Forest Classroom

Oh Deer!

Nov 8 2022

Our morning activity was to find 10 signs of the season changing. Some of the things we noted were, no leaves on the trees, leaves on the ground, all of us wearing heavy jackets, frost on the leaves, not as many birds flying around, the temperature being colder, being able to see your breath. We saw many seasonal changes.

student holding nature notebook
Recording 10 signs of the season changing. Photo: Audubon Vermont

During morning meeting we saw a tree fall in the woods and we knew we needed to explore it! After snack, we went over to where we thought we saw it, and we found it. We investigated it, we tried to see what tree it came from, figure out why it fell, and see what change it made for the space. It fell because the tree inside was rotting, it took another tree down with it (both were “small” trees) and took off many hemlock branches. We noticed that this opened up the sky for this section of forest too.

Students walking in the woods
Tracking down the fallen down tree Photo: Audubon Vermont
Yellow bellied sapsucker holes in tree
Found some Yellow-bellied sapsucker holes in the tree that fell! Photo: Audubon Vermont

Next we played Oh Deer! A game that helped us see and talk about population dynamics. Through the game we were able to see how populations and rise and fall, but how there is a balance to it and a rhythm. We made a graph that is up in our clubhouse to see!

In the afternoon we split into groups, one group worked on Shelter building and the second group wanted to work on their fire building skills.

Students fire building
Fire building in small groups! Photo: Audubon Vermont
Student building fire in tin
Photo: Audubon Vermont

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