Yellowstone School
This was the best school ever!
We spent Labor Day weekend in Yellowstone National Park. Friday we drove for about 6 hours and Seth and I did Phonics and Reading on the way. On Saturday we headed over to the Old Faithful visitor center to sign Seth up for the Junior Ranger program and the Young Scientist program.
For the Junior Ranger program Seth had to hike one of Yellowstone's trails, listen to a Ranger Talk, and complete several activity pages in the Junior Ranger book. Right after we watched Old Faithful erupt, Seth was able to listen to a Ranger talk about how geysers erupt, so he completed one of the requirements for the Junior Ranger program right away.
For the Young Scientist program he had to conduct an actual science experiment about whether geysers are alive or not. We were able to check out a science tool kit that contained some rock samples, colored pencils and a laser thermometer. Seth LOVED the thermometer. We hiked around the Old Faithful geyser basin and Seth was able to measure the temperature of hot springs and geysers and even compare them to the cold temperature of the creek that runs through the basin. For his science experiment he hypothesized that geysers and hot springs are alive. First he had to figure out what around him was alive and what was not alive, then he had to observe some of the geysers and hot springs, he learned that even though geysers and hot springs are super hot that they can still support some life in the form of bacteria, so although the actual geyser is not alive things can live in it. He also learned that different kinds of bacteria like different temperatures and that the beautiful colors that surround some hot springs and geysers are made up of the different kinds of bacteria. When his experiment was done Seth turned in his tool kit and received his Young Scientist patch. He had so much fun exploring and figuring things out. I'm pretty sure he wished he could have taken that laser thermometer home with him.
Later that day we went to the Grand Prismatic Spring, which is one of the most famous springs at Yellowstone, because of rainbow of colors that surround it. Seth was able to explain to me why there were so many colors and to guess how hot the water might be in each of the color rings. It was a good review from our science project earlier in the day.
On Sunday we drove up to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. There Seth was able to complete his hike for the Junior Ranger program as he hiked down a series of switchbacks to get to the lower water fall on the Yellowstone river. At the end of the hike was an awesome view of the Canyon and Seth discovered why Yellowstone is called Yellowstone. The canyon is walled by bright yellow rocks
Next we headed up to Mammoth Hot Springs, Seth was able to read the map of Yellowstone and tell which direction we were going and I read him the map legend so he could identify different symbols on the map. On the way we passed through Hayden Valley, where we saw hundreds of Buffalo just hanging out on either side of the road. Seth had been keeping a tally of all the animals we saw in the park, but there were too many buffalo to count. I think he just made tallies until he got tired of making them. We still need to make a graph of the information that he collected.
As we hiked around Mammoth Hot Springs, Seth saw more colorful bacteria and he also saw some springs that were no longer flowing so the bacteria had died leaving just white tiers of mineral deposits. As we made our way back to our camp, we stopped at Tower Falls which is quite impressive in how far down the water falls.
While we were waiting for dinner that nigh Seth and I completed his Junior Ranger pages and talked about all we had learned over the last two days. I was amazed at how much information he remembered.
On Monday morning we went to the Grant Village Visitor Center and Seth received his Junior Ranger patch, he also learned about the huge fire that swept through Yellowstone in 1988. We had seen a lot of burned trees and it was good for him to learn a little more about why they burned and what good can come out of a forest fire.
As we drove home Monday afternoon we did a Math lesson and another Reading lesson. It was a wonderful school weekend and the whole family learned a lot about Yellowstone.
We spent Labor Day weekend in Yellowstone National Park. Friday we drove for about 6 hours and Seth and I did Phonics and Reading on the way. On Saturday we headed over to the Old Faithful visitor center to sign Seth up for the Junior Ranger program and the Young Scientist program.
For the Junior Ranger program Seth had to hike one of Yellowstone's trails, listen to a Ranger Talk, and complete several activity pages in the Junior Ranger book. Right after we watched Old Faithful erupt, Seth was able to listen to a Ranger talk about how geysers erupt, so he completed one of the requirements for the Junior Ranger program right away.
For the Young Scientist program he had to conduct an actual science experiment about whether geysers are alive or not. We were able to check out a science tool kit that contained some rock samples, colored pencils and a laser thermometer. Seth LOVED the thermometer. We hiked around the Old Faithful geyser basin and Seth was able to measure the temperature of hot springs and geysers and even compare them to the cold temperature of the creek that runs through the basin. For his science experiment he hypothesized that geysers and hot springs are alive. First he had to figure out what around him was alive and what was not alive, then he had to observe some of the geysers and hot springs, he learned that even though geysers and hot springs are super hot that they can still support some life in the form of bacteria, so although the actual geyser is not alive things can live in it. He also learned that different kinds of bacteria like different temperatures and that the beautiful colors that surround some hot springs and geysers are made up of the different kinds of bacteria. When his experiment was done Seth turned in his tool kit and received his Young Scientist patch. He had so much fun exploring and figuring things out. I'm pretty sure he wished he could have taken that laser thermometer home with him.
Later that day we went to the Grand Prismatic Spring, which is one of the most famous springs at Yellowstone, because of rainbow of colors that surround it. Seth was able to explain to me why there were so many colors and to guess how hot the water might be in each of the color rings. It was a good review from our science project earlier in the day.
On Sunday we drove up to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. There Seth was able to complete his hike for the Junior Ranger program as he hiked down a series of switchbacks to get to the lower water fall on the Yellowstone river. At the end of the hike was an awesome view of the Canyon and Seth discovered why Yellowstone is called Yellowstone. The canyon is walled by bright yellow rocks
Next we headed up to Mammoth Hot Springs, Seth was able to read the map of Yellowstone and tell which direction we were going and I read him the map legend so he could identify different symbols on the map. On the way we passed through Hayden Valley, where we saw hundreds of Buffalo just hanging out on either side of the road. Seth had been keeping a tally of all the animals we saw in the park, but there were too many buffalo to count. I think he just made tallies until he got tired of making them. We still need to make a graph of the information that he collected.
As we hiked around Mammoth Hot Springs, Seth saw more colorful bacteria and he also saw some springs that were no longer flowing so the bacteria had died leaving just white tiers of mineral deposits. As we made our way back to our camp, we stopped at Tower Falls which is quite impressive in how far down the water falls.
While we were waiting for dinner that nigh Seth and I completed his Junior Ranger pages and talked about all we had learned over the last two days. I was amazed at how much information he remembered.
On Monday morning we went to the Grant Village Visitor Center and Seth received his Junior Ranger patch, he also learned about the huge fire that swept through Yellowstone in 1988. We had seen a lot of burned trees and it was good for him to learn a little more about why they burned and what good can come out of a forest fire.
As we drove home Monday afternoon we did a Math lesson and another Reading lesson. It was a wonderful school weekend and the whole family learned a lot about Yellowstone.
*As a side note*: Last night Seth was over at my mom's house watching PBS when a show called Yellowstone Serenade came on. The show is made up of pictures of Yellowstone set to classical music. Seth was able to identify many of the landmarks, tell my mom why Yellowstone is called Yellowstone, and about the bacteria in the hot springs. I guess the whole learning aspect of the trip was a success for him to remember all of that!
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Wow, that really makes me want to go to Yellowstone. It looks like you all had a lot of fun.
Looks like you had a great trip! Seth is so lucky to have parents who make everything a learning adventure! The photos make we want to go back to yellowstone...it has been a while!