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Experience the forest at its colorful
best. Unravel the reasons for the changes in the woodland colors, begin a
leaf collection for the classroom, and learn how plants and animals have
adapted various strategies to survive winter. The maximum number of classes
scheduled for a Fall Foliage Walk
is four. |
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Students will be oriented about the animals
and plants of the woodland before beginning the walk. Each group of
students will then proceed on a guided hike through the woodlands on a loop
trail in order to experience the forest’s plants and animals and how these
creatures prepare to survive the winter months. When multiple groups are
scheduled, each group of students will cover the same walk, but in a
different sequence. During the walk, students will stop at stations and
form a semi-circle around the instructor in order to help them focus on a
specific subject matter. Along the walk students will use their various
senses to learn about plants and animals of the forest. Students will
discover how the squirrels prepare for winter by gathering nuts. Students
will stop in order to learn about the muskrat, which builds its home in the
bank of the pond, and the mice and chipmunks, which also build their homes
in the ground and store food. Another stop will explore the habits and
homes of bats and how bats depend on hibernation and migration to survive
winter. Throughout the walk students will learn to identify the leaves of
different trees found at the preserve and learn how the fall colors are
produced. Students will have the opportunity to collect various colored
leaves and place them in a bag, which will be labeled by tree species and
given to the teacher to take back to the classroom. Students will be
introduced to how the pigments in leaves can be used as nature’s own
“crayons” to color a picture. Students will learn about the strategies
animals inhabiting the forest and pond use to survive winter, including
foraging, storage, hibernation, dormancy, and migration. The important role
of the pond as a safe place for many animals to survive the winter will be
explored. As students travel on their walk, they will observe first hand
how plants survive above ground, through dormancy and seed, and
underground. Students will learn how the forest “recycles” the fallen
leaves, which enriches the soil. Students will take a core sample of the
soil using a soil sampler. The “O”, “A”, and “B” horizons will be examined
and the soil will be felt to sense texture, moisture, and temperature. The
one and one-half hour walk will conclude at the starting point where
students may eat their lunches, visit the gift shop, or board the bus for
the return trip to school. |
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