Parents 6th Grade - Outdoor Education

[MdGymMom01]

In a few weeks my 6th grader will be going with her class on a 4 day 3 night overnight "field trip" with the school for the Outdoor Ed program. They will spend the 4 days outside on the bay learning about the environment and conducting various hands on experiments that will teach them about the enviroment and the community. In their free time they will be able to do indoor rock climbing, climb a ropes course, go on the zip line and play games in the entertainment center . She is very excited about this school trip and getting to know her other 6th grade classmates better. She doesn't even mind missing her gym practice and ballet classes . Can you blame her??!!!

Has anyone else's dds been able to experience something like this with their school? It sounds like such a great worthwhile experience for them! I wish they had something like this when I was a kid!!

 

[Azgymmiemom]

Oh, wow! we DID have this when i was a kid! I went to a very small school in Ohio, and we met up with the other elem. 6th graders from 2 other school who would all be going to Jr high with us. It was a LOT of fun...even though I remember it rained on us 2 of the 4 days we were there. We were broken up into "Tribes" and did all our stuff with the tribe. We had lessons, crafts, canoeing, skits around the bonfire...it was great. She will have a wonderful time and make life long memories!!

My ds16, did this in 6th grade, too, and he loved it. He's even talking about wanting to be one of the high school student conselors for it when he is eligible next year as a junior.

 

[gymjourneymom]

Sounds like a wonderful experience!!! I want to go with her!!! My girls each did an overnight at a local camp ground in 5th grade. They did campy stuff: hiking, swimming in a lake, camp fire. But just for 1 night and they had fun. But this sounds like a blast!!!

 

[SkiBumGymMom]

MDGymMom, what a GREAT experience for your DD. I can't stres how improtant I believe outdoor education experiences for kids are. We've been very blessed to grow up in an area where these kinds of trips are in our backyard. Our school district does outdoor ed for all grade levels kindergarten through grade 12. I usually teach one outdoor ed class a year. The best part is when the kids come back, smiling, dirty, with a new appreciation for the outdoors and for themselves!

 

[MdGymMom01]

Thanks Azgymmiemom and GJM!! We had a parent meeting/presentation a few weeks ago and saw a video of what goes on there. Man--it's a really nice place!!! Great dorms and "cabins" for the kids, a "gourmet" chef, fully loaded snack bar and lots of entertainment for the kids after their days "out in the field". There was no way I was going to have her miss this opportunity--it looks like so much fun and the things they will learn cannot be reproduced in the "standard" classroom setting.

They are going with another middle school and have each written penpal letters to a student there and will officially "meet" their penpal on the first day at their orientation. There will also be lots of team building activities for them and since it is the start of the new school year, they will get to make new friends and really get to know one another in a fun relaxed setting.

 

[cher062]

In a few weeks my 6th grader will be going with her class on a 4 day 3 night overnight "field trip" with the school for the Outdoor Ed program. They will spend the 4 days outside on the bay learning about the environment and conducting various hands on experiments that will teach them about the enviroment and the community. In their free time they will be able to do indoor rock climbing, climb a ropes course, go on the zip line and play games in the entertainment center . She is very excited about this school trip and getting to know her other 6th grade classmates better. She doesn't even mind missing her gym practice and ballet classes . Can you blame her??!!!

Has anyone else's dds been able to experience something like this with their school? It sounds like such a great worthwhile experience for them! I wish they had something like this when I was a kid!!

My DD goes the 1st week of November from Mon - Fri camping in cabins about 3 - 4 hours away from home donig similar things. She is so excited.

 

[my4buffaloes]

My son leaves Monday for his trip. 3 day/2 night deal for us, but same concept. I am very excited for him, and I think he is too. What a great outdoor learning opportunity.
Jennifer

 

[Optionals United]

I went to 6th grade camp a few years ago, and had a blast!!!!!!1 it was the time of my life. So many great things about it,except our food wasnt great

 

[MdGymMom01]

I went to 6th grade camp a few years ago, and had a blast!!!!!!1 it was the time of my life. So many great things about it,except our food wasnt great

I hear that the food at my dd's camp place is supposed to be really good, so hopefully they are right!! One of the parents mentioned that there dd was a "nuggetarian" (as in a diet consisting of mainly chicken nuggets) and the director laughed and assured them that they have many choices for the kids to choose from.

 

[Mom2Brats]

When I was a kid we did just one night of "5th grade camp" after studying Marine biology all year and camped out at a national park with tide pools. It was awesome! But the school doesn't do it anymore. So it's great to here that school still do stuff like that!

 

[cathiann]

My older 3 kids did that in 5th grade SO much fun! When Beth the school had cancelled the program, but the parents arranged for the kids to go--I got to chaperone and had a blast. Becca's new school doesn't go though :-(

 

[Blackie6]

MDgymmom,
Our 6th graders also do a similar experience only in a forrest. The do lots of back-to-nature stuff, have lectures and classes on the animals, astrology, group bonding activities and even a boy/girl dance. Hubby went as a chaparone with my boys, so guess in a couple years it will be my turn to chaparone DD. First DS had great weather in Oct, record setting heat and they were in shorts. When DS #2 went, the day he came home there was a snow storm. Glad he wasn't on the second group trip which he was scheduled for until my hubby had to change trips because of work.

Your DD will have a GREAT time!