A Hike in the Watershed
By: Julia Hanauer-Milne, RSU 18 Gifted and Talented Program Instructor
Elementary gifted and talented students from Belgrade, Oakland, and Sidney took a hike on May 25 so they could see parts of our watershed first-hand. The group, which has been studying watersheds, hiked Mount Phillip so they could see the big picture – the view takes in Great Pond and is a high point where rain enters our watershed. We sketched creatures, plants, and the landscape while reflecting on two questions: how are we part of the watershed, and what is the role of what I’m sketching? Students are also studying creatures and plants that live in the watershed, so they looked for information related to their topic.
The group returned to Williams for more watershed study: an exploration of the pond and outlet stream behind the middle school where we found crayfish, frogs, and macroinvertebrates. Students spent time reflecting on how this part of the watershed was the same and different from Mount Phillip. Then we played games that taught about vernal pools and bird migration – all important features of our watershed.
Students will use the information they collected on the field trip to help with their final watershed projects – presentations about their creature and its role in the watershed. #WeAreRSU18
