West Hill Dam hosted back-to back-events July 20 that focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
The first event, Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day took place on July 20. The second event, for Junior Rangers only, featured Professor Brandi VanRoos from Framingham State University.
About 56 children and their families participated in the Beginning Bridges Event. Activities included building dams, learning the soil layers with Summer Park Ranger Sally Carullo who operated the auger to get down to the different layers, as well as building a solar shower and building and cooking in a solar oven.
“The kids made coffee for their parents, solar tea for the Park Rangers, waffles, toast and popcorn,” said Viola Bramel, Park Ranger at West Hill Dam and the event coordinator.
The final activity for the Beginning Bridges event was identifying and aging trees. The participants sampled flavors from trees such as sassafras, birch soda and more.
Although this is the first time Bramel and Beginning Bridges coordinator Emily Murray brought the Five Senses and Solar Cooking event to West Hill, it is not the first time that the two agencies have worked together. Last year Bramel and Murray held a sand castle event at the project.
Later that evening Professor VanRoos showed Level 1 Junior Rangers how to track animals using technology during her Techniques for Observing Nocturnal Animals presentation.
The session was one of five required sessions the Junior Rangers needed to earn their badges.
During the activity, the children pretended to be animals such as deer, mice and bears for about 40 minutes as Professor VanRoos tracked the “animals” using a camera and a mounted trip plate. She took the SIM card and downloaded the video and loaded it onto her laptop to show the children how she tracked them.
These two events were just a sampling of the interpretive programs that West Hill Dam hosts year round. For more information on upcoming programs, please go to: http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Portals/74/docs/Recreation/WHD/West_Hill_Events_2016.pdf
West Hill Dam hosted back-to back-events July 20 that focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
The first event, Beginning Bridges Five Senses and Solar Power Day took place on July 20. The second event, for Junior Rangers only, featured Professor Brandi VanRoos from Framingham State University.
About 56 children and their families participated in the Beginning Bridges Event. Activities included building dams, learning the soil layers with Summer Park Ranger Sally Carullo who operated the auger to get down to the different layers, as well as building a solar shower and building and cooking in a solar oven.
“The kids made coffee for their parents, solar tea for the Park Rangers, waffles, toast and popcorn,” said Viola Bramel, Park Ranger at West Hill Dam and the event coordinator.
The final activity for the Beginning Bridges event was identifying and aging trees. The participants sampled flavors from trees such as sassafras, birch soda and more.
Although this is the first time Bramel and Beginning Bridges coordinator Emily Murray brought the Five Senses and Solar Cooking event to West Hill, it is not the first time that the two agencies have worked together. Last year Bramel and Murray held a sand castle event at the project.
Later that evening Professor VanRoos showed Level 1 Junior Rangers how to track animals using technology during her Techniques for Observing Nocturnal Animals presentation.
The session was one of five required sessions the Junior Rangers needed to earn their badges.
During the activity, the children pretended to be animals such as deer, mice and bears for about 40 minutes as Professor VanRoos tracked the “animals” using a camera and a mounted trip plate. She took the SIM card and downloaded the video and loaded it onto her laptop to show the children how she tracked them.
These two events were just a sampling of the interpretive programs that West Hill Dam hosts year round. For more information on upcoming programs, please go to: http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Portals/74/docs/Recreation/WHD/West_Hill_Events_2016.pdf