"MEET THE CREEK"

Working under the premise that there is no better way to learn than to teach, this outreach project made teachers of each of the Wofford College freshmen enrolled in "The Nature and Culture of Water."

Using the Lawson's Fork stream as a "learning landscape," and the knowledge that they had acquired in the first half of the semester, the freshmen developed a day-long learning experience for 80 (!) Chapman Elementary School 5th graders. The day proved to be a GREAT success!!

In spite of a chilly morning (October 11, 2001), the undergraduate students set up four different learning stations along the Lawson's Fork at White's Mill, Spartanburg, SC.

As the elementary students poured out of their buses at 9:06 a.m., we knew there was no turning back amidst the seeming chaos of happy and excited children! The youngsters rotated through the stations in groups of 20, which yielded a ratio of 1 undergraduate per 5 children.

The four learning stations were: (click the links to see pictures!)

Bioassessment of the Lawson's Fork using macroinvertebrate sampling.

Learning about trees and photosynthesis through t-shirt art.

A scavenger hunt to search for and collect leaves, seeds, insects, man-made trash and "hidden treasure."

Writing "I wish," "Color," or "Simile" poems in which nature serves as the inspiration.

At lunch it was clear that the Wofford students are a big hit with the kids!

 

Special thanks to the for their financial support and dedication to education!

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