Week 1: Exploring
your Watershed
Activities at home: Boat
Building, Scavenger Hunt, and Map Making
Campers were encouraged to map a water droplet in their
watershed by using an online mapping tool.
Then explore the movement of water in their watershed by
building a boat from just 2 pieces of foil.
During the scavenger hunt campers were encouraged to notice
life in their watershed, like trees and birds. Campers became more aware of the
idea that water supports life.
What does water support in your watershed that makes sounds?
Campers were encouraged to make a “sound” map of their watershed.
Highlights during our
virtual camp session: Campers got to know each other by sharing an object
that symbolizes a hobby or an interest. Some of the most memorable objects
included a matchbox car, an aquarium, and a compound bow. Then we shared adventures
from exploring the activities. Afterwards we played team building games.
Encouraging group thinking like solving one-minute mysteries together is a
great team builder. Try this one: A man left on Friday and returned on Friday
but was only gone 3 days. How is this possible?
Photos from week 1:
Boat building, boat floating!
Ready to go on a
scavenger hunt.
Found leaves for the leaf rubbings!
Sound Mapping your
watershed!
A Sound Map.
Week 2: Making a
Difference in Your Watershed
Activities at home:
Neighborhood clean-up, Bug Hunt, and Message in a Bottle (i.e. pen pal with
another camper)
What an amazing group of campers! They ruled the “trash mob”
challenge and went out to make a difference by cleaning up their neighborhood.
Many of the campers took advantage of being in a buggy place
to explore bugs for the Bug Hunt. The Roly Poly discovery was my personal favorite.
Who knew they were basically terrestrial shrimp?
The last activity was writing a letter to another camper.
Cultivating a new friendship through letter writing was our environmentally
responsible way of sending a “message in a bottle”.
Highlights during our
virtual camp session:
We toured a trash barge on the Mississippi River. This was
the highlight of the entire month for many campers! Rachel with Living Lands and Waters showed
us around and we saw that one barge is for tires, one for scrap metal, and one
just for trash. It was impressive and monumentally sad to see that so much
garbage is in our rivers. We also got to see their toy collection and the
creepy doll fence.
Another highlight was exploring real messages in bottles. Missouri
River Relief has found many over the years. Campers got to choose which bottles
to explore. It seems many are written as blessings for others and wishes for
good fortune.
Photos from week 2:
Rachel from Living Lands and Waters visiting via Zoom.
Living Lands and Waters Trash Barge!
Rachel and Chad
transporting the trash from the river to the barge.
Rachel’s favorite
river find.
Portraits of our Watershed Expedition Trash Heroes:
Trash Heroes every one of them!
Bug Hunt fun!
Week 3: Telling the
Story of Your Watershed
Activities at home:
Smoosh Book, Water Coloring, and Found Object Art
Campers got to create their own Smoosh Books. With just one
piece of paper, campers made a 6 page book using Kirigami, the Japanese art of
folding and cutting paper. These books were then used as journals.
Campers were also given supplies to create a watercolor that
tells a story in their watershed. The results were so creative!
Last but not least campers learned about environmental
artists and how they often work in harmony with the natural environment by using
materials such as leaves, flowers, branches, soil, sand, stone and water. By
doing so artists often change the way we view the environment and help us
rethink how to "see" the world around us. Get ready to be amazed by
what the campers created!
Highlights during our
virtual camp session:
Glass whisperer Libby Reuter gave us a tour of her studio
and introduced us to her watershed stories called Watershed Cairns. Each cairn,
made from repurposed glass, is used to mark and visually connect people, land and
water, providing an opening for community discussion about fresh water. Campers were then encouraged to tell their
watershed story through a variety of artistic mediums including journaling in
their smoosh book, water coloring and found object art. Evidence of how Libby
inspired our campers can be seen below!
Photos from week 3:
