WINTER ACTIVITIES!

Grade 3


MAMMALS OF MINNESOTA
Do you know how mammals are different from other animals? Find out which mammals live at Belwin by the signs they leave behind. How do they survive, which mammals hibernate, which mammals hunt, which mammals live in the forests, which mammals live on the prairies? The Mammals unit covers concepts such as classification, predator/prey relationships, animal tracking, and habitat evaluation.
 
BEAVER ECOLOGY
Have you ever wondered why beavers have those funny tails? Are you curious about how beavers keep their teeth sharp? What do beavers eat and who are their enemies? Find this out by seeing where beaver have lived and what they have left behind. Students in the Beaver unit will be exploring a beaver habitat and learning about how the beaver's unique features help it survive.
 Photo of sun and blue sky
WINTER ADVENTURES
How are forests useful in winter? Who needs forests? Do they produce oxygen without leaves? How do animals and plants depend on one another? What changes happen in animals for them to survive a winter? What food is available in the winter? What can you learn from their fur, feathers, droppings, rubbings, and homes? The Winter Adventures unit is a general activity which may include the following concepts: food chains; circle of life; predator prey relationships; animal adaptations; animal characteristics.
 
Each of the three units will also participate in games that further explain survival, body design, predator/prey relationships, etc. Our main objective is for students to have an enjoyable learning experience in an outdoor environment!

Grade 5

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
You will learn the basics of X-Country Skiing and then spend the day skiing through the woods enjoying nature and looking for animal signs. There are many hills at Belwin. Be prepared for a good workout. Dress warmly! Mittens, hat and two pair of socks a must.


ORIENTEERING
Are you interested in learning how to use a compass? You will be introduced to basic compass use through such activities as mini-scavenger hunts and point-to-point orienteering courses. You will learn how to set and follow a compass bearing, "shoot" a bearing, measure paces, use landmarks to orient yourself, and walk in the wilderness without getting lost.

Kids building a shelter
OUTDOOR SURVIVAL SKILLS
Would you know what to do if you were lost outside in cold weather? You will learn important survival skills. What is most important--FOOD, WATER, or SHELTER? You might be surprised. You will learn how to make a shelter and what to do for frostbite and hypothermia. These are just a few of the skills you will learn.


ANIMAL SIGNS
Animals leave many clues behind for us to discover. In this activity you will learn to use different skills and materials to investigate various animal signs. To sharpen your detective skills, you will rotate through various stations in the morning learning to read tracks, scat, pellets and other traces of animals. In the afternoon, you will use your new skills to unravel some of the mysteries on the trails at Belwin.


Student on a kicksledADAPTATIONS OF ANIMALS
Have you ever wondered how animals stay warm and find food in our snowy Minnesota winters? This activity invites students to experiment with various types of insulation to see which is warmest, to try their hand at feeding like a bird and play the role of a predator or prey in a game.


DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Do you have an eye for a great picture? Have you always wanted to try out photojournalism? Spend the morning learning how to use a digital camera then take pictures around Belwin and of your classmates to document your trip to Belwin. In the afternoon, you will select the best pictures to put on an online photo album made just for your class. See pictures that former students have taken!