Science Students Observations in Fish Creek Park

How do you observe nature?  Do you ever spend time alone in nature? Have you ever noticed a difference between what you observe when you are alone vs when you are not?  

 

When you are in nature what do you observe?  Do you only observe things that you know?  How many things do you observe that you don't know, and when you do, what sort of questions do you ask?   

How much of your time do you spend thinking about the things that you don't know?  Do you ever find answers to those questions?  Have you ever asked a question about something and could never find answer?  If nobody knows that answer have you ever found it?



The following photographs were taken by Science 14 students in Fish Creek Provincial Park on Tuesday September 8, 2015.  Attached to their photos are their questions.

Left
Photo by Katy
"4 shapes tree"

How did it grow?

Why is it alone? 

Right

Photo by Monica

"Split tree"

How did it grow to split?

How long did it take to grow? 

Left

Brad

What is this called?

Where did it grow from?

Right

Brad

1. How did this occur?

2. How long ago did this happen?

Left

Brad

Is this an ant hill?

How did this dirt get there?

Right

Brad

Is this considered a plant?

How did they grow to be that shape?

Left

Brad

How old is this tree?

How did the big 

branch bend like that?

Right

Scat

What type is it?

How long has it been here?

Left

Katy

"Flower& Thistle"

How does it grow?

What is its seed?

Right

William

 Katy

"pond"

can it have fish?

how clean is the water? 

Ana

"dead trees"
How long were the dead trees (logs) there for? 
Was it caused by nature or by humans?

Urban Nature Ride
Interpretation: Learning in places
A field trip for teachers lead by Carter Cox

How to have authentic and experiential learning experiences with nature, in our own urban communities in order to develop project based solutions that promote sustainable living.

Relevant - Ramsay Elementary School

"Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being displayed or being described to

something within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile." (Tilden, 1957).

Revelation - Cafe Rossa - Food Forest with Dave Carlton (Leaf Ninjas)

"Information, as such, is not interpretation. Interpretation is revelation based upon information.

But they are entirely different things. However, all interpretation includes information." (Tilden, 1957).

Grapes - by Carter

taken by Lindsay

by Fiona

Pairs of pickers - by Fiona

Provocation - Leaf Ninjas residence 

"The chief aim of interpretation is not instruction, but provocation." (Tilden, 1957).

'Being' - by Carter

taken by Lindsay

Art - Public Art Elbow River and 9th ave

"Interpretation is an art which combines many arts whether the materials presented are scientific, historical or architectural. Any art is in some degree teachable. " (Tilden, 1957).

taken by Lindsay

by Jodi

Whole - Rouge Restaurant with Executive Chef Jamie Harling

Interpretation should aim to present a whole rather than a part and must address itself to the whole man rather than any phase." (Tilden, 1957).

by Jodi

Rouge Garden by Fiona

Observations

Stomata at 100x: Taken with iPhone by C. Cox

This Blog is dedicated to all of the observations made by OES students on each trip outside of the classroom.   Students from each class will use the comment window to add observations made.