Project WET for America....And For Me!

This weekend I attended a Project WET workshop. I really enjoy the free curriculum and materials associated with these workshops as they are something I can take with me throughout my future career with the possibility of implementing their activities into educational programming. The workshop was held at the Boise Watershed's education center, which is a super neat facility! They have some really awesome displays in the front of the building and the interactive exhibits throughout the building are awesome. I will have to go back another time and play with everything! Susan said that I would be able to go and shadow a program there sometime, which would be neat as well- especially if it involved touring the water restoration plant!
 I definitely enjoyed the Project WILD workshop more, so the only thing left to do is take the Project Learning Tree workshop and see how it stacks up to the others!

How Neat Is That?!

Watershed Education for America!

Last week I taught 18 classes of 7th graders about watersheds.....needless to say I'm over it at this point! Teaching the exact same 45ish minute lesson 18 times in a row is exhausting to say the least.
But, it went pretty well overall, and they seemed to understand the concept of watersheds after I was done, which is the goal.
In order to help them to understand what a watershed is and how it relates to water quality, I lead an activity that I have been leading for years now called "crumple a watershed". It's exactly what it sounds like in that you have students crumple up a piece of paper (that is always their favorite part) and then you go through different features and have them add it onto their watershed using washable markers. I start by having them highlight the high points and add some waterways. Then they use the locations of those features to develop different community pieces like roads, farms/golf courses, and factories. When they are done, I get to simulate a rainstorm and spray water all over their watershed to simulate how runoff can carry pollution down the watershed and into the bodies of water.
This activity then lends itself to a discussion about the various types of pollutants that can come from the different sources.
Solid activity overall, but I'm super done teaching that lesson for the time being.

How Neat Is That?!

New Hobbies For Me!

 I recently picked up a new hobby to keep me occupied when I can't go out on an adventure.

I was bored one weekend and decided to go to the craft store and pick up a little kid type craft kit to do and wound up with a pyrography (wood burning) kit instead. It's not easy by any means, but at the same time, it's not incredibly difficult either. Though I haven't gotten to do much with shading....that's sure to be a challenge. I might get the hang of this whole wood burning thing soon enough.

How Neat Is That?!

Snowshoeing For Me!

 I had a most excellent adventure on Sunday! I got to go snowshoeing for the first time ever....and man was it incredible! I have been DYING to try snowshoeing ever since my trip to Alaska last year and when I moved out here to Idaho, I told myself I would try it at least once before the end of my term. I got a pair of snowshoes for Christmas and they've been staring at me from across my bedroom just begging to be used. 

This has been a strange winter from what I've been told as there has been very little snow and it's already nearing the end of January. But, there was finally enough snow up at Bogus Basin this weekend and I lucked out and got off the waitlist for a women's snowshoe outing with REI that I had registered for a few weeks ago!! We drove up to Bogus Sunday morning and got geared up in the Nordic Lodge before heading out onto some of the snowshoe trails! We were lead on an interpretive snowshoe hike for about 4 miles and I learned some things about the Boise National Forest that I didn't know! (I'm still struggling to learn about Idaho flora and fauna). We snowshoed down into a ravine with a little creek, saw some rabbit tracks, climbed a freakin cliff and I didn't even fall once! SCORE!

I absolutely love the way the forest looks in the winter. The snow on the ponderosa pines is beautiful! Idaho is certainly growing on me....it's such a beautiful state and there is so much opportunity for outdoor activities! I can't wait to go snowshoeing again!

How Neat Is That?!

Feeding Hungry Children For America!

Our crew for the second shift! We packed 1,485 backpacks!

The entire volunteer group for the first shift! We packed 1,620 backpacks!

As part of our requirements as AmeriCorps members, we are asked to spend specific days volunteering and giving back to the community in which we are serving. MLK day happens to be one of those national service days, so we (the Boise PCEI AmeriCorps members) got together and spent the day volunteering at The Idaho Food bank in Boise to help with their backpack program. The backpack program provides in-need children (elementary through high school) with "backpacks" full of nutritious food to take home on the weekends so that they do not have to go hungry. Each bag includes enough shelf-stable and nutritious foods for two snacks, two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. I love volunteering, especially when it comes to helping children! Its sad to think that so many children right here in the community often have to go without food, but I'm thrilled to know that the problem was recognized and has been addressed through this incredible program.

In total, we packed 3,105 bags!

How Neat Is That?! 



All of the organizations who volunteered!

Hiking In The Owyhees For Me!

I spent my Saturday on an 8.5ish mile hike in the Owyhees with a local women's hiking group I joined called "Summit Sisters". I still haven't met too many people here, so outside of work, I'm generally alone at the house, the Y or trying to find an adventure somewhere. Generally I enjoy being by myself, but sometimes its hard and it definitely gets old; so, it was nice to have the opportunity to get out and spend the day hiking with a group of awesome women. They were all so friendly and welcoming- it made a solid hike even better. I can't wait to go on more adventures with the group and to start planning adventures for another group I am an ambassador for called "Mtn Chicks"!

How Neat Is That?!

 

 

 

 

Lost In Space For America!

Today, the scale model of the Solar System that I created was set up on our Nature Trail! The model will be set up from now until our Refuge Star Party Event in February so that visitors can come learn about the planets while walking on our trails!

Its always exciting to see one of your projects becoming a reality!

Now onto the next project....or eleven.

How Neat Is That?!