Who Wants to Go For a Hike? (We're going anyways!)

Day 5

Goals:

1. To expose students to some of the oppurtunities of hiking in the Caribbean through netsites and discussion.

2. Discuss benefits of hiking.

3. To go on a brief hike as a class or hike around the school area if a field trip is not feasible.

Time:

1-2 hours (3-4 hours if the class goes on a field trip)

Resources/Materials:

chalk, chalkboard, computer lab with internet access, map of school area for hike, (if field trip to park - transportation, permission slips previously acquired, chaperones, field guide or hike leader(s)), net sites for Caribbean hiking information:


http://www.gorp.com/atb/camer/g1521.htm




http://www.interknowledge.com/stkitts-nevis/kneco01.htm




http://www.obs-us.com/obs/english/books/pg/pg510.htm

Procedure:

1. Ask students to come up with ideas that are benefits to hiking in general. "What are some benefits to hiking in nature?" "What does it offer to people who choose to hike in nature rather than just look from sides of roads?" Write ideas on the board or have students write their own ideas on the board as they think of them. 15-20 minutes.

2. Next put the website from above that is titled "Caribbean Afoot: A Hiking Guide to the Caribbean" (http://www.gorp.com/atb/camer/g1521.htm) on the board. Ask students to investigate this site and read the journal and details links offered. Ask them to write down benefits to the record of this person's hike in the Caribbean they see and understand by reading the journal. Go to the lab and investigate these sites. 20-30 minutes.

3. Have the class come back together and discuss the journal they read. "What were some of the benefits of hiking?" "What are some benefits particularly associated with hiking in the Caribbean?" "What did this person get out of their adventure that other people who don't go hiking wouldn't?" Put ideas on the board.

4. Discuss with students what is needed on a hike in general. Optional: website "Caribbean Walking and Hiking Guide" explains some of the needs of hikers. 5-10 minutes.

5. Give students internet sites to write down in notebooks that relate to hiking in the Caribbean and some of the things that people are able to see there. Students can investigate these sites on their own time if they are interested.

6. For the remainder of the lesson, a class hike is to be organized. Explain to the students that they will be going on a hike around the neighborhood. Pass out area maps so the class can plan where they will go before they set off outside the school. The instructor should facilitate a short, but worthwhile, walk around the area. Take the students out on a short hike (with chaperones or other teachers).

7. When the class gets back, ask, "What would you miss if you had driven the route rather than walked it?" - miss small more detailed things, smells "What do you get out of hiking rather than driving?" - exercise.

Assessment:

Use rubric for student cooperation in this lesson.

Rubric:

4 The student actively facilitates the identification of the group goal, which is to discuss hiking and go on a hike at the end of the lesson, cooperates successfully with what is expected of them, and encourages other students to identify with the goal.

3 The student commits to the group goal and carries out what is expected of him/her.

2 The student communicates a commitment to the group goal, but does not carry out what is expected of him/her fully.

1 The student does not work toward the group goal and/or actively works against it.

Curricular Strands:

Physical Education - benefits of exercising, hike around neighborhood

Self-Discovery - self benefits to hiking

Social Studies - special characteristics of the Caribbean to see by hiking

This page submitted by St. Norbert College Ocean Voyagers Program