rocks

So, we started working on learning the curriculum we are supposed to start teaching when the kids show up next week.

The focus yesterday was on abiotic things such as watersheds, glaciers, orographic lift, geology and the encompassing topic of ecosystems. So, how did we learn about this?

We got to play in the dirt for about an hour building mountains, then ramming gigantic ice blocks (glaciers) into them and then dumping water on our mountains followed up by taking a sponge and ringing it out over the peaks. Last but not least, we played with play-dough and created rocks. Not only was this incredibly fun, it actually was a learning experience (shocking, i know.)

So, we built our mountains out of rocks, sand and gravel, which is a good illustration of how the mountains around here are built. By taking a glacier to our mountain, we were able to show how glaciers carved the landscape, leaving U-shaped valleys behind in their way. We were also able to carve out cirques and some people got creative and formed hanging valleys. For the watershed project, we were able to pour water onto the peak of our mountain and watch how it drained into different areas, clearly identifying where each watershed is. The lesson also showed how some of the sand was carried away, depicting erosion. To take it one step further, we could have added soap or food coloring and poured again, to show how pollutants can affect the entire water shed instead of the little place you dump whatever it is you're leaving behind. Finally, our mountain received it's last battering when we took a sponge and showed the effects of orographic lift (or rain shadowing), where air is squeezed together as it impacts mountain ranges, forcing it to release the condensation it has accrued in the form of rain or snow, and then how there is no rain left as it passes over the mountain causing a rain shadow. (sorry, long sentence). Finally, we were all handed out different colors of play-dough to represent different layers and forms of rock:
igneous - volcanic/molten rock from the earths core/mantle
sedimentary - layers that are accumulated on-top of each other over time
metamorphic - rocks that are smushed together with heat & pressure.

we got to mash our different rock layers together, which represented the rock type surrounding us "Skagit Gneiss."

I didn't take too many pictures due to the consistent fun that was being had, but here are a few. Today is biotic day and carnivores. school is fantastic!

Dennis creating a u-shaped valley

my mountain deemed - Mount Hunger. It was 11:30 and i was starving

adults getting carried away with rocks & sticks

p.s - starting to feel like fall is really early here up at the ELC. it's been rainy most days and hasn't' gone above 65 yet. Curious to see the snow line when/if the clouds clear later today. Word on the street is that Washington Pass got snow on Saturday during the day, and that's around 6,000 feet. Winters coming early this year!!