Valley County Conservation District Hosts Annual Outdoor Classroom

Fifth- grade students from across Valley County gathered for Valley County Conservation District's annual Outdoor Classroom event on May 15.

Students started their day at Irle Elementary with an edible bug assembly presented by MSU County Extension Agent Roubie Younkin. During this portion students learned about how bugs can be incorporated into the daily food we eat and got to enjoy home-cooked treats that included ants. This tradition is something students either really enjoy or really hate.

Following the presentation, students got back on their buses and traveled to Downstream Campground where they spent the rest of the day learning from area conservation gurus. Seventy students made their way through eight stations, spending 25 minutes at each station. Those stations were:

Bug Suckers- Valley County Extension Office – Students were provided the materials to create their own "bug suckers." These little contraptions allowed students to suck bugs up into containers without inhaling them.

Fish Education – MT Fish Wildlife and Parks. Students identified some fish that had been previously caught and held in live cages. They were able to fish from the docks. Not many fish were caught; the few that were caught were released.

Bird Watching – MT Fish Wildlife and Parks. Students learned how to properly use binoculars. Presenter Marc Kloker and his helpers took students on a short nature walk to identify different species of birds throughout the camping area.

Fire Education – BLM. Students learned about fire safety in and around their home.

Plant Identification – FPAC/NRCS. Students took a walk and were helped to identify plants, dig to find root length, and what plants are native to our area.

GPS Surveying – USDA/NRCS. Students learned what GPS is used for, job opportunities available and hands-on approach in small groups to use the GPS equipment.

Worms – Malta NRCS – Students learned about the importance of worms and how they live. They even took part in a relay race where they were only allowed to crawl like a worm. Needless to say, humans don't make good night crawlers.

Invasive Species Education – Central and Eastern Montana Invasive Species Team – This was a new presentation for our students provided by Brent and Trish Smith. Their presentation included information on invasive species that can be found in our area and species that we don't want introduced to our area. They learned how these species could affect conservation and how to help stop the spread.

It was a beautiful day spent outside. The presenters make the day so much fun for the students attending and with any luck they went home with a little more knowledge then when they arrived.