Mesa elementary school visits June 7, 2005

MESA ELEMENTARY CLASSES
FINAL VISIT OF HABITAT CONSERVATION PROGRAM

In 2003 Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges was awarded a $5,000 grant for a pilot education program called the Habitat Conservation Program. The Nature of Learning grant is sponsored by the National Fish and Wildlife foundation in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Wildlife Refuge system and the National Conservation Training Center, the Keystone Center, and National Wildlife Refuge Association. Of 153 applicants, 30 were chosen to receive this grant.

The Habitat Conservation Program was administered by Friends in partnership with Mesa Elementary School and the Mid-Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge complex. Also involved were members of the Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society and the Columbia Basin chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society.

A second year grant of $3,000 was awarded to continue the program in 2004 from the same source. On June 7 and 8, 2005, the Mesa Elementary third, fourth, and fifth graders completed the program with a final visit. Data recorded will be compiled and reported before year end. Following is the photo report of the two day visits.

THIRD GRADERS CAME FROM MESA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ON JUNE 07, 2005, A SUNNY DAY THAT BEGAN WITH A COOL WIND

The class was divided into 4 groups that rotated through four learning experiences
Each of the children got to weave a tule mat to take home
They inspected cross sections of special flowers
They documented growth of the plants they had measured two months ago
They examined insects they captured in the bushes
WOW was that exciting!

Groups rallied on the ADA parking pad

This was the first group to make tule mats

The second group could see the final product

The third group wondered if sewing was fun

The last group was full of energy after lunch

FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS CAME FROM MESA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ON JUNE 08, 2005, A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY WITH COOL PLACES IN THE SHADE

This was the fourth visit to McNary NWR Education Center and they had some catching up to do.
They documented growth of the plants they had measured two months ago
and watered those tagged as their own
They took water samples to record sediments and water quality

They hiked to the ant mound to see the winged ants and gather milkweeds for plant study

Blue Mountain Raptor Rehabilitation brought a kestrel that had its wing repaired
and was ready to be released at McNary where it had been found injured.

Lynn Tompkins described a kestrel and let the children
look closely at a bird that cannot be returned to the wild
because is was taken from the nest and raised by people

The little falcon flew off and circled over our heads several times

We watched it circle and circle and then hover as if spotting home territory

In four separate groups the students rotated
through four learning experiences in which they

-collected and inspected cross sections of blossoms
-learned from a captive red-tailed hawk and great horned owl
-captured and examined insects from the air and bushes
-rescued and identified critters from pond mud and water

See also Nature of Learning at the Mesa Elementary School

Naomi Sherer

Consider novels by Naomi Sherer available on Amazon

Coming Soon: Beyond Namche, The Open Door, Wildly in the Rockies