ID – Galena Creek Park Field Studies

Rainshadow Community Charter High School – Fall 2010 ID Project Group Syllabus
Joe Ferguson *** joe@rainshadowcchs.org *** www.joerainshadow.weebly.com
Course Description: In this class, we will be collaborating with the Great Basin Institute to visit,
learn about, explore, and become experts on The Galena Creek Park Recreation Area, and Nevada
and California wilderness areas beyond. Set on the foothill of Mt. Rose, Galena Creek Regional Park
and its visitor center aim to encourage understanding, appreciation, and wise use of the natural,
cultural, and historical resources of the Galena Canyon area and the Mt. Rose Scenic Byway. Our
class will take part in many activities and projects including, but not limited to, leading interpretive
and seasonal programs through the visitor center, discover local animals, plants, birds, fish, rocks,
and cultural history through hands-on games, hikes, guided activities, and special guests, explore
other area parks, do “Learn & Serve” projects, help with the Campfire Series, lead naturalist hikes,
and more. The Great Basin Institute is an interdisciplinary field studies organization that promotes
environmental research, education, and conservation throughout the West. The Institute advances
ecological literacy and habitat restoration through educational outreach and direct service programs.
Course Aims and Objectives for this Semester:
Upon completion of this semester course of study, students will be able to…
- Develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world while studying nature.
- Use observation skills to become aware of the natural world.
- Investigate the historical aspects of Galena Creek Park.
- Work with community and nonprofit groups on a variety of projects.
- Understand and utilize Leave No Trace Ethics while exploring natural areas.
- Utilize proper safety and precaution while travelling in and exploring nature.
- Carry out activities in the wild such as camping, hiking, and finding food and shelter.
- Differentiate and interpret the different ecosystems that exist in Northern Nevada.
- Identify and appreciate the vast array of wildlife that relies on local nature to survive.
- Know and understand the history and ecology of the plant species that call Galena Park home.
- Understand the basics of the map & compass, GPS, orienteering, and navigation.
- Know the basics of winter ecology and survival in extreme climates/conditions.
- Create websites to communicate your experiences with classmates and the outside world.
Requirements:
- Participation in classroom and field activities every day.
- Record of journal entries, notes, other writings and classroom assignments.
- Completed portfolio of projects and assignments (see requirements below).
- Completion of major student-driven projects and presentations.

Week / Dates Monday - Friday

1) Course intro. School rules and TERMS. Team building, getting to know one another,
Aug 30 - Sept 3 games. Intro to Weebly and website creation. Learning styles. Special guest presentations.
2) Friday field trip to Grizzly Creek Ranch for Ropes Challenge Course. No class Tuesday –
Sept 6-10 Thursday. No School Monday (Labor Day)
3) Intro to Galena Creek Park. Becoming a Naturalist. Developing a sense of wonder and
Sept 13-17 curiosity about the world while studying nature. Using observation skills to become aware
of the world around you. Galena Fest 2010 preparations. Special guest presentations.
4) Friday field trip to Galena Creek Park. Becoming a Naturalist at the park. Interpreting
Sept 20-24 what we see. Fields, Forests, Rivers, and Riparian. Animals and Plants. Investigating the
historical aspects of the park. Help prepare for Galena Fest 2010. Galena Fest 2010 is
Sunday Sept. 26th. No class Mon-Wed. No School Thursday (Professional Development)
5) Intro to camping and stargazing. The Happy Camper Guide. Leave No Trace Ethics.
Sept 27 - Oct 1 Camping gear. Guest Presentation. Intro to astronomy, the origin of stars, planets, etc.
How to view the night sky.
6) Thursday to Friday camping trip to Davis Creek Park. Thursday Night: Galena Creek Park
Oct 4-8 or Davis Creek Park for astronomy / star gazing lesson. Camping at Davis Creek Park
campground. Friday: Galena Creek Park morning hike. No class Monday-Wednesday.
7) Intro to hiking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Gear and expectations. Fitness and
Oct 11-15 readiness. History of the Sierra Nevada Range. Lake Tahoe and the surrounding peaks.
Maps and trailguides. Intro to the map and compass. Intro to GPS.
8) Friday field trip to Mt. Rose Summit and hike to Mt. Rose Peak. Seeing Galena Creek
Oct 18-22 Park from the top. Interpreting what we see on the hike; plants, animals, rocks. Changes
with elevation. Moving from the high desert to the subalpine. No class Mon-Thursday.
9) Intro to ornithology / birding. Lahontan Audubon Society guest presentations. Bird
Oct 25-29 species of northern Nevada. Migration and migratory vs. resident birds. Survival strategies.
Bird species loss and conservation. Rachel Carson and Silent Spring. North American
threatened and endangered birds project. No School Monday (Professional Development)
10) Friday field trip to Galena Creek Park. Morning hiking and birding with Lahontan
Nov 1-5 Audubon Society volunteers. No class Monday-Thursday.
11) Intro to Forest Ecology. How do trees and other plant species fight to survive harsh
Nov 8-12 climates. Make native plants book to be completed in field. History of the plants of
Galena Creek Park. Identifying plants based on their characteristics. Monocots, dicots,
angiosperms, gymnosperms, evergreens, deciduous. No School Thursday (Veterans Day)
12) Friday field trip to Galena Creek Park. Morning hike and plant book creation with Great
Nov 15-19 Basin forest and range plant ecologist volunteers. Plant species distribution. Which
animals rely on which plants for food and shelter? Food webs and symbiotic relationships.
No class Monday-Thursday.
13) Intro to orienteering and map reading. GPS coordinates and cartography. Google Earth.
Nov 22-26 Geocaching in our neighborhood. Scavenger hunt. How to find your way when you are
lost. No School Thursday - Friday (Thanksgiving)
14) Friday field trip to Galena Creek Park. Orienteering lab with the map and compass.
Nov 29 - Dec 3 Setting our geocaches in the park. Creating an educational experience for geocachers at
Galena Creek Park. No class Monday-Thursday.
15) Friday field trip to Galena Creek Park. Finishing our geocaching project in the park.
Dec 6-10 Snowshoeing with Sierra Nevada Journeys at Sky Tavern. Intro to winter survival. Shelter
building, cooking food and staying warm. Avalanche safety and measuring snowpack. No
class Monday-Thursday.
16) Intro to winter ecology. How does our field site change as the seasons change? How do
Dec 13-17 animals and plants survive harsh climates? Arctic and Antarctic biomes. Exploration and
the adventures of Ernest Shackleton.
17) The animal life of Galena Creek Park. Interactions in nature. Intro to animal tracking.
Jan 3-7 What signs and clues do animals give us. What fish live in the park? How did the fish
hatchery operate? How to take action in the community to help protect the native animal
species of Nevada.
18) Friday field trip to Galena Creek Park. Winter Ecology Lab. Tracking animals. Measuring
Jan 10-14 snowpack. Adding to our caches. No class Monday-Thursday.
19) Last week of the semester. Finish portfolios and websites. Course reflection and
Jan 18-21 evaluation. What didn’t we quite get to? What do we want to do next semester in here?
No School Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Grading Policy and Assessment: This interdisciplinary course of study is worth approximately 2500 points. It is
worth 1 high school elective credit per semester.
Point Breakdown:
Attendance and Participation – 500 points
Completed Work Folder – 500 points
- includes notes, journal entries, website updates, mini-projects, quizzes, tests, and other classwork.
Major Group and Solo Projects and Presentations – 500 points
Completed Rainshadow Online Portfolio – 500 points
Club Attendance and Participation – 500 points
Portfolio Contents: You will submit components from this course into your Rainshadow portfolio that will
showcase your work for the full semester course of study. Your portfolio will contain your best work from this
class and will be a demonstration of your skills and growth as a Rainshadow CCHS student. It will be expected
that your major projects and several other pieces of work from this class will be components of your portfolio.