the material that we teach back to the student’s daily lives. Sometimes this is difficult, because not all students understand why topics like...

Food Waste & The Clean Plate Club - Sam Farrell Food waste is one of the most important things students learn about here at High Trails, but it is also easy to overlook. While most people don’t consider it to be a big deal, as... Where Have All The Monarchs Gone? - Melissa Mercier Monarch butterflies are amazing insects; they can change from caterpillar to beautiful winged creatures! What you may not know is they perform a second and equally amazing feat... Monarch butterflies perform a four generation long trek... Steller’s Jays: The birds you hate to love - Shannon Pappas When I say that I don’t always like Steller’s Jays, my students are always shocked. I, of course, understand where they are coming from. I remember when I first came to these mountains and was immediately... How Plants Can Be Medicine - Canot Walker High Trails is located at 7000 feet in the San Bernardino Mountain Range, and one of the first topics we learn about in Team Discovery Hike is who lived here before us. The Yuhaviatam arrived... Mars InSight Lander - Karen Solange Fraser Mars’ latest lander, InSight, launched in May 2018 and landed in November 2018. At approximately 5 feet long and 20 feet wide, it features two solar panels, two cameras, and three scientific instruments with a... Snake Reproduction - Mallory Schmackpfeffer When we talk about snakes, the assumption that we make is that all snakes reproduce by laying eggs, but that’s only part of the story! The truth is that only 70% of snakes lay eggs... Seed Dispersal of the Black Oak - Davíd Valencia Did you know that one of the largest populations of all Black Oak trees in southern California is in the San Bernardino National Forest? [1. Tyler, Claudia M., et al. “Demography and Recruitment Limitations of... Contour vs Downy Feathers – Frazer Winsted It is the middle of Feathered Friends class. After discussing that there are multiple feathers on a bird consisting of contour and downy feathers, one of my students says: “Mr. Frazer, what is the difference... Non-flowering Plant Reproduction: Conifers – Ryne Tobar Of the classes I get to teach at High Trails, my favorite is Plant Detectives. Plants are incredible organisms. While they might be immobile, plants are able to propagate, or reproduce, far beyond their immediate vicinity. When... Plastic is the New Black – Lillian Johnson Do you know what you're wearing? When discussing the natural origin of materials with students, discovering that plastics are typically made from crude oil – the same fossil fuel used to power our cars –... Benefits of Rock Climbing - Peter Le People ask me if climbing is a good way to stay in shape; I tell them I stay in shape to be good at climbing! Why do people climb? That is the question all instructors ask... Purpose of Pupils - Allison Hanson Over the summer, I went hiking with some students at summer camp. On the trail, we ran into a woman taking her goats out for a walk. Yes, GOATS. Goats are great. I was then... Over the Moon...Cycle - Suzanne Bosman “The common theme of calendar making is the desire to organize units of time to satisfy the needs and preoccupations of society. In addition to serving practical purposes, the process of organization provides a sense,... Outdoor Education & Line Dancing - Jade Koenigs When I say the words “Line Dancing”, the faces of my students scrunch up into a mixture of emotions. Some voice excitement, some voice disgust, but most faces bare the unmistakable feeling of apprehension, scared for... Can A Formula Predict Floods? - Anne Sweney “From where we stand the rain seems random. If we could stand somewhere else, we would see the order in it.” –Tony Hillerman For people living in climates that are dry and arid, understanding the water... We Don’t Need No GPS! Brad Brainard The day is September 11th, 2014. I am standing face to face with a weathered and worn wooden sign on the top of a mountain in the middle of Maine. The sign reads, in big,... Diggin Deep into the world of the Thatch-Mound Ant - Kyle W. Gray What is that mound thing? When sauntering about in the San Bernardino National Forest you may notice large mounds or domes made of grass, leaves, pine needles, and numerous other plant materials. What exactly are these... Replenishing the Water Cycle - Kevin Williams Did you know the scientific term for the water cycle is the hydrologic cycle? I was on a hike the other day and thought about the apple activity I do during our Water Wonders class to... Bird Sounds of Spring - Danny Walden Spring is here, and it's an exciting time! Our bird friends in the San Bernardino mountains begin to sing, and these year-round populations are complemented by a whole new host of migrants. To many people,... The Spirits of the Water: Loons - AleXANdra Barteldt There is a loonie legend about a small lake in rural Maine named Flying Pond. As the story goes, the Native Americans of the region returned to the northern lakes every season for fishing and... Archery in North America - Hannah Livezey As staff members at High Trails, we are offered opportunities to visit other outdoor schools and exchange ideas with others in the outdoor field with hopes to deliver the best possible curriculum to the students... Speak Like A Yuhaviaatam - Ikwe Mennen You're staying in the Condor cabin? I think you mean Qwat cabin! Yuhaviaatam means “people of the pines” in their own language. They are the native peoples who lived on top of our mountain, in the... Welcome to Subirdia: Book Review - Mark Kerstens Ever wonder how our ever growing suburbanization and development affects wildlife populations? Have you heard that urban development is exclusively bad for bird populations? I thought so, too, until I read Welcome to Subirdia by... Rock Climber or Amateur Geologist? - Michael Perez Is igneous bliss or are all the little sediments of rock knowledge metamorphosing climbers into rock experts? Ha! As rock climbers, we experience many different types of rocks when we go to climb at various crags... Bald Eagles and Their Comeback! Brandon Bortzer In 1963, scientists estimated a total of just 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles survived in the lower 48 states. The emblem of the United States since 1782 and the only eagle endemic to North America,...