Welcome to Wolf Creek

So you want to come to Outdoor School? Great! We know it takes a lot of effort on your part to bring a class to Wolf Creek Education Center, so this Teachers’ Guide is designed to help you through the process of preparing for a fantastic learning experience.

Our Mission

The mission of Wolf Creek Education Center is to provide curriculum-based opportunities for students and teachers so that they can make lasting intellectual and emotional connections with the resources of Redwood National and State Parks. By doing so, we hope to promote stewardship and awaken appreciation for science, wildlife, and wild lands.

The Outdoor School Program

By participating in Outdoor School, students and teachers experience Redwood’s ecosystems firsthand, leaving the indoor classroom to explore the natural environment. National Park Service staff provide a 2 ½ day program for 5th and 6th grade students, leading them on learning adventures through old-growth redwood forests, salmon-bearing streams, and elk inhabited prairies. Lessons relate directly to 5th and 6th grade California State Science Standards and focus on ecological principles such as energy flow, interdependence, the water cycle, adaptation, and the scientific method.

A Community Tradition

Wolf Creek Education Center is the result of long tradition of community involvement in environmental education. It began in 1972, when two enterprising teachers from Orick, California asked the National Park Service if they could bring their classes on science field trips to the old Wolf Creek Logging Camp. Shortly afterward, the property was identified as a National Environmental Education Development (NEED) site. Wolf Creek was operated by the Humboldt County Office of Environmental Education from 1972 through 1984.

In 1985, Redwood National and State Parks assumed management of Wolf Creek. The park constructed six new cabins, a new restroom and shower facility, and—through an anonymous donation—a multipurpose lodge with a kitchen, classroom, lab, and office.

Today, the staff at Wolf Creek Education Center continues to operate Outdoor School, held each year in the spring and fall. In the off-season, the facilities can be rented at a modest rate to groups for environmental or educational purposes. Rental fees help defray the cost of maintaining the facilities and providing seasonal staff for Outdoor School.

The Wolf Creek Teachers’ Guide was funded by a grant from the Parks-as-Classrooms program. Thanks, Parks-as-Classrooms!

Updated 1/06/05

Life Before Wolf Creek

Welcome to Wolf Creek! 1

Table of Contents. 2

How Wolf Creek Works: Roles and Responsibilities. 3

Wolf Creek Fees. 4

Planning Checklist. 5

Preparing Your Class. 6

Preparing Meals. 8

Directions to Wolf Creek Education Center. 10

Pre-Visit Activities. 11

Life At Wolf Creek

The Day of Arrival: Final Check List. 19

Outdoor School Schedule, 3-Day Program.. 21

Wolf Creek Outdoor School Rules. 22

Wolf Creek Student Oath. 23

Supervision and Discipline Policy. 24

Recreation Activities. 25

Life After Wolf Creek

Post-Visit Activities. 27

The Paper Trail

Use Agreement for Outdoor School Groups. 34

Cabin Leader Agreement Form.. 35

Cabin Leader Duty Assignments. 36

Teacher’s Packing List. 37

Student’s Packing List. 38

Cabin Group Lists. 39

Study Group Lists. 41

How Wolf Creek Works: Roles and Responsibilities

Wolf Creek Education Staff

The Wolf Creek staff consists of the environmental education instructors, the director, and a custodian. The director has the overall responsibility for the curriculum at Wolf Creek. She schedules groups, supervises the instructors, and manages the budget. The director is responsible for the overall safety of groups at Wolf Creek.

The instructors research, prepare, and present daily field studies, using hands-on techniques that keep the students actively engaged in learning. One instructor is usually designated the lead ranger to deal issues that might arise while the director is off-site.

The custodian maintains the facilities, making sure they are clean and comfortable. Though groups are expected to clean up after themselves, the custodian provides help and support in this area. The custodian assists teachers and cabin leaders in organizing tasks for their chore groups and ensures each group has cleaned up after themselves at the end of their stay.

Teachers

Before bringing their classes to Wolf Creek, teachers prepare their students academically for the experience by completing the pre-visit activities. They also organize the logistical aspects of the trip, including conducting fundraising activities, holding parent meetings, arranging for cabin leaders (chaperones), transportation and food, and filling out any necessary paperwork. Their primary contact is the director of the Education Center. Note: In Del Norte County, a coordinator assists teachers with some of this work.

At Wolf Creek, the teacher is responsible for the safety and discipline of the students. Teachers must be on site and actively involved in Outdoor School at all times. They must organize and direct the work of their cabin leaders. Teachers arrange the campfire program on the second night, or delegate the program to cabin leaders. Since Wolf Creek staff members do not overnight at the Education Center, teachers are responsible for knowing what to do in case of emergency and acting accordingly. Teachers are the only ones at Wolf Creek who can administer medication to students.

Cabin Leaders

Cabin leaders (chaperones) are responsible to the Wolf Creek staff during ranger-led studies and to the teacher during all other parts of the program. They assist in all aspects of Outdoor School— getting the students up in the morning and putting them to bed at night, attending field studies, leading recreation activities, cooking, directing students to complete cleaning duties, and organizing the campfire program on the second night. Ideally, there are two cabin leaders per cabin. At a minimum, there must be a ratio of one cabin leader to every student.

Though a partnership with Redwood National and State Parks, Humboldt State University sometimes provides interns to act as cabin leaders when groups are unable to provide parents. These interns are students enrolled in recreation administration classes and working at Wolf Creek is part of their curriculum. Before assuming the role of cabin leaders, they must have passed a live scan background check and be fully trained in their responsibilities. They are responsible to the Wolf Creek Education Center director during the day and to the teacher in the evening.

Wolf Creek Fees

School groups participating in Outdoor School pay a modest rental fee that helps off-set our costs. Rental fees for Wolf Creek Education Center are paid to Redwood Park Association, a non-profit cooperating association. The full fee is due two weeks prior to your visit.

Outdoor School Fees

Up to 35 students $300/three-day program

36-40 students $350/three-day program

41-45 students $400/three-day program

46-50 students $450/three-day program

51-55 students $500/three-day program

56-60 students $600/three-day program

Other Rental $150/night for 30 people/ $5 each additional person

$75 / day use

Make checks payable to the Redwood Park Association. Please write “Wolf Creek” on the memo line on the lower left corner of the check. Mail checks to:

Redwood National and State Parks

1111 Second Street

Crescent City, CA 95531

Attn. Debra Scribner, Budget Technician

Fee Refund Policy

A full refund will be given to groups canceling up to two weeks prior to their scheduled visit. Cancellations received after that time will receive a 50 percent refund.

Fee Questions

Please call Debra Scribner, our Budget Technician, if you have questions about your fees at (707) 822-7611 or 464-6101 ext. 5061.

Other Costs to Consider

Groups are responsible for bringing and preparing their own food in our fully-equipped kitchen. This helps keep everyone’s costs low, but it does take some preparation and organization ahead of time. Groups are also responsible for their travel to and from Wolf Creek Education Center. This can be a significant trip expense.

Planning Checklist

A year to six months in advance of your trip...

_ Read this Teacher’s Guide carefully

_ Mail, e-mail, or call in your registration request (see “The Paper Trail” section).

Six months before your trip...

_ Make transportation arrangements. Travel directions are in “The Paper Trail” section

_ Plan how you will cover your costs

_ Send flyers home to parents asking them to volunteer as cabin leaders and cooks

_ Call the Wolf Creek Director if you would like to have assistance with a parent / teacher meeting

Six Weeks before...

_ Conduct a training meeting for cabin leaders and cooks. Review cabin leader responsibilities, explain the schedule, and have cabin leaders review and sign Cabin Leader Agreement

_ Familiarize yourself with the Outdoor School schedule

_ Use forms in “The Paper Trail” section to organize your class into cabin and study groups

_ Use the Cabin Leader Assignment sheet to schedule cleaning and recreation times

_ Hand out permission slips, medical information forms, and packing lists required by your school.

_ Complete the menu plan (see Preparing Meals in this section)

One week before...

_ Do the pre-visit activities included in this section

_ Create journal bags for your class (we provide the journals when you arrive)

_ Arrange student packs. Check for the proper equipment and clothing. Tag items with students’ names and cabins

_ Gather together all the necessary paperwork you’ll need for Wolf Creek

_ Complete the activities in Preparing Your Class

Preparing Your Class

Planning Your Study Groups

Divide classes of 34 or fewer students into 3 study groups of approximately 12 students. Larger groups should be divided into 4 study groups. Study groups should consist of both boys and girls. Most teachers choose not to place best friends or obvious “cliques” in the same study groups.

Planning Your Cabin Groups

There are six cabins. Each cabin contains eight bunks (16 beds). Divide your students into cabin groups of two adult cabin leaders and six to fourteen students per cabin.

Making Journal Bags

Use gallon-sized Ziploc bags. Have students write their names, cabin groups, and study groups on the bags in large letters with a permanent marker. Punch a hole in the two upper corners of the bag. Reinforce the holes with duct tape. Thread a string through so that it can be worn around the neck. Now each student has a waterproof journal bag, pencil holder, and nametag. Pack them so that they are accessible for when you first get off the bus.

Planning Recreation and Chores

The teacher is responsible for planning recreation activities and the campfire program on the second night. The Resource Guide to Songs, Games, and Campfires section has more information about this topic. Before arriving, teachers should schedule student chores and talk them over with cabin leaders. Overseeing student chores is a big part of a cabin leaders’ job.

Hosts and Hostesses (Help set up and clean up after each meal)

· Set tables, serve bowls of food “family style”

· Scrape dishes in trash and place dirty dishes on counter

· Wipe down tables, counters, ovens, and sinks

· Sweep kitchen, dining area, and porch

Wood Chucks

· Pick up trash on playing field and around buildings

· Put trash and recycling in the bins by the gate (an adult needs to assist with this)

· Check to see that the bear-proof lock is in place

· Help set up the evening campfire (supervised by the custodian)

Roustabouts (Maintain shower house)

· Wipe down bathroom sinks and counters

· Sweep floors and make sure toilets are flushed

· On the last day, make sure all belongings are out of the bathroom

Everyone, Everyday!

· Sweep the floor (get under the bunks) and porch. Empty dustpans into garbage cans

· Turn off lights, close all windows and doors and check outside the cabin for trash

Sample Daily Chores Schedule: 6 Cabins

Cabin Name	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Murrelet (girls)	Roustabouts (after dinner–girls’ restroom)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)	Wood Chucks (morning)
Wapiti (girls)	Wood Chucks (after dinner )	Roustabouts (after dinner—girls’ restroom)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)
Sea Lion (girls)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)	Wood Chucks (after dinner)	Roustabouts (after dinner—girls’ restroom)
Peregrine (boys)	Roustabouts (after dinner–boys’ restroom)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)	Wood Chucks (morning)
Coho (boys)	Wood Chucks (after dinner )	Roustabouts (after dinner—boys’ restroom)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)
Red-Legged Frog (boys)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)	Wood Chucks (after dinner )	Roustabouts (after dinner—boys’ restroom)

Sample Daily Chores Schedule: 4 Cabins

Cabin Name	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Murrelet (girls)	Roustabouts (after dinner—girls’ restroom)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)	Wood Chucks (morning)
Wapiti (girls)	Wood Chucks (after dinner)	Roustabouts (after dinner—girls’ restroom)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)
Peregrine (boys)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)	Wood Chucks (after dinner)	Roustabouts (after dinner—boys’ restroom)
Coho (boys)	Wood Chucks (after dinner)	Roustabouts (after dinner—boys’ restroom)	Hosts & Hostesses (before and after each meal)

Preparing Meals

Cooking Facilities

Wolf Creek Education Center’s kitchen is equipped with a walk-in refrigerator, eight-burner stove, propane oven, microwave, coffee maker, griddle, food prep area, sink, dishwasher, and outdoor barbecue (bring your own charcoal and lighter fluid). There are plenty of pots, pans, plates, bowls, silverware, and other utensils. We have a small freezer, but it doesn’t keep ice cream frozen solid.

Planning Meals

Teachers may decide to plan the menu and purchase food themselves, or they may wish to delegate the task to a parent and the students. Meals should be easy to prepare, nutritious, and enjoyable. Assign one or two people who will be in charge of cooking. Cooks are usually too busy to attend field studies, so recruit someone willing to stay close to the lodge.

Keep Waste to a Minimum

The Wolf Creek Education Program emphasizes resource conservation. To reinforce this message, please try to keep food packaging to an absolute minimum and create as little garbage as possible. Please do not bring paper cups, paper plates, plastic water bottles, or Styrofoam products. Consider buying in bulk. You may also get food from the school cafeteria. Restaurants, bakeries, and markets are often willing to donate food.

Remember to ask your students about any special dietary restrictions they might have before planning your menu. If a child is a fussy eater and you think you’ll have a problem, ask the parent to prepare his or her food in advance so you don’t have to make special meals.

Advice from Experts

Recently, we got together with a group of experienced Wolf Creek Teachers and a professional chef (and father) to discuss a new sample menu (see next page). We wanted to come up with nutritious, cost effective alternatives to pre-packaged food. It also had to be food kids would want to eat. Here’s what the group recommended:

Kids Like

Deli sliced turkey, ham and chicken

American and cheddar cheese

Lettuce, ketchup, mustard and mayo

Celery and peanut butter (creamy)

Carrot sticks with ranch dressing

Raisins (buy bags, not little boxes)

Apples and oranges (cut up and lemon juiced to keep from browning)

Most Kids Don’t Like

Day-old deli sandwiches

Prepackaged sliced meats

Bologna or salami

Too much of any condiment, especially pickles and / or relish

Trail mix

Bananas

Olives

Sample Menu

	Day One	Day Two	Day Three
Breakfast		Scrambled Eggs Hash Browns Orange or apple juice (in gallons, not boxes)	Cold cereal Cut fruit
Lunch	Bag lunch from home or school cafeteria. Eat on the road	Hot dogs and veggie dogs Baked beans Chips Orange or apple juice	Bag lunch (made immediately after breakfast) to eat on the road. Sandwiches Peanut butter and jelly Ham or Turkey and cheese Chips Fruit or granola bar
Trail Snack	Chewy granola bar (something that doesn’t crumble), apples, or fruit leather	Chewy granola bar (something that doesn’t crumble), apples, or fruit leather
Dinner	Take and bake pizza Salad with Italian Dressing Fruit juice Homemade cookies	Burritos (beans, meat, cheese, salsa) salad Brownies

Other Ideas

Directions to Wolf Creek Education Center

From the south:

1. Drive north on U.S. 101 from the Eureka/Arcata/McKinleyville area.

2. Drive on U.S. 101 approximately five miles north of the town of Orick, CA.

3. Exit U.S. 101 and turn on to the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.

4. Continue north (toward Prairie Creek State Park) on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway for about 200 yards. Look for a road on the left. It will be marked by a yellow “Elk Crossing” sign.

5. Turn left onto the road. (If you miss this road you will arrive at Elk Prairie.) Approximately 50 yards down the road there is a sign for Wolf Creek Education Center.

6. Travel down the gravel road for another 50 yards and you will arrive at a gate. To open the gate, use the lock combination that was given to you when you registered.

7. Pass through the open gateway and lock the gate behind you.

8. Drive ahead, cross over the bridge, and travel approximately one mile to the T intersection at the end of the road.

9. Turn right and drive 50 yards to the Education Center entrance.

10. After unloading your vehicles, please park them in the large gravel parking lot located on the other side of the wooden gate.

From the north:

1. Travel south on U.S. 101 from Crescent City, California. Cross over the Klamath River, which has the golden bears at its four corner posts.

2. Approximately four miles south of the Klamath Bridge, exit U.S. 101 on to Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.

3. Travel south on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway approximately eight miles. Go past the entrances for Big Tree Wayside and the Elk Prairie Campground. The campground has picnic tables and makes a good lunch stop.

4. After passing the Elk Prairie Campground, the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway will have parking lanes along the roadway's shoulder to allow vehicles to park and watch the elk, which are often visible in the prairie.

5. Travel approximately ½ mile beyond the end of the parking lanes on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Turn on the first road to the right. If you miss the turn you will come to the U.S. 101 entrance ramp. Approximately 50 yards down the road there is a sign for Wolf Creek Education Center.

6. Follow directions 6-10 above.

If you are lost call the Redwood Information Center at (707) 464-6101 ext. 5265 or Wolf Creek Education Center (707) 464-6101 ext. 5266.

Pre-Visit Activities

By doing one or more of the following pre-visit activities, you will reinforce the concepts your students will learn at Wolf Creek and better prepare them for their experience.

Wolf Creek PowerPoint

New in 2005, we have developed a PowerPoint presentation to help students and their parents prepare for the logistics of the trip. We’ll send it to you free of charge. It may also be possible for a ranger to visit your classroom and give the presentation. Please call us to find out more.

Traveling Treasure Box

Wolf Creek staff members are currently developing a “traveling treasure box” which teachers can borrow before they come to Wolf Creek. It will contain a special activity that will help introduce students to the principles of ecology that they will study at Wolf Creek. Please ask us about it!

Here are some other suggestions for pre-visit activities:

Music

Practice singing campfire songs

Performing Arts

Create skits about the Wolf Creek Education Center to present at campfire (see Post-Visit Activities, Logging Skit).

Art

Assign students to cabins. Give each cabin group a handout about each cabin name, and ask them to make posters or banners for their cabins (see the “Cabin Names and Activities” section).

Social Studies

Create a time line of local history at the Education Center site using the history and the letter in the Resource section. (How have humans used this area?) Compare and contrast the viewpoints of a timber group owner and a timber feller using the Resource section of this guide.
Locate the Education Center site on map and plan the route to be taken.
Research the size of nearby communities. Why did people settle in each particular area? How have the natural resources affected development of the community?
Research local place names.

Language Arts

Prepare oral reports about the story behind the cabin names.

Prepare skits for the campfire.

Write a letter about plans for the education center activities.
Keep a journal.
Compose poems, haiku, or cinquains about the out-of-doors.
Listen to the sounds of nature.
Study vocabulary used at the education center.

Health, Safety, and Physical Education

· Discuss the importance of proper clothing, rest, diet, and hygiene at camp.

· Have students plan the menus based on the four major food groups.

· Discuss the importance of proper trail and camp behavior.

Science

· Conduct erosion control experiments at home or school.

· Learn some common birdcalls.

· Make a bulletin board of wildlife and plants found in the Redwood National and State Parks and around the Wolf Creek Education Center.

· Demonstrate transpiration of plants by placing a plastic bag over a plant. Leave some air holes for gas to escape.

· Demonstrate capillary action by placing a lump of sugar in a shallow dish with some food coloring on the bottom.

· Make a plaster casting of animal tracks.

· Observe various cloud formations and learn how to predict weather from these observations.

· Research the function of fungi.

· Make a leaf collection from your community and determine native and non-native species.

· Study the effects of fire and fire prevention.

· Study animals of the area and their survival tools.

· Discuss rare and endangered species.

· Research extinct animals. Why did they become extinct?

· Study the types of salmon on the California coast.

Social Skills

· Discuss ways in which young people can fit smoothly into cabin living (tolerance, cooperation, and good attitudes towards students that may have very different backgrounds).

· Discuss the need for cooperation and enthusiasm in performing duties at the education center.

· Discuss standards of conduct.

· Have students create their own rules for camp—a Cabin Constitution.

Cabin Names and Cabin Activities

Each cabin is named for a special animal found near Wolf Creek Education Center. Teachers often create cabin group activities based on each animal. Some ask their students to make murals or signs for their cabins; others have the students create skits for the campfire program that relate to their animals in some way. The pages that follow can be used for hand-outs for students for any of these activities.

Marbled Murrelet

Who Am I?

My common name: Marbled Murrelet.

My scientific name: Brachyramphus marmoratus

What Do I Look Like?

In the summer my back is mostly dark brown, and my belly is white, but mottled with dark splotches that make me look like a marble. In the winter my back turns dark grey and my belly loses the dark splotches and is pure white.

Where Do I Live?

I spend most of my life out at sea, but I nest in places like Wolf Creek wherever I can find old growth. My range is between the Aleutian Islands in Alaska and Monterey Bay in central California.

In the morning just before dawn, I leave the nest and go to the ocean to catch fish. Once there, I dive into the water at up to 40 mph, and I fly underwater as I chase small fish. I spend about 24 hours hunting before I return home to my nest in the forest to feed my chick.

What Kind of a Nest?

As parents, we require a BIG old branch to build our house upon. Usually, only trees older than 175 years will do. We build our nests in the crooks of these huge trees, sometimes using the moss that is already there. We need lots of room, but we only lay one egg, and both parents take turns babysitting while the other dives for food in the ocean.

Wrecking Ball...

As your houses are being built, ours are being cut down. Careless timber harvesting in the old-growth forests diminished our living space to less than 10 percent of what it was in 1850. Fortunately, since 1968 Redwood National and State Parks have worked to protect about 39,000 acres of old-growth habitat for us.

Life is Rough for an Endangered Species

Before we lost so much old growth, we weren’t bothered so often by ravens, crows and jays. But now with campgrounds, trails, roads, and outdoor schools attracting those kinds of birds with their garbage cans and open spaces, we’re in trouble. Ravens, crows, and jays hang around the edges of the old growth more often, and stand a better chance at finding where our secret nests are hidden. If they find us, they make a meal out of our chicks and eggs.

What Can You Do?

Support the preservation of old-growth redwood forests. Without the forests I cannot survive. Also, volunteer for organized beach clean-up days or start your own. Picking up old fishing line and garbage may just save my life—I can get tangled up in it out at sea when I’m fishing. Please do not feed any crows, ravens or Stellar’s jays. These birds love to eat my eggs and my babies, making it difficult for me to reproduce.

Sea Lion

Who Am I?

My common name is: Steller Sea Lion.

My scientific name is: Eumetopias jubatus

Lion of the Sea

I was named for Wilhelm Stellar who noticed me in 1741. Mr. Steller called me “Sea Lion” because of my lion-like ROAR!

Have You Seen Me?

Well, I’m pretty hard to miss!! Female sea lions can be over seven feet long, while males can be as long as 10 feet and weigh up to 1,000 pounds! That’s bigger than a black bear. My fur can be cream colored to reddish brown, like a lion.

Seefood? Nope! Hearfood!

I don’t do very well at seeing my seafood. Instead, I use sonar (kind of like a bat) to hunt for fish, like herring and rockfish. I chase my prey underwater at depths of up to 450 feet, for as long as 20 minutes. I don’t even need an air tank.

Back Home in the Rookery...

During the summer months, we return to the rookeries (beach birthing places) where we were born. Here, males fight for the best spaces on the rocks. After the dust settles, females show up, ready to have our babies. Usually in a rookery, the females outnumber the males 10 to 1. Go Girls! We give birth to one precocious pup, which can usually walk and swim within days. Sometimes Junior will stick with Mom for more than a year.

Declining Populations...

In the 1800s we were an important source of food, oil, and clothing for native people like the Aleut Indians in Alaska. When European and Yankee hunters began to hunt us in large numbers, we were threatened with extinction. Even after we became a protected species in the 1960s, our numbers continued to decline, mostly because we eat the same kinds of fish that fishermen catch. Water pollution and disease may also be responsible for the deaths of many of us.

Fortunately, we are protected by the Marine Mammal Act. But our fight isn’t over yet! We are still being killed illegally by fishermen who fear that we eat too many fish and don’t leave enough for them to catch. Hundreds of us are injured and killed each year when we get entangled in fishing lines and garbage, both in the ocean and on the beach.

What Can You Do?

Help keep the ocean clean. Volunteer at organized beach clean-up days or make your own. Also, support local fishermen who follow the law and treat us with compassion.

Peregrine

Who Am I?

My common name: American Peregrine Falcon.

My scientific name: Falco peregrinus anatum

One Big Backyard

“Peregrine” means wanderer, and I wander most of California for my habitat. I am usually spotted in the Coast Ranges and in the Central Valley. In the summer I can be seen as far north as Alaska, and in the winter sometimes as far south as Central and South America.

Have You Seen Me?

I am about 15-21 inches long, and have a wingspan of about 40 inches. My back is grey and my belly is white with dark bars. I may appear a solid dark color when I am young.

Pigeon, Anyone?

My food energy comes from eating birds smaller than myself, such as sparrows and pigeons. I can catch my prey in mid-air, swooping down on a small bird at up to 200 mph. Fast food!

Ocean View

I build my nest on steep, rocky cliffs near the coast. Usually, you can find three or four eggs in my nest. My mate and I take turns watching the eggs and feeding the fledglings.

Saved from Extinction!

In the early 1970s scientists discovered that there were only four of us left in California. Lucky for us, we were put on the Endangered Species List. Thanks to concerned citizens, we have almost recovered.

What Happened?

The small birds that we love to eat were eating bugs they found in farmers’ fields that had been sprayed with a pesticide called DDT. Pesticides are chemicals that farmers put on crops to kill destructive insects. The small birds ate the bugs that had pesticides in their bodies, and we ate the small birds. This hurt us—especially our eggs. Farmers didn’t know it, but the DDT had a bad side effect—it made our eggs so weak that they couldn’t survive.

DDT is illegal to spray in the United States, and that has helped us survive. But DDT can still be manufactured here and is still in use in other countries. I travel a lot, and so do the small birds I eat. There can still be dangerous amounts of DDT into my body.

What Can You Do?

Lots of things!!! First of all, find out where your food comes from. Ask your grocer! Second, support farmers who don’t put DDT on their crops. Not only does buying local produce keep our population from dipping dangerously low, it’s also a good way to support your community.

Wapiti

Who Am I?

My common name is Roosevelt Elk. My scientific name is Cervus elaphus.

No Home on the Range...

Before the 19th century, elk were everywhere! Ten elk species roamed throughout the United States, from Massachusetts to California. However, too much hunting seriously decreased our population. Now there are only three species in North America—Rocky Mountain Elk, Tule Elk, and Roosevelt Elk. Roosevelt Elk live along the coastal mountains of California, Oregon, Washington, and Canada. We can be seen in both prairies and forests.

Have You Seen Me?

I am a BIG member of the deer family, with a thick neck and slender legs. I stand about 4 ½ feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh up to 1000 pounds! I am light brown on my back and darker brown underneath. Male elk grow a set of antlers every year, called a rack. Younger males usually have smaller racks. They grow and shed these antlers yearly—it usually takes about seven months to grow a new set.

Liken’ Lichen!

YUM! Among other things, we eat lichen (pronounced “like-en”). Lichen is really two organisms in one: algae and a fungus growing together, usually on trees and rocks. We elk love lichen, and we also eat grass, shrubs, and woody vegetation. That’s quite a salad!

Life in the Harem

Male elk have a pretty rough job. Every fall they fight each other, hoofing at the ground and clashing antlers to establish who will be the bull who gets to hang out with the female elk herd (called a harem). Usually the strongest adult bull wins this privilege, but that isn’t always a prize worth winning! Sure, it means you get to mate with all the females, but what a responsibility! There can be up to 40 cows (female elk). The bull barely has time to eat, and he can’t sleep because he always has to keep an eye open for predators, as well as other bulls that might steal his herd.

Cows have their calves in May and early June. Each cow usually has only one calf, but sometimes she has two. The calves are dependent on their mothers for one month, but will stay with them and continue to nurse for up to nine months. Eventually, the harem bull runs off juvenile male elk.

Success Story

Roosevelt elk were in serious trouble in the early 1900s. We were killed by hunters for meat and for our teeth, which were made into jewelry. Livestock owners killed us because we competed with their herds for grazing space. Human development in the places where we lived and ate reduced our habitat size until we were almost wiped out. There were less than two dozen of us in California, living on a prairie near Wolf Creek Outdoor School. In 1948, the Save-the-Redwoods League came to the rescue, establishing an elk refuge and reserving 1600 acres for us at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. These efforts have helped to stabilize our population. There are now over 2000 Roosevelt elk in northwestern California.

Coho

Who Am I?

My common names are Silver Salmon and Coho salmon.

My scientific name is Oncorhynchus kisutch.

Have You Seen Me?

Guess what color we are! Our sides are shiny silver, while our bellies are dark blue or green. Sometimes we have black spots on the upper parts of our tail fins. We are, on the average, 24 inches long and weigh about 10 pounds. The largest recorded Coho salmon measured 38.5 inches and weighed over 30 pounds!

Smell Ya Later!

I can be seen from the Bering Sea to Mexico, but I am usually spotted north of Santa Cruz. Like all types of salmon, I am born in freshwater rivers, but I spend most of my life in the ocean. After about three years, it is time for me to spawn, to return to the river of my birth. Spawning females lay about 2,500 eggs, and spawning males follow the females around and try to fertilize these eggs. How do I find my way back to my home river? I can recognize my home river by smell or taste. Even after three years at sea, I come back to within 100 yards of the exact place I was born. That’s quite a nose for a fish.

Suffocating Eggs!

Many different factors have contributed to my declining population. First of all, excessive and careless timber harvesting around the rivers has decreased my habitat and caused erosion. Erosion (when water carries dirt downstream) can cause eggs to suffocate under all that dirt. Dredging, a technique for mining precious metals underwater, can also have the same effect. Illegal fishing, called poaching, has also killed many of us. My population has been decreasing for many years. Fortunately, organizations like the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management have begun programs (like the Klamath Fisheries Restoration Program) to save us!

What Can You Do?

Here are some suggestions:

If you are fishing for fun, practice proper catch and release techniques. This allows many people to enjoy sport fishing, but helps maintain our dwindling populations. Report poachers. Don’t let illegal fishermen ruin fishing for everybody. Help keep pollution and sediment, which can hurt us and our eggs, out of rivers and streams. Don’t poor oil or other waste products down storm grates, which lead to streams, and be cautious when hiking to not smash stream banks, sending their sediment into the streams.

Red-Legged Frog

Who Am I?

My common name is Red-legged Frog.

My scientific name is Rana aurora draytonii

Mark Twain and Frog Fame

One of Mark Twain’s first stories was the Jumping Frog of Calvaras County. The frog he wrote about was probably a Red-legged Frog. Some people think it was a bullfrog, but bullfrogs were not imported to California until many years after the story was written.

The Wetter the Better...

I live along the Pacific Coast, from Vancouver, British Columbia to northern Baja California. I like places that are damp, like redwood forests, and ponds with lots of shade.

Camouflage Gear...

I’m pretty big as far as frogs go. But I’m still only about four inches long. My back is usually reddish brown or gray. My underside is yellow and my abdomen and back legs are—you guessed it, red! My color makes me blend in well with things around me.

Bug Bites...

I love bugs. I’m always hungry, and I’ll eat almost anything that I can get into my mouth.

Baby Boom...

My breeding season is between March and April. I lay up to 20,000 eggs in shallow bodies of water, like ponds. Can you imagine having 19,999 brothers and sisters?

Save the Frogs!

We frogs are very sensitive to pollution. Unlike humans, we don’t have waterproof skin. In fact, our skin absorbs water easily. Polluted water from factories and cities has killed many of us. Chemicals sprayed on crops to kill insects can also hurt our population. Also, logging has reduced our habitat significantly, making it difficult for us to find good homes. If that isn’t enough, we are also threatened by the depletion of the ozone layer, which used to protect us from the sun’s harmful rays. Now, because the ozone layer is depleting, the sun’s rays that get through our thin skin and hurt our immune system, making it difficult for us to fight sickness.

The Exotic Bully

Bullfrogs, our enemies, are new to California. We called them an exotic species because they were brought here by humans from somewhere else. People imported to California and raised them for food. But some bull frogs escaped and now they are everywhere. Bullfrogs are bullies and will eat us if they see us.

What Can You Do?

First, help protect our homes. Support preservation of old-growth forests. Second, keep the planet clean and green. Work to prevent water and air pollution by finding out which companies dump their pollution into the water sources, and don’t buy their products. A car creates lots of air pollution, so leave it in the garage and ride your bike or walk. When you travel to other parts of the country, do not bring home exotic plants and animals.

The Day of Arrival: Final Check List

_ Luggage tagged

Tag or use masking tape to note each student’s name, school, and cabin

_ Toiletries packed separately

The odor of toiletries can attract animals if they are stored in cabins. All “stinky stuff” like toothpaste, deodorant, and sunscreen needs to be stored in the restroom cubbies. Students should pack toiletries separately. While at school, separate them into two boxes, one for the girls’ restroom and one for the boys’.

_ Journal bags ready and accessible

Make sure that each student has a pencil and eraser in their bag, and that the journal bags are easily accessible. Students will need their journal bags on for the hike-in activity.

_ Dressed and ready

Students should be dressed to go into the field. They should have rainwear ready, as the weather can change suddenly. No shorts or sandals are allowed at the Education Center. We don’t have poison oak, but we do have stinging nettles. Students and teachers should have at least two pairs of shoes. Rubber boots are great in the rain. Umbrellas are not recommended.

_ Lunches accessible

You must eat BEFORE your 12:00 noon arrival at Wolf Creek.

If you’re coming from the south, we suggest you stop at Redwood Information Center. It is 2 miles south of Orick on Highway 101. It has picnic tables, restrooms, a bookstore, and a park video. You can call the information center at 707-464-6101 ext. 5265 to schedule a short ranger talk and video presentation.

If you are coming from the north, we suggest you stop at Elk Prairie Campground in Prairie Creek State Park. They have a picnic area and a visitor center as well. You can call them for information at 707-464-6101 ext. 5300.

_ Paperwork ready

The driver(s) should have directions and the gate combination (given to you a week in advance).

Program Activities Description

Arrival and “Unnatural Hike”

The instructors will meet you when you arrive at the entrance gate. They will lead you on a hike to the Education Center along “unnatural trail,” where students will practice their observation skills and learn about trail etiquette and safety. Cabin leaders and drivers should proceed on to the Education Center by road so that they can help unload luggage and kitchen supplies.

Orientation and Move-In /Cabin Leader Meeting

As soon as all the hikers arrive at the Education Center, everyone gathers at the lodge for short orientation about rules and expectations. Students are then given a tour of the facilities and a program overview while parents and teachers meet with the Director to discuss logistics and safety.

Field Studies

After the orientation and move in, the students assemble at the lodge to begin the first field study. The ranger-on-duty calls out the students for each study group, and the groups make their way to the various ecosystems. In the old-growth forest, students learn about adaptation and interdependence. At the stream, students discuss water-cycling and how to ask testable questions. On the prairie, students explore classification systems and energy-flow. In all the studies, the lessons are interactive and hands-on. Students use their journals to records their insights and observations. Over the 2 ½ days, each study group visits all three ecosystems.

Campfires

Your first night, two Wolf Creek instructors lead the campfire program. Campfire programs reinforce the lessons of the day, blending them with fun and inspiration. Students may sing songs, act out skits, play games, see a slide program, or take a night hike.

The campfire on the second night is led by the teacher. Many teachers have each cabin group present skits and songs. You may also want to hire a local storyteller. Contact us for a list of available professionals. Some teachers invite parents for a special program. If so, you may give each parent the combination to the entrance gate. Please be aware, however, that our capacity in the lodge cannot exceed 100 people. Do not invite more than can be accommodated.

Story Time and Lights Out

At 9:00pm each night, students return to their cabins and get ready for bed. Reading to the students is an excellent way to get them settled down. We have many storybooks you may borrow, though you may want to bring your own materials for story time.

Sometimes students have a hard time sleeping in a strange place. We do not recommend that cabin leaders tell ghost stories—being at Wolf Creek can be a little scary for some children, even without ghost stories. We also strongly discourage giving children a sweet snack before bed. It inevitably leads to many trips to the bathroom. Every student (and grown-up) needs a good night’s sleep!

Concluding Activities

On the morning of the last day, the rangers lead students through a series of activities which review what they’ve learned and reinforce the overall message of stewardship. In the bead ceremony, students are awarded beads for each activity they successfully completed in their journals.

Outdoor School Schedule

What should you expect your days to be like at Outdoor School? Packed full of learning and fun! The shaded blocks remind you of your teacher or cabin leader-led activities. The rangers take the lead during unshaded times.

Time	Day One	Day Two	Day Three
7:00 am		Rise and Shine! Cooks make breakfast	Rise and Shine! Cooks make breakfast
8:00 am		Breakfast Chores	Breakfast Chores
9:00 am		Field Studies begin Meet at lodge	Concluding Activities Final Inspection Bead Ceremony
11:00 am			Leave Wolf Creek
11:30 am	Lunch on the road
12:00 am	Arrive at entrance gate “Unnatural Hike”		Next group arrives
12:30 pm	Orientation / Move-In Cabin Leader Meeting	Lunch at the lodge Student chores
1:30 pm	Field Studies begin Meet at lodge	Field Studies begin Meet at lodge
4:30 pm	Chores / Recreation	Chores / Recreation
6:00 pm	Dinner at the lodge Student chores	Dinner at the lodge Student chores
7:00 pm	Campfire	Campfire
9:00 pm	In bed / Story time	In bed /Story time
10:00 pm	Lights out!	Lights out!

Rules Adults Should Know

We’re sticklers for rules at Wolf Creek Education Center, and we expect adults to help us enforce them. Please review the rules and help us lead by example.

· In An Emergency, call 911 from the visitor phone in the back hallway

· Metal entrance gate

Lock the gate when coming and going; make sure you have the combination

Report strangers in the area to a park ranger or call 911.

· Automobiles

Park cars in the upper lot outside the wooden gate except when loading and unloading

· Telephone

You may use the visitor phone inside the lodge. The number is (707) 488-2421. There is no cell phone reception here.

· Food

Do not eat outside—help discourage wildlife from getting human food.

Keep bear resistant dumpsters locked.

Toiletries may smell like food to bears and other animals; keep toothpaste, perfume, or deodorant stored in the cubbies the bathrooms.

· Wildlife

Keep cabin doors and windows locked to keep critters out

Keep at least 50 yards away from elk

If you see a bear, elk, or mountain lion—get together as a group, back away slowly, and report your encounter to a ranger

· Pets

No pets are allowed at the Wolf Creek Education Center, except service animals.

· Substance Use

No alcohol, illegal drugs, or tobacco may be used at Wolf Creek Education Center.

Smoking is allowed only in the upper parking lot.

· Language and Mutual Respect

Students and adults should relate to one another with kindness and mutual respect.

Abusive language, inappropriate gestures, and/or hurtful physical contact will be grounds for dismissal and possibly prosecution.

· When Students Need to Go Home

Children going home mid-session for any reason are to be released only to the child’s parent, legal guardian, or school principal. If it is necessary for another adult to transport them, signed permission of the parent or guardian must be obtained in advance. Children are to be released only in the presence of the classroom teacher.

· Adults and Students

Students need to be supervised by adults at all times. At least two cabin leaders should be assigned to each cabin, and no adult should be alone with a child (for everyone’s protection). Trips to the bathroom at night should be made using the buddy system—students should go in pairs accompanied by an adult.

Wolf Creek Student Oath

The “Wolf Creek Student Oath” is given at orientation. Students are asked to promise to follow the rules below. Teachers should review the rules with the students and cabin leaders before arriving, so they know what’s expected of them.

I solemnly promise to obey the rules of Wolf Creek,

I will respect other people and their property
I will stay with my group and not wander off alone
I will stay on the trail, walk and not run
I will clean up after myself
I will be on time for activities and complete my assignments
I will obey the cabin leaders, teachers, and rangers
I will keep stinky stuff in the restroom cubbies and not in my cabin
I will leave nature as I found it.
I will not feed or tease animals
I will not kiss slugs
I will have a good attitude and a great time!

Supervision and Discipline Policy

The classroom teacher has overall responsibility for the discipline and welfare of students. During field studies, the rangers share the responsibility for classroom discipline with the teacher. While the ranger is leading an activity, the cabin leaders or teacher may step in to quell any inappropriate behavior that the instructor does not notice. Otherwise, the rangers will bring any discipline problems to the Wolf Creek director at the end of each field study. The director will confer with the teacher about the action to be taken.

Discipline Standards

Teachers should review the Rules for Students with the class before arrival. At Wolf Creek the staff goes by THREE STRIKES AND YOU’RE OUT!

1st Incident Student given a verbal warning.

2nd Incident Student given Time Out

3rd Incident Student is asked to leave the activity and is escorted by an adult to the director’s office where student, teacher, and director will discuss the incident and its consequences. Ultimately, teachers should have transportation ready so that students can be sent home if necessary.

Grievous or criminal behavior

Behavior that endangers the safety of others or involve the malicious destruction of property may result in the responsible student(s) being immediately sent home. Teachers will need to have special transportation arrangements planned should such situations arise.

Recreation Activities

Students at Wolf Creek work hard during their field studies, and they like to play hard after classes. Teachers and cabin leaders are responsible for leading recreational activities at the end of the day.

Teachers are welcome to bring any equipment or materials they want to Wolf Creek. We also have a closet full of games and equipment to share, including:

Other Ideas:

Hikes

The Raven Ridge Trek is a hike we don’t usually take the kids on during field studies. It is a 1½ mile loop trail ascends a steep forested ridgeline west of the Wolf Creek Education Center.

Stories

Wolf Creek has a small library of kids’ books. Or make up your own!

Environmental Art

Wolf Creek has a limited amount of art materials. Give us a call in advance to find out what’s available or bring your own materials.

Eco‑skits

Create and practice student-written skits for campfire. We have a modest collection of costumes. See Cabin Names and Cabin Activities for more ideas.

Parachute Games

These games can be enjoyable for children from grades one to six. One parachute is big enough for the typical 30-person class.

Elevator

Begin with the chute taut and at ground level. On the command, “Elevator up”, lift the chute overhead while keeping it stretched tight. On the command, “Elevator down”, lower the chute to the starting position. Levels can also bring in body part identification, with children holding the chute even with their heads, noses, chins, shoulders, chests, waists, thighs, knees, ankles, and toes.

Tent

Begin with children kneeling on one knee and holding chute at ground level. Raise the chute to create a dome. Everyone takes one step in and sits down on the ground, holding the parachute behind them. This should create a tent.

Shark Attack

Begin with children kneeling on one knee and holding the chute at ground level. Raise the chute to create a dome. Students sit with the tent covering their legs. One student is designated to be the shark. The shark goes under the chute. The remaining students make waves in the chute by lifting in up and down. The shark travels under the waves with her hands above her head to make a fin. The shark may attack anyone by tugging on his or her feet. Once the shark attacks a student the student disappears under the chute and also becomes a shark. The activity continues until everyone is under the chute.

Number Exchange

Children are numbered from one to four. The leader calls a number as a dome is made, and those with the number called must exchange positions before the chute comes down. This can be varied by calling “everyone with white shirts” etc. Also, the locomotion can be changed to skipping or hopping or crawling to the opposite side.

Ball Circle

Place a beach ball or basketball on the raised chute. Make the ball roll around the chute in a large circle, controlling it by raising or lowering the chute. Try the same with two balls.

Popcorn

Place a number of beanbags on the chute. Shake the chute to make them jump like popcorn. Try the same with whiffle balls and try to keep them in the chute.

Hole in One

Use four or more plastic whiffle balls the size of golf balls. The balls should be of two different colors. The class is divided into two teams on opposite sides of the chute. The object is to shake the other team’s balls into the hole in the center of the chute.

Post-Visit Activities

Reinforce the concepts learned at Wolf Creek by doing one or more of these post-visit activities in your classroom. The final page of the journal has a post-visit reflective writing activity. We also suggest:

I. “Dear Friend” Letter

Students will write a letter to a student who will attend Wolf Creek next year

Subject: Language Arts

Related Standards:

Language Arts:

5th: 2.4 Write persuasive letters or compositions

6th: 1.2 Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions
Duration: 1-2 class periods

Objectives: After completing this activity, students will be able to a). Write a persuasive, multi-paragraph letter about their experience at Wolf Creek b). Provide an honest assessment about something they learned at Wolf Creek

Procedure:

1. Many teachers have their students write a ‘thank you’ letter after returning from Wolf Creek. It is an exercise in good manners as well as writing practice. Consider this alternative: ask the students to write a letter to an unnamed student who will attend Wolf Creek next year, telling them about something they learned at Wolf Creek. This will serve the dual purpose of enabling you to see what the students have learned, and the park to consider adjustments for the program.

2. Before writing the letters, lead a discussion on the camp experience and list on the chalkboard the activities during their stay at Wolf Creek. Do not ask them to assess the program to you, but encourage them to do this in their letters. They will be far more honest if writing to a ‘friend’ and you will get a fuller, more valuable evaluation.

3. Make a photocopy of these letters and mail a set to Wolf Creek. We’re interested in the students’ evaluation of their experience.

II. Global Ecosystems Comparison

Students will learn about different ecosystems and develop a strategy for comparing them.

Subjects: Science, Language Arts

Related Standards:

Language Arts:

5th & 6th: 1.0Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience.

Science:

6th: 5e Students know the number and types of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and on abiotic factors, such as quantities of light and water, a range of temperatures, and soil composition

Duration: 1-2 class periods

Objectives: After completing this activity the student will be able to a). Identify characteristics of one of Redwood National and State Parks’ ecosystems, b). Recognize that differences exist in other ecosystems across the world, and c). Explain the natural and human impact within different ecosystems.

Procedure

1. Divide the class into groups to learn about some of the highly diverse ecosystems elsewhere in the world. The research may be carried out online and with books. Look at the Mojave Desert of the American Southwest, the Kenyan savanna, Brazilian rainforest, and the Siberian Arctic.*

2. The groups will consider the following characteristics of the ecosystem they research:

Climate and temperature
Variety of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses
Duration of the growing season
Wildlife
Principal challenges for survival
Human adaptability

3. Encourage the students to present a sensory picture of the ecosystem they study. Consider the colors, sounds, animal adaptability (such as short limbs and large body trunks in cold climates and long limbs in hotter ones), surrounding odors, and edible plants and animals.

4. Students will choose a spokesperson in their group to role play someone living a traditional lifestyle in the ecosystem they have studied.

5. Each group will share the written and visual information (maps, images, magazine illustrations, etc.) on a classroom mural.

* Other regions may be more appropriate to the curriculum.

III. Logging Skit*

Students research historical advances in the logging industry and demonstrate their understanding by writing and performing skits.

Subjects: Science, Language Arts, Social Studies

Related Standards:

Science:

6th: 6b.Students know different natural energy and material resources, including air, soil, rocks, minerals, petroleum, fresh water, wildlife, and forests, and know how to classify them as renewable or nonrenewable.

Language Arts:

5th & 6th: 1.0 Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and relate to the background and interests of the audience.

Social Studies:

5^th: 5.8 Students trace the colonization, immigration, and settlement patterns of the American people from 1789 to the mid-1800s, with emphasis on the role of economic incentives, effects of the physical and political geography, and transportation systems.

Performing Arts:

5^th: 2.1 Participate in improvisational activities to explore complex ideas and universal themes in literature and life. 6^th: 2.1 Participate in improvisational activities, demonstrating an understanding of text, subtext, and context.

Duration: 1-2 class periods

Objectives: After completing the activity students will be able to a). Describe the role played by technology in the logging industry, b). Recognize the impact of the industry from different perspectives, c). Understand the human impact of conservation measures.

Procedure:

1. Read the logging information sheet which gives a brief timeline of the industry (next page). Students will then research further information before proceeding with the activity.

2. Identify the historical impact of the logging industry on conservation practices, job opportunities, work skills, and the family life of those working in the redwood region.

3. Student groups will each choose a different historic period to show how technological change altered the human impact of the logging industry, and write a 5-7 minute skit about the particular period.

4. The characters in each skit will present the opposing perspectives, e.g. big business and conservation; the potential for future prosperity weighed against family isolation.

5. The skits will be presented in class and/or at the Teacher-Led Campfire at Wolf Creek.

* This could also be a pre-visit activity

Logging Industry Information

In 1848, a year before the celebrated gold rush began, gold was found near here along the Trinity River and Gold Bluffs beach. As soon as the rush slowed down, the commercial prospects for logging took over, and in 1851 logs were floated down river to small mills.

At first, it took a whole week for several men with axes, saws and explosive powder to fell a single tree. Teams of yoked oxen took on the laborious task of transporting sections of the logs on greased wooden skid roads. A few years later, oxen were replaced by horses. Narrow gauge railways reached the area during the 1870s, and the innovative ‘steam donkey’ a contraption that moved logs by cable, came into use in 1882. Ten years after that, the stronger ‘bull donkey’ could drag several logs at a rate of one hundred and fifty feet per minute. Demand for timber went way up after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. Many homes were rebuilt with redwood from this area.

High-tech replaced low-tech. Bulldozers and trucks took over the job of transporting cut timber. Power implements replaced handsaws. Forests could and were cut down much faster than ever before.

This made people recognize the need to conserve and protect some forests. Organizations like the Save-the-Redwoods League and the Sempervirens Club raised funds to buy land so that the timber wouldn’t be harvested. They worked hard to get political assurance that the redwoods would be protected.

Many books and articles relate the history of the redwood logging industry. Three chapters in Coast Redwood: A Natural and Cultural History, edited by John Evarts and Marjorie Popper, cover the history of logging and conservation. The book is readily available and good readers in upper elementary and middle school grades would find a full and clear picture of the story here.

References

Eifert, Larry. Field Guide to Old-Growth Forests, Seattle, Sasquatch Books, 2000.

Evarts, John and Marjorie Popper (eds.), Coast Redwood: A Natural and cultural History, Los Olivos, CA, Cachuma Press, 2001.

Kircher, John and Gordon Morrison, California and Pacific Northwest Forests, Peterson Field Guide, New York, Houghton Mifflin, 1998 edition.

Redwood National and State Parks: Official Map and Guide, Williams, Richard L.

The Loggers, Time-Life series, The Old West.

IV. Create a Redwood Forest Quilt

Students will design and create a quilt to capture the variety of plants and animals found in Redwood National and State Parks

Subjects: Science; Art

Related Standards:

Duration: 2 class periods

Objectives: After completing the activity students will be able to a). Visually interpret the natural history of the Pacific Northwest forest ecosystem and b). Recognize the diversity of plant and animal life in the Redwood National Park.

Procedure:

1. Provide materials for each student to design a plant or creature in the park. The quilt may be constructed with squares of washable fabric and colored Sharpies, or on sheets of paper. Supply quilt backing or poster board to complete the quilt.

2. Lead a discussion on the variety of plant and animal life in the park.

3. Students will each design and sketch a single segment of the quilt.

4. Check the designs before assembling the quilt and have students initial their contribution.

5. Display the completed quilt for other classes to see.

6. If time and resources permit, students may transfer their own or another design electronically onto a tee-shirt.

Wolf Creek Education Center

Outdoor School Reservation Form

Please fill in the dates of your visit.

1. First Choice: _____________ 12:00 noon to _________________ 11:00 am

Second Choice: ______________ 12:00 noon to _________________ 11:00 am

Third Choice: ______________ at Third Choice: _______________ 12:00 noon to _________________ 11:00 am

2. Organization name and address:

_______________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

3. Name of contact person(s)/teacher(s): _______________________________

4. E-mail addresses of contact person(s)/teacher(s): ______________________________________________________________

5. Phone numbers:

Day (__________) ____________ Evening (__________) __________

6.

Del Norte Teachers

Check here if you would like to request HSU interns to act as cabin leaders:    ______

Grade level: _____

7. Number of students:______

8. Number of adult cabin leaders (1:10 ratio required) : _________

9. Other special considerations: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For staff use only:

Date registration received: _______/________/_______ Initial ____________

Date confirmation mailed: ______/_________/_______ Initial ____________

Cabins: Study groups: Adults: Cooks:

Use Agreement for Outdoor School Groups

The following are basic conditions for using the Wolf Creek Education Center. We reserve the right to cancel the reservation of groups failing to comply with these policies and conditions.

1. Teachers and cabin leaders must fulfill their responsibilities according to “How Wolf Creek Works: Roles and Responsibilities”

2. Groups will keep the Wolf Creek gate closed and locked at all times.

3. After dropping off supplies at the lodge, groups will park their vehicles in the upper parking lot for the safety of visitors

4. Federal and state laws prohibit feeding of wildlife, including birds.

5. All foods must be kept in the kitchen. All toiletries (such as toothpaste, deodorant, lotion) should be stored in the shower house. This discourages animals from finding human food.

6. Lock garbage from the lodge in the bear-proof dumpsters. Never leave it unattended on the ground. Contact a ranger if the dumpster is full.

7. Keep cabin doors and windows closed when unoccupied

8. Food and garbage should not be stored in vehicles, unless locked in a trunk.

9. Do not use the Prairie Creek streambed as a play area when salmon redds are present in the streambed (November through June).

10. Do not use fire extinguishers or smoke detectors at the facility for any reason except an emergency fire.

11. Groups will report all bear and cougar sightings. Call (707) 464-6101 ext. 5272 immediately. If a bear is sighted, adults should attempt to scare it away by making noise.

12. Keep a shovel and a bucket of water near the campfire area. Put all fires dead out after using the fire ring. Never leave a campfire unattended.

13. Leave plants or wildlife undisturbed; do not pick flowers.

14. During wind storms trees commonly shed large branches. Groups are advised not to travel in wooded areas during periods of strong winds.

15. Clean the facility before departure according to the posted cleaning checklists.

16. Dogs and other pets are not allowed at the Wolf Creek Education Center.

17. The person signing this Use Agreement is responsible for making certain that all adult leaders receive a copy prior to their arrival.

I have read and understand what is required of my group while at the Wolf Creek Education Center, Redwood National and State Parks. I understand that failure to obey these policies could result in my immediate removal from the site and/or not being able to return with a group again.

Signature: _____________________________________________ Date: __________________

Print Name: _________________________________ Group Name: ____________________

Please bring this form with you to Wolf Creek and give it to the Director.

Cabin Leader Agreement Form

NAME___________________________________________

PHONE_________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________________________________________

CITY_________________________ STATE___________ ZIP___________________

By signing this contract, you are committing yourself to serve as a cabin leader at Wolf Creek Education Center’s Program, and agree to do the following.

1. I agree to fulfill, to the best of my ability, the obligation of cabin leader for students at the Wolf Creek Education Center.

2. I have read How Wolf Creek Works: Roles and Responsibilities and I know that I am responsible for the emotional and physical health and safety of the children in my cabin group 24 hours per day.

3. I have read Rules for Grown-ups and Rules for Students and agree to abide by them and lead by example; I understand that I may be dismissed if I do not follow them

4. I understand that I will be dismissed immediately, and further appropriate action will be taken if I:

a) Have any involvement with drugs at the Wolf Creek Education Center

b) Leave any students unattended

c) Use any inappropriate physical contact, gestures, or language with a student or other adult.

SIGNATURE________________________________________ DATE__________________

Please return this agreement to the teacher. The teacher will bring this agreement to the Wolf Creek Education Center.

Cabin Group Lists

(Teachers: Please make one copy for each Cabin Leader and one for Wolf Creek)

There are six cabins and each has eight bunks (16 beds). Please divide your students into cabin groups with two adults per cabin. The fewer students per cabin, the easier it will be for the leaders!

Cabin # 1: Marbled Murrelet