Holiday Lake 4-H: A Typical field Trip

A Typical field Trip

    April is the busy season for the Natural Resource Education Department. New Vista, Brunswick, Fluvanna, Prince Edward and Amherst students have visited the center this month. Fuqua's kindergarten is scheduled to visit next month. A field trip day goes as follows;
    The buses roll down the hill anywhere between 9:00-10:00 o'clock and the amphitheater is quickly filled with students. After a quick orientation and a pre-test (for grant schools) the students are split into groups and sent their separate ways for classes. There are usually 3 classes, 2 before lunch and then 1 to follow. At the end of each class, students gather in the amphitheater to regroup and head out to there next class.
    Classes vary for each group, depending on interest and what the students are learning. All of the classes offered are hands on and are correlated with the VA SOL's. Some classes students have taken so far this season are; aquatic ecology, herpetology, wildlife ecology, water chemistry, orienteering, soil studies, meteorology, entomology, mammalogy, and geology.
    After all three classes the students once again gather in the amphitheater and a post test and evaluation are given and goodbyes are said. The students load onto the bus and head back to school.
    New groups are always welcome and so are volunteers who would be interested in teaching classes. If you would like to volunteer or plan a field trip please contact Tamara Arrington, the Natural Resource Education Coordinator by phone (434) 248-5444 or by email tamaraa@vt.edu