ESCAPE to Colorado National Monument Stop 3

Biological soil crust seen along the side of a trail at Colorado National Monument.

NPS

Quick Facts

Location:

Colorado National Mondument

This is the third stop along the ESCAPE to Colorado National Monument experience. The purpose of this activity is to identify those people in our lives who build up our self-confidence and add positivity to our lives. Once the activity is complete, you can answer the clue to release the third code.

Bust The Crust Activity

Look around your feet. Did you know there is a lot of biological activity in dirt? Have you noticed the bumpy, knobby, and sometimes dark soil along the trails? That’s biological soil crust! Just like a coral reef is formed over time by lots of small organisms living together, soil crust is formed the same way. Moss, lichen, green algae, cyanobacteria (sigh-AN-oh bacteria), and microfungi all work together to hold sand grains in place and create an environment where seeds can grow. We as people are a bit like the earth’s crust. We have a lot going on inside ourselves that help us be strong: we give our bodies rest, we give our bodies nutrition, some of us get exercise by playing with friends or playing sports. One of our “crust layers” we want to keep intact are our friendships. We want people in our lives who won’t BUST OUR CRUSTS. We want to keep ourselves, our friends, and each other intact. Think about being bullied – that can really bust our crust! Now think about spending time with someone you really like – doesn’t that feel good? Like the biological crust – a single footprint off the trail can erase decades of growth. Bullying, teasing, and intimidating break us down just like crust. Build others up – positivity is contagious!

Take a few moments to reflect on some things that “bust our crusts”. Not too long – we don’t want to spend too much time focusing on the things that bother us. Now, take a moment to think about the people in your life who help build up your crust. Maybe it’s your best friend who always makes you laugh or shares the best memes. Or perhaps it is someone online you play video games with. Maybe it’s a grandparent or someone you play sports with. These positive people, the ones who “build up our crust” are the people we want to surround ourselves with. Not people who break us down – and bust our crusts! When we form friendships and bonds with positive people, we let them in to see who we truly are. It can be scary to open up and be vulnerable with another person, but it’s worth it! These are the people who you can lean on when the times get hard – and I bet you can return that favor to them when they need a positive influence in their lives. We help build each other’s layers – just like the geology in the rocks all around you here at Colorado National Monument.

Third Code Clue

Clue: being this eight-letter word builds us up, and builds our crust, being negative break us down.

Write down your answer and save it for later. Consider designating a “code keeper” in the group to remember or keep track of the code-words.

Now that you have your word, move to “ESCAPE to Colorado National Monument Stop 4” to continue. 

Want More?

If you enjoyed this activity, think about how you can be a positive influence on someone else. When you are having a bad day, what are some ways you can still have a positive outlook on yourself, or how can you create positive thoughts about tomorrow?