Thursday the Cedar Village kids were split into two groups of three hiking groups each, and spent the day doing Nature Study and WRAP.
Again, Nature Study was slightly different for each group, but involved hikes to do hands-on science.
Again, Nature Study was slightly different for each group, but involved hikes to do hands-on science.
Wrap, or Wilderness Recreation Appreciation Program, includes a rotation through each of three stations: Geocaching, Archery or Rock Climbing, and Toxic River.
For the geocaching game, students used a GPS to find a series of riddles that each described an animal common to our local mountains. The kids got to learn how use a GPS to identify a particular location. Geocaching is actually a free, fun treasure hunting game that you can do just about anywhere. There are caches all over San Diego. You just need to know where to look. There is even an app you can download. https://www.geocaching.com/play It's free to join.
Campers got to choose whether they wanted to rock climb with a rope and harness or learn how to use a compound bow and arrows. The instructors took time to teach each camper how to safely use the equipment for each activity.
Finally, the students got to do a low elements challenge, where the group had to use a set of planks and a series of low platforms to get their whole group across a toxic river (a tarp) without letting any person or plank fall in. If they did fall in, they had to go back to the beginning and start over. It took all of the iCare principles for them to make it across. Integrity, Cooperation, (good) Attitude, Respect, and Esteem. After making it across with four planks, we upped the challenge by trying again with only three planks, or had the front person be blind, which meant the other players had to guide them across only using their voices. Each group tackled the challenge differently, but all of them were able to get the job done, and they seemed to have fun doing it.
We took lots of great photos, but the internet is especially bad tonight, so I'll have to add them when I get back tomorrow.
Tonight the kids will have their Talent Show, where we'll get a to see a display of our kids talents. I hear the Cuyamaca Players will be doing a variety of skits. It should be fun!
Tomorrow we just have breakfast, packing up, and time to get autographs from all their new friends in their camp journals.
For the geocaching game, students used a GPS to find a series of riddles that each described an animal common to our local mountains. The kids got to learn how use a GPS to identify a particular location. Geocaching is actually a free, fun treasure hunting game that you can do just about anywhere. There are caches all over San Diego. You just need to know where to look. There is even an app you can download. https://www.geocaching.com/play It's free to join.
Campers got to choose whether they wanted to rock climb with a rope and harness or learn how to use a compound bow and arrows. The instructors took time to teach each camper how to safely use the equipment for each activity.
Finally, the students got to do a low elements challenge, where the group had to use a set of planks and a series of low platforms to get their whole group across a toxic river (a tarp) without letting any person or plank fall in. If they did fall in, they had to go back to the beginning and start over. It took all of the iCare principles for them to make it across. Integrity, Cooperation, (good) Attitude, Respect, and Esteem. After making it across with four planks, we upped the challenge by trying again with only three planks, or had the front person be blind, which meant the other players had to guide them across only using their voices. Each group tackled the challenge differently, but all of them were able to get the job done, and they seemed to have fun doing it.
We took lots of great photos, but the internet is especially bad tonight, so I'll have to add them when I get back tomorrow.
Tonight the kids will have their Talent Show, where we'll get a to see a display of our kids talents. I hear the Cuyamaca Players will be doing a variety of skits. It should be fun!
Tomorrow we just have breakfast, packing up, and time to get autographs from all their new friends in their camp journals.