Kids study nature, hands-on

Field trips are generally viewed by students as a way to avoid the everyday drudgery of the classroom.

But occasionally they turn into something much more -- such as when Spring Trail Elementary School's entire sixth-grade class visited Camp Algonquin in Algonquin, to learn about the world around us.

About 75 students, three teachers and Principal Richard Schroeder from the Carol Stream school spent a full day last month at the YMCA-run nature camp to learn about various ecosystems in northern Illinois.

"We have been learning about biomes and the environment since the beginning of the year, and this helps us culminate and advance our study," said Bonnie Streid, one of the Spring Trail teachers who, along with Connie Heffron and Sandy Bailey, were part of the trip.

Students were divided into five groups of about 15 students each for activities such as orienteering, a water ecosystem study of the Fox River and Woodland Creek, group dynamics, forest ecology, and a habitat hike through the woods.

In orienteering, students learned how to use a compass and read a map, then were told to find a specific plaque on a tree.

"I think the best thing about this day is seeing how engaged the students are in doing these activities," Streid said. "It makes it so much more real for them.

Student Mehak Qureshi, 12, agreed.

"You get to see all the spiders' webs and you get to touch the fungus," she said.

Water levels dictated whether students took samples from Woodland Creek or the Fox River. Then they looked for organisms in the water when they returned to the camp buildings.

"Depending on the season, they find organisms such as leeches, scuds, plenaria and other invertebrates," said Tabitha Endres-Cruz, director. "They find a lot of organisms in the larval stage of life."

For the ecology session, program facilitator Dave Spindler took his charges through a set of games. One included each student holding onto a red string constructed to look like a web, so that interactions among plants, animals, etc., could be understood. Spindler talked to them about fungus, bacteria and invertebrates, the three factors that break down other organisms on the forest floor.

"One thing you got to know is that out in nature, everything is there for a reason," Spindler said.

"Leave things where you find them."

During a walk after the lesson, students were keenly aware of the small animals that inhabited the area.

"I liked how we got to see so many animals' homes, like chipmunks and honeybees," said Carolina Chavez, 11.

Mark Hernandez, 11, talked excitedly about seeing a woodpecker, while Dillon Patel, 11, said he thought finding a snake's home was interesting, but was glad he didn't see the actual reptile.

During their hike, Spindler and his charges examined a fallen log, noting how the bacteria and fungi had softened it.

"It could be a chipmunk's home," he added.

But probably the best thing for the Spring Trail students was the opportunity to see something new.

"I like to go on the hike here because we get to see things here that we don't get to see at home," said Harmain Kalota, 11.