Saturday, March 29, 2008

Forces of Nature




Thanks to all of you who prayed for a safe trip at Sky Ranch. We really had a great time and the kids truly enjoyed the experience. We had very few hiccups and only a few minor behavior issues. As far as I'm concerned I can mark this year's fifth grade trip a huge SUCCESS! :)



Now you may be wondering why I marked my post as "forces of nature..." Well myself and three of my fellow teachers were part of an experiment at Sky Ranch that involved a zip line and gravity at work! Needless to say my students took much pleasure in watching me walk up to the top of the four story building and zoom off into a huge wooded area. I pretended it was no big deal- but when I got to the top and was having to trust a flimsy looking cable- I was trying to figure out the best plan if I needed to break my fall!



The point was to see how the students could change our speed by adding elements. For example, at one point they had a back pack with a large block of solid rock on my back (we learned I could go nearly 3 seconds faster!).



What was funny was that the third time I went down, the students had to figure out how to slow me down. They had me tie a tarp to my shoe laces and ride (and I quote...), "Like you are a flying squirrel!" down the zip line. I was excited to win the big prize because we succeeded in going the slowest (it took me a whole minute) to get all the way down to the ground. It was fun- and I may have earned a few brownie points with my kiddos--- One can only hope! :)



Other fun camp memories include making the pet llama, Tina, (hence Napolean Dynamite--- however Tina is a boy!) spit on one of the fifth graders, discovering the differences between boy and girl animals with my students, getting into a shouting match with another school over who is the "crunkety crunkest," and watching many of my students eat smores for the first time!



Ok, one more funny story! One of my "precious ones" asked the horseback riding instructor what he should do when his horse had to go to the bathroom. He replied, "Just keep walking... he'll just go as you're riding." His comment? "Well won't he have to squat down on the ground?" QUITE the learning experience, I say!

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