By Wolf Ridge Naturalist
Redtail Ridge Elementary came from October 30 to November 3rd, 2017, and enjoyed early snow and some second-degree fun in the RVs!
As the liaison for this group, I noticed so much gratitude and smiles from the kids throughout the week. The adults were unphased by the RV’s water freezing, and I saw a level depth in addition to fun in the fifth graders I worked with throughout the week. Sara Aker, the lead teacher, was efficient, kind, and good-humored throughout the week!
Look for more blog posts from Redtail Ridge with the 5th grader’s accounts of their week here at Wolf Ridge!
“My daughter and I along with 130+ Redtail Ridge 5th grade classmates, teachers, and chaperones just returned home from a week at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center in Finland, MN. To say the experience was extraordinary is an understatement. The things I witnessed as a chaperone were beyond amazing. I have spent the last 24 hours reflecting (often teary-eyed). I saw kids do things they never thought possible, lend a hand or a word of encouragement to a peer in need and the learning that took place was truly tangible. A few of the Naturalists commented about the good behavior, manners, ability, and depth of their scientific knowledge. What the kids learned in one week is equivalent to about six months worth of science curriculum and the cool part was the multiple opportunities they were provided to apply their learnings. We dissected owl pellets, made paper, went rock climbing, zip-lined, hiked 7-10 miles a day, banded a chickadee, learned about migration patterns, ecology, geology, ornithology, ecosystems, weather, and climate, took a night hike, and howled at the wolves, we used our senses, studied Ojibwa heritage, served food and cleaned up the dining hall, sorted recycled materials, lived in RV trailers, we laughed, we cried and together we learned.” — Sarah Basile, a parent from Redtail Ridge