Interested students at Saltcoats School are getting some additional hands-on education regarding nature.
“It’s really just an off-shoot of our birding group (Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail Association),” explained Rob Wilson.
Wilson, a long-time educator and member of the birding group, said he came to recognize young people no longer connect with nature as they once did.
“Kids are getting really disconnected from the natural world,” he said, adding they seem far more connected to the Internet and social media than being outside listening to birds or chasing frogs.
So Wilson approached the school about offering an after school program for students who are interested in learning more about nature.
After the proper vetting, the program was approved and has started modestly at the school. Wilson said he has a rather simple goal.
“I hope to get them engaged with paying attention to nature,” he said, adding he’s taking a very hands-on approach.
Wilson said it starts with getting youth outside so they can observe nature. He then wants them to record what they see, write it down so they have a record from which they can then share with others.
But it starts through observation.
“Go out and see what you’ve got,” he said.
The group; the Citizens Science Group, has two projects already on the go.
“I’ve got a few kids that are pretty keen,” said Wilson.
Thanks to some help from Kenn Wood who built a bird feeder for the group, they are observing birds on the school grounds.
The students, anyone from Kindergarten to Grade 8 can participate in the group which meets over lunch hours, or after school, have helped install the feeder.
Wilson said they are now doing a small experiment. Initially the feeder was filled with fat, with students recording which birds show up to eat.
Next they will fill the feeder with canola seed and observe whether that attracts a different group of birds.
While admitting it’s a rather simplistic experiment Wilson added, “the whole point is to try and get kids a little bit more interest in nature.”
It also gets the youth outside “away from the computer,” he noted.
The feeder provides an opportunity to learn about specific bird species, such as going to a book to show how visiting cedar waxwings differ from Bohemian waxwings.
The feeder also attracted a rather rare to the area pileated woodpecker which is a very large woodpecker with a long neck and a triangular crest that sweeps off the back of the head. The bill is long and chisel-like, about the length of the head.
“Those are teachable moments,” offered Wilson.
The second project focuses on the often maligned garter snake.
Wilson said he has the students working on ideas which “show how the schoolyard can be shared with snakes.”
There appear to be snakes wintering in the school foundation, and that makes some uneasy. Wilson said he hopes to change that attitude.
“Snakes are part of nature. They’re OK. They’re cool,” he said.
So the students will study about snakes, and then the plan is, in conjunction with the school debate club, will present formal arguments on why snakes should be allowed to share the schoolyard, said Wilson.
