Area 5th graders taking the classroom outdoors

Do you know the difference between soil and dirt? Is Garlic Mustard a native plant or is it a non-native invasive plant? What materials are recyclable in Dunn County? These are just a few of the things that 240 fifth grade students from Boyceville, Colfax, and Elk Mound learned during two separate Environmental Field Days hosted by the Dunn Environmental Education Steering Committee (DEESC).

Students were given the opportunity to experience hands-on learning at stations set up at both the Bjornson Education-Recreation Center near Knapp and the forest at the Elk Mound School District property on May 3rd and 5th respectively. Individuals from nine different agencies and non-profit groups shared their knowledge to make it a fun learning experience for the students.

A few of the activities that the kids participated in were building a soil profile and naming their soil; using keys and magnifying glasses to identify macroinvertebrates that live in our streams; playing recycling games to find out what materials can be recycled in Dunn County; learning about soil textures and colors; identifying native and invasive plants; and, discovering the circle of life in the animal kingdom.

To learn more about the DEESC, visit Dunn County’s website at http://www.co.dunn.wi.us/ and search for “youth education”.