Excited second-grade students and 13 parents and teachers from Mancos Elementary climbed on board the bus during February for a field trip to a new mountain lion exhibit at the Anasazi Heritage Center.
Diane McBride, a contractor for education and stewardship, welcomed and briefed the students on the activities for the day. The group toured a new exhibit, made masks and did an activity on mountain lion adaptations, called the Mountain Lion Olympics.
The weather held out long enough for the group to record how fast they could run 100 feet before they headed inside for lunch.
"This has been a wonderful experience, very-age appropriate activities," said Katie Rawlings, a second-grade teacher.
She wanted to make sure the students made a good impression because it was the first time the activities were presented for a field trip. Additionally, this was a great way to follow-up classroom instruction on animal adaptations, part of the state's curriculum for second grade.
The trip was a great opportunity for the kids to get out of the classroom and learn more about these amazing creatures. The second-grade class left with a new appreciation for what to do if a mountain lion were encountered.
A parent, Travis Imel, also shared his encounter with a full-grown mountain lion in Lewis, Colo., in his garage when he was just 2 years old. The program was informative and very worthwhile. territory.
The field trip was made possible by funding from Outdoor Wild Learning with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Bucks for Buses with Southwest Canyon Alliance.
Tanya Brown is a parent and community volunteer coordinator with the Mancos School District.