This summer, Land Labs had its first lesson at Misery Point Preserve in Seabeck. Over three different field experiences, a total of 40 students visited Misery Point and participated in the newest Land Labs shoreline lesson. Students in elementary school all the way through high school explored the wildlife along the Hood Canal shoreline, discovered the importance of eelgrass beds, and learned about the geology of feeder bluffs.
To explore the eelgrass beds in the Hood Canal, students and staff kayaked together around Misery Point. Eelgrass beds are important habitat for salmon, Pacific herring, migratory birds, crabs, and many other marine species. These beds also protect shorelines from erosion.
To help make connections between what students were observing and what they were learning about, journaling was used as a teaching tool to support student-led learning. Students explored the shoreline and responded to writing prompts to guide their focus. They could either choose to journal about all that they could find at Misery Point or choose one specific organism to focus on. An optional activity to include in their journal entries was to write a poem inspired by what they found.
Below, you can see some of the students’ nature journals from that day.
These summer Land Labs lessons connected students to the land and created a unique opportunity for environmental education outside of the normal school year.
Are you interested in supporting outdoor education? We are looking for volunteer educators to participate in our fall semester program, no experience needed! Click the link below to get started:
For questions, contact landlabs@greatpeninsula.org