Help Us Make the Sierra Our School
Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 6:48 pm
After years of my wife volunteering and subbing, and me serving on the school board, we are making a big change. We will homeschool our two oldest sons, ages 12 and 10. They are smart but bored, and need more of a challenge than our public school can give them.
Since I love the outdoors, especially backpacking, I see an opportunity to instill that same love in them. So their first homeschool unit will be a 3 day trip in the Sierra. We would probably start at the Lakes trailhead at Lodgepole and go off trail to Moose Lake and the Tablelands. If we are feeling energetic enough, we could go on to Tamarack Lake for the second night, or cut over to the Alta trail, but more likely is to spend day two just exploring the Tablelands and not move our campsite. They love off trail travel. When I took them on a short day hike a few years ago my second son said, seeming disappointed, “That’s not what I expected.” I asked him to explain. He thought that when I said we were going to climb a mountain that meant “we would choose a mountain and climb up it.” He finally got his wish last summer with some cross country adventure in the Emigrant Wilderness. He was sure in his element.
Will you help me think of what they can learn in the Sierra and how they can learn it? I have two goals for this trip: 1) That they get addicted to backpacking; 2) That they learn.
Here are some ideas I have about things they can learn and how they can learn them.
• Topography. Identify a moraine, ridge, cirque, col, pass, arête, peak, hanging valley, bench. What else?
o I’m thinking of giving them a bingo card where they can mark the box when they identify the topographical feature.
• Maps, compass, routefinding.
o Learn by doing. They can help choose our route to Moose Lake and beyond.
• Botany. Identify trees, plants (especially edible ones), and flowers.
o We could post pictures here and you smart people can tell us if they are correct in their identifications.
• Biology. They like to catch and eat fish. I’d like the to learn to identify them and something about the ecosystem they live in.
o Identifying fish is easy. I don’t know about the connected ecosystem though.
• Photography. Composition, lighting, etc. This would help me a lot too.
o Their talented grandfather can give a lesson. Then we can post some pictures here for your helpful critique and comment.
• Literature (and history). Read selections of Muir, Twain, etc. I just found A Treasury of the Sierra Nevada on amazon. Would anyone recommend that or another book with selections on the Sierra or other backpacking?
o I might have them write something about their experience. A trip report for HST?
• Math. Distance, elevation calories, quantity and value of gold in the Sierra. It needs to be interesting.
o ?
• Art.
o Draw a landscape, plant, or fish. Not my strong suit!
- Technology
o ?
What ideas do you have about what they can learn and how they can learn it? If you have any materials or resources, I’m happy to steal what you’ve got. This is already more than enough for 3 days, which is fine. We'll just have to go again.
Thanks!
Since I love the outdoors, especially backpacking, I see an opportunity to instill that same love in them. So their first homeschool unit will be a 3 day trip in the Sierra. We would probably start at the Lakes trailhead at Lodgepole and go off trail to Moose Lake and the Tablelands. If we are feeling energetic enough, we could go on to Tamarack Lake for the second night, or cut over to the Alta trail, but more likely is to spend day two just exploring the Tablelands and not move our campsite. They love off trail travel. When I took them on a short day hike a few years ago my second son said, seeming disappointed, “That’s not what I expected.” I asked him to explain. He thought that when I said we were going to climb a mountain that meant “we would choose a mountain and climb up it.” He finally got his wish last summer with some cross country adventure in the Emigrant Wilderness. He was sure in his element.
Will you help me think of what they can learn in the Sierra and how they can learn it? I have two goals for this trip: 1) That they get addicted to backpacking; 2) That they learn.
Here are some ideas I have about things they can learn and how they can learn them.
• Topography. Identify a moraine, ridge, cirque, col, pass, arête, peak, hanging valley, bench. What else?
o I’m thinking of giving them a bingo card where they can mark the box when they identify the topographical feature.
• Maps, compass, routefinding.
o Learn by doing. They can help choose our route to Moose Lake and beyond.
• Botany. Identify trees, plants (especially edible ones), and flowers.
o We could post pictures here and you smart people can tell us if they are correct in their identifications.
• Biology. They like to catch and eat fish. I’d like the to learn to identify them and something about the ecosystem they live in.
o Identifying fish is easy. I don’t know about the connected ecosystem though.
• Photography. Composition, lighting, etc. This would help me a lot too.
o Their talented grandfather can give a lesson. Then we can post some pictures here for your helpful critique and comment.
• Literature (and history). Read selections of Muir, Twain, etc. I just found A Treasury of the Sierra Nevada on amazon. Would anyone recommend that or another book with selections on the Sierra or other backpacking?
o I might have them write something about their experience. A trip report for HST?
• Math. Distance, elevation calories, quantity and value of gold in the Sierra. It needs to be interesting.
o ?
• Art.
o Draw a landscape, plant, or fish. Not my strong suit!
- Technology
o ?
What ideas do you have about what they can learn and how they can learn it? If you have any materials or resources, I’m happy to steal what you’ve got. This is already more than enough for 3 days, which is fine. We'll just have to go again.
Thanks!