A natural affection for science
COEUR d'ALENE - With a pencil in his hand and a clipboard on his lap, 9-year-old Miles Taylor gazed at Lake Coeur d'Alene Thursday afternoon.
He jotted down observations about his surroundings as he sat on the beach at Corbin Point on Tubbs Hill.
"I think natural science is interesting because it shows what humans can do to the world," he said.
Miles and dozens of other Ramsey Magnet School of Science fourth-graders were field researchers for the day as they studied natural science and human impact on the environment during a field trip to Tubbs and McEuen Park.
Four classes of students split into two groups to hike Tubbs using global positioning system (GPS) devices for observation locations and to conduct hands-on research at educational stations in the park. Students examined water insects, learned about pollution and participated in science-oriented activities at the stations, which were presented by University of Idaho, the Department of Environmental Quality and Idaho Fish and Game. The students punched in GPS coordinates on the hike to know where to stop, look around and record in their science journals what they perceived about parts of the environment, such as wildlife evidence, geological finds, vegetation and traces of human impact.
"I learned back at the fish station that bass like to swim in fast-moving water and that they're kind of torpedo-shaped. I thought that was kind of cool," Miles said. "We also got to scoop bugs out of a tub and put them under magnifying glasses so we could look at them, and that was a lot of fun."
Ramsey fourth-grade teacher Troy Wassink of Coeur d'Alene designed the first GPS hike for students last year. He said the field trip exposes them firsthand to different sciences and allows them to see science as something other than just laboratory chemistry or biology.
"It gives them a good, round basis for what are observations and getting in the world around them," he said. "Not just in a textbook, but getting out and actually observing the environment and taking observations as if they were scientists and not just reading about other scientists."
Stephanie Saw, 9, said she really enjoyed the different stations.
"I want to see more of it," she said, referring to field trips that examine nature.
Maddy Edwards, 9, realized a bit about the interconnectedness of the world through the field trip.
"I learned that pollution, even if it's oil or something away from the lake, can still get in the lake," she said. "If it gets too much pollution then fish won't be able to see and they could die and it won't be good because people might go fishing and maybe that's how they eat."
"You should never leave trash on the ground because it will make our environment really dirty," said Emily Collins, 9.
"I learned some things about nature that I didn't know, that we're probably too noisy to see any animals," said Griffen Ducote, 9.
As the students trekked along the main trail, a passerby commented on their good manners. Tiffany Funchess of Coeur d'Alene was walking her white Lab, Bo, and said the Ramsey students were pleasant.
"I have to say these kids are so well-behaved," she said. "They ask if they can pet my dog, they thank me when they're done. I'm very impressed with everybody's manners."
Bill Deruyter of Hayden went on the excursion as a parent volunteer. His daughter, Ashlyn, 9, was an enthusiastic field scientist.
"I think a trip like this is good for the kids because it shows them what natural treasures we have in the area," he said. "It's free for them to use but they also have to take care of it."
Ramsey fourth-grade teacher Lucy Clifford said science is all around us.
"Being able to bring what we already have in our backyard into a learning environment makes learning and education meaningful for kids," she said. "This is what we have out our back door."