| top |
Reflections from Students Experiences at Pine River
- " Thank you for the wonderful, educational trip. In the big city,
it's hard to appreciate nature. The fresh air, clear ponds, natural
forest, many animals, good accomodations, delicious food, friendly staff
and nice activities, made this trip a really unforgettable memory."
- " Thank you Pine River for providing us with a wonderful place
to study, to live and to enjoy nature."
- Fairbank Middle School -
- "…thank you so much for making our week so enjoyable, peaceful,
special and a learning experience. We all hope that we have the chance
to experience this week one more time."
- J.R. Wilcox Community School -
- " My favourite games were Sardines and the Thicket Game. The
reasons I enjoyed them were because they were at night and because it
was pitch black and because we had to hide in the forest."
- " I learned many things…fire by friction(using the bow and
drill), how to do a coyote call and how to orient a map."
- "Thank you for helping me to communicate with my class and to
know them better…"
- "I loved the food. It was fabulous. It was like dining in a fancy
restaurant."
- "If everyone learned as much as I did, they would be very wise
in the ways of nature. I would give this trip four stars and the most
educational, organized and hard working trips ever."
- "I liked a lot of stuff such as Sardines, Thicket Game, Cross
Country Skiing, Orienteering, the Trading Game, Cooperative Games, going
inside the Teepee and eating bannock and drinking cedar tea."
C.R. Marchant Middle School
- "I learned a lot of new things like how to read a map better
and how to make a fire using a flint and steel. Pine River was fun for
me and yes, I got the Full Value at Pine River."
- Excerps from a Poem:
" The pond study I thought was really cool,
I learned about the pond things, caught with a strainer kind of tool.
Centre Point Mapping was great,
I learned how to use a compass at a quick rate.
The Survival Game opened my eyes a lot,
About the food chain, animals and life is what it taught.
Another activity I really loved,
Was the campfire, better than all the above."
- "It is an experience that we will never forget,
And we will always remember the people we met.
You filled our week at Pine River with learning and fun,
And made it hard to leave when the week was done."
C.E. Webster
|
| top |
Sample Parent Letter from Pine River Staff to Parents of Visiting Students
Hello from Pine River!
We have just finished a week with classes from C.R. Marchant Middle School.
It was a
great programme! The week was designed to link the classroom curricula
with our rural, outdoor setting. Hands-on, experiential learning is the
strength of our Centre. We would like to share the week with you.
The students arrived Monday, moved in their luggage, and shared the first
of many
wonderful meals with us. After moving into their rooms, we all went for
an introductory hike in our 'Pine Groups'. Over the course of the week,
the students participated in a number of activities. The 'Centre Point
Mapping' lesson was taught by the Visiting Teachers from C.R. Marchant.
The students measured distances and directions using measuring tapes and
compasses. They used this data to create a centre point map. The cross-country
skiing programme involved an introductory lesson and an opportunity to
try the trails through the woods. During the 'Habitat Hike', students
investigated the habits and adaptations of a variety of wildlife. The
'Native Studies' lesson involved a visit to the Native built tepee to
learn about the close relationship between Aboriginal people and their
natural environment. The students learned about some natural, wild sources
of nutrition such as cedar leaves, for tea, which contain vitamin C. On
Thursday, we played two large group games. In 'The Fur Trade', the students
role-
played Aboriginal people after the European settlers had arrived in Canada.
The students used their skills of problem solving, co-operation and orienteering
to collect information along simulated trapping routes. The information
could then be traded for currency, which could be used to buy goods from
the trading post to ease the burdens of survival. 'Instincts for Survival'
involved each student taking on the role of an animal and simulating the
natural interactions of wildlife. The students needed to find enough 'food'
and 'water', and avoid their predators, in order to survive.
Our evening programs were also an important part of the week. Activities
included
'Sardines', a movie night, the 'Thicket Game' and a night hike. In addition
to the outdoor
activities, some time was taken to make a journal entry each evening,
so the events of the day could be recorded.
Living, as they were, in a small community, the students worked together
and performed
small chores such as setting and clearing the tables, feeding the birds
and monitoring compost materials.
We would like to extend a very special thank you to the Visiting Teachers
for spending a full week at Pine River so that the children could have
this wonderful experience! Thank you for allowing your child to participate
in this educational opportunity. We are sure you will hear many stories
of their experience.
Sincerely,
The Staff of Pine River Outdoor Education Centre
|
|
top
|
For further information, contact Andy
Kennedy, Supervisor, Pine River Outdoor Education Centre.
Pine River Outdoor Education Centre, R. R. # 3, Shelburne, Ontario, L0N
1S7
Tel: (519) 925-6200 / Fax: (519) 925-5293
|
