ARCHBOLD BIOLOGICAL STATION’S 2016 Ecology ......2016 Summer Camp Report This report presents an...

ARCHBOLD BIOLOGICAL STATION’S

2016 Ecology Summer Camp Reportby Dustin Angell, 2016

Archbold Biological Station Ecology Summer Camp 2016

2016 Summer Camp Report

This report presents an overview of the 2016 Ecology Summer Camp at Archbold Biological

Station. The intention is for readers to gain a sense of how our camp was run and what it

looked like. Environmental Educators planning or comparing their own ecology-themed camps

may find this helpful, as well as any readers interested in how environmental education is

implemented at a biological field station. The order of activities loosely represents the camp

schedule. This is intended to show the variety of camp activities and how different types of

activities are intermixed throughout the camp. Appendices, which include registration lists,

volunteer hours, schedules, and finances are available from the Education Department for

appropriate Archbold staff, but is not made available to the public.

Most of the photographs were taken by Archbold’s Education Coordinator Dustin Angell. Some

were taken by camp intern Stuart Yurzcyk.

Ecology Summer Camp

Archbold Biological Station’s Ecology Summer Camp fosters a love for nature and gives children

an inside look at science and conservation in action. Campers, aged 7-12 years old, are invited to

explore several Florida habitats, interact with a live snake, and learn about science careers from

Archbold researchers. The camp also offers leadership positions to teenagers who work as

Team Leaders. Archbold’s summer camp is fee-based, but sponsorships covering the full cost of

tuition are available to families who demonstrate financial need. These sponsorships are made

possible through donations. Each year the camp is organized around a theme. Recent themes

include: “Moths” 2009, “Finding Your Way” 2010, “Birds” 2011, “Mini Beasties” 2012, “Animal

Senses” 2013, “Animal Defenses” 2014, “Prescribed Fire” 2015, and now “Birds” 2016.

Archbold Biological Station

Archbold Biological Station in Venus, FL is an independent non-profit biological research facility

founded in 1941 by Richard Archbold. The Station conducts and promotes long-term ecological

research and conservation, and has a strong commitment to education. The mission of Archbold

is to build and share the scientific knowledge needed to protect the life, lands, and waters of the

heart of Florida and beyond. For more information, please visit our website at www.archbold-

station.org.


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http://www.archbold-station.org/

Content Page

Hiking and Discovery 41-48

Earth Contract 49

Stomata Activity 50-53

Antlions 54-55

Plant Ecology Visit 56-57

Live Snake Time 58-60

Seasonal Pond 61-66

Burned Art Drawings 67-71

Bird Art 72-75

Games 76-79

Ranch Tour 80-85

Invertebrate Ecology Visit 86-91

Bird Body Bingo 92

Storytelling 93

Family Science Night 94

Lake Annie 95-99

Letter Writing 100

Birds of Bolivia 101

Camp Stories 102

Camp Survey 103-104


Table of Contents

Content Page

Cover 1

Purpose of Report 2

Table of Contents 3

Camp Flyer 4

Education Coordinator 5-8

Camp Intern 9-13

Interns 14

Volunteers 15

Team Leaders 16

Campers 17-20

Sponsorships 21

Delray Plants 22

Camp Teams 23

UnNature Trail 24-28

Pitfall Traps 29-32

Science Notebooks 33-34

Florida Bird Photography 35

Avian Ecology Visit 36-38

Video Time 39

Guba the Tortoise 40

The CampersThis summer we ran five session of summer camp during June and July. Three

were for 7-9 year olds and two were for 10-12 year olds. Overall we had XX

campers. Many of our campers are returnees, and may end up participating all the

way through high school. Most campers were from Lake Placid and Sebring, but

some came from other parts of Florida and other parts of the county.


Camp flyer

Education Coordinator – Dustin Angell

This was Dustin’s fourth time running Archbold’s Ecology Summer Camp. Dustin

organized and led the summer camp. His responsibilities included: promotion,

registration, overseeing an internship, volunteer training, program design,

collaborating with research programs, purchasing supplies, transportation, first aid,

t-shirt design, and photography.



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Summer Camp Intern – Stuart Yurczyk

Assisting the Education Coordinator in running camp was Stuart Yurczyk, the 2016

Environmental Education Summer Intern. Stuart, a student at St. Olaf University in

Minnesota, would begin his senior year in the fall as a major in both Biology and

Fine Arts. As part of his internship, Stuart also developed and ran an activity for

camp on plant respiration, analyzed pre- and post-camp surveys, and delivered a

seminar for Archbold staff.



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Research Staff & Interns

One of the most important aspects of summer camp was the involvement of

Archbold’s research programs. Research interns and some research staff visited

our campers with presentations, lab tours, and science games. Each participating

research program, with light guidance from the Education Coordinator, developed

their own activities. Campers were also able to interview the scientists about

college and science careers.


Kathryn, Louise, and Amy from the Plant Ecology program.

Camp Volunteers and Art Volunteers

Adult volunteers were an essential part of our summer camp. Our volunteers

helped with most aspects of camp, especially helping with camper safety,

transportation, and camp morale. For the fifth year in a row, we welcomed

volunteers from the Lake Placid Art League to help with Wednesday art activities.

This summer our adult volunteers donated 314 hours toward camp.


Teen volunteer Wes Clark, volunteer Pat Talbott (Uncle Pat), and intern Stuart Yurzyk.

Team LeadersTeenagers, looking for leadership and volunteer experience, each donated a week

of their summer vacations to become Archbold’s Team Leaders. These teens acted

as positive role models for campers and helped lead camper teams during

activities. Team Leaders arrived early each day to greet campers and set up

activities, and stayed late to help clean up. This summer we had 22 Team Leaders

with a total of 800 teen volunteer hours. Together, adult and teen

volunteers contributed 1,114 hours toward camp.


CampersThis summer we ran six camp sessions; five week-long day camps for the public

and one two-day private camp for Delray Plants. Overall, we had 86 campers and a

total of 391 user days. Session sizes ranged from 11-18 campers. Below are some

additional figures.


2016 Camper Stats Actual Percent

Campers 86 100%

Sponsorships 21 24%

Male 50 58%

Female 36 42%

Returnees 47 55%

Recurring Returnees 20 23%

Session 2 (10-12 year olds)



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Session 6: Delray (7-9 year olds)



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Sponsorships & Donations

Each year donations from individuals and groups throughout Highlands County and

beyond make it possible for children from low-income families to attend camp.

Families qualifying for sponsorships have their entire registration fee waived. This

summer we offered sponsorships to all who applied. We sponsored 21 campers (8

general public/13 Delray campers). In past years, sponsored campers have gone on

to become camp’s future Team Leaders, science majors in college, and even

Archbold interns.


Thank you!

Delray Plants Co.

This summer Archbold partnered for the second year with a local business to create a

custom camp for the children of their workers. This partnership not only represented

a new model for our programming, but success at expanding camp participation to the

local Hispanic community. Previous efforts, including free camp sponsorships advertised

in school and newspapers, had been unsuccessful. Fortunately, we found a partner in

Delray Plants, a local nursery employing almost 300 Hispanic workers. They helped us

recruit campers from the families of their workers, translate parent letters and liability

forms into Spanish, and lent a staff person to help with camp each day. In order to

tailor the program to the needs of the families, we made several changes. These

included: shifting to two-day camps with extended hours for easier pickup; providing

breakfast, lunch, and heathier snacks; keeping seven to twelve year olds together

instead of separating them; eliminating the night program due to transportation issues;

providing a Spanish translator during camp pickup; and adding a family pizza party.

Thanks to the generous donations of Robert and Donna Lloyd George and Delray

Plants, we were able to provide this program at no cost to the families. The Education

Department hopes to continue this partnership next summer.


Greenhouse at Delray Plants. Screenshot from Jumping into Science video about camp partnership.

Camp Teams and Ice Breakers

On the first day of each camp session, the kids were grouped into self-selected

teams of 3-5 campers. Each team chose their own team name and had a Team

Leader to help them. Campers also played ice breaker games. This year our ice

breakers included The Wind Blows Over, Birdie on a Perch, and The Skittles Game.


The UnNature TrailThe UnNature Trail scavenger hunt is an Archbold camp tradition. Campers walked

quietly along a short nature trail while searching for artificial objects placed on the

trail beforehand. After finishing the hunt, campers shared and compared how many

objects they spotted. The UnNature Trail was used on the first day of camp to

introduce the campers to the Florida scrub habitat and motivate them to practice

observation skills. Top winners could choose a prize from our prize containers.

Campers were excited about the choice of edible crickets as one of the prizes.



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Pitfall Traps

Trapping has a long tradition at Archbold’s Ecology Summer Camp. Small mammal

trapping was the standard for many years, but in 2013 Education Coordinator

Dustin Angell established the tradition of using a different type of trap each year.

This year campers dug pitfall traps in hopes of catching spiders and insects.



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Science Notebooks

Each camper received their own science notebook. Some pages contained

worksheets needed for camp activities, but most pages were blank and could be

used as the campers wanted. Some campers quickly invested time and care into

their notebooks, and had soon made leaf rubbings, drawings, and even taped leaves

and other finds onto the pages. At the end of the session, campers could bring

their notebooks home.



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Florida Bird Photos

Audubon member and local photographer James “Jim” Upchurch visited camp

during sessions 1-5. Jim shared photos and stories from his effort to photograph

every species of bird native to Florida. Campers learned about the habits and

lifestyles of many birds. Campers were also encouraged to think about giving

themselves nature challenges.


Avian Ecology Research Program Visit

Interns from the Avian Ecology Research Program visited our campers for an

activity they developed on how different types of beaks and feet are used by birds.

The interns started with a photo slideshow on the topic, then had campers design

their own bird species with a focus on beak and feet type. Lastly, the campers

played a game to see who’s species would survive a year in the Florida scrub.



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Video TimeThe Florida summer heat and humidity can be hard on staff, volunteers, and

campers. We tried to schedule most of our outdoor activities during the cooler

mornings, and utilized shade and air conditioning in the afternoons. The last part

of the day was sometimes spent relaxing and watching videos. This summer we

watched the film Song of the Sea. Campers were asked to think about what role

nature played in the film. In some sessions, campers followed up the film with a

morning session analyzing the use of nature in pop music videos.


Guba the Gopher Tortoise

Guba the Gopher Tortoise was used to encourage the campers’ observation skills.

On certain days the stuffed animal was hidden along our path and campers tried to

find him as we hiked. Some campers were very motivated to find Guba and others

just wanted to carry him around with them for the week. At the request of

campers, we sometimes offered prizes for finding Guba.


Hiking and Discovery

Exploring Archbold’s nature trails and fire lanes was an important part of camp.

While all camp activities are structured, campers were sometimes given minimally

structured exploration time. These times allowed students to go at their own pace,

make their own discoveries, and be surprised by what they found. Even when

outdoors for a specific activity, campers were encouraged to stop for interesting

animal and plant sightings.



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Earth ContractFormer camper and intern Lexi Siegle visited two camp sessions to present her

Earth Contract presentation. Lexi worked with Education Coordinator Dustin

Angell to develop Earth Contract, which teaches campers about the problems

leading to species extinction. After learning about problems like habitat loss and

overharvesting, campers also learned about ways they could help. Campers were

encouraged to raise their hands and make Earth Contract pledges. Campers

pledged to do things like help clean up litter and use less water.


Stomata ActivityOur camp intern Stuart Yurczyk developed an activity on plant respiration. The

activity started with a short slideshow on the role of stomata in photosynthesis.

Campers then went for a short nature walk and collected leaves. Last, they used

clear nail polish to make stomata peels for microscope viewing. Stuart prepared

finished peels earlier so the campers could see what theirs might look like.

Campers each completed a worksheet which included a space to draw their

microscope observations. Stuart ran this activity during sessions 5 and 6.



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Catching Antlions

Each team caught antlion larvae to keep for the week in plastic cages. The campers

observed the antlions build funnel traps and even capture prey. Campers were

responsible for gathering ants each day to feed their antlions.



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Plant Ecology Research Program VisitInterns from the Plant Ecology Research Program visited the campers at the

Learning Center to teach about the relationship between Florida Scrub-Jays and

acorns. Campers learned how jays cache acorns in the sand and how they will try

to steal each others’ acorns. Campers then divided into their teams and played a

game based on acorn caching. Plastic Easter eggs represented acorns. Each egg

contained candy that represented the condition of the acorn. Different candy

types contributed to each team’s score.



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Meeting a Live Snake

The Education Department’s live snakes have long been summer camp favorites.

While handling live snakes and observing them eat, campers learned about Florida

snake species and the problems facing them. Campers were also encouraged to

appreciate snakes and understand their roles in Florida ecosystems.



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Seasonal Pond Exploration

Archbold Biological Station has over 350 seasonal ponds. Campers learned about

the role of seasonal ponds as breeding grounds for many organisms. Campers

explored a pond using dip nets, plastic containers, and their hands. They caught

frogs, lizards, spiders, beetles, insect larvae, and more.



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Burned Art Drawings

Burned Art Drawings were inspired by artist Randy Nutt, who visited Archbold

earlier in the year and made a series of drawings using burned tree rubbings.

Campers worked in teams to create “burned art” by making marks on paper using

charred plants in a recently burned scrub habitat. Each team then framed their

work and displayed it for a group art critique. Campers really liked this activity

and felt very strongly about the merit of their final projects.



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Art Projects

Volunteers from the Lake Placid Art League visited sessions 1-5 to assist the

Education Coordinator in running hour long art project. This summer the project

reflected the 2016 camp theme of Birds. The campers used paper plates and string

to make imaginative bird mobiles they could bring home and hang in their rooms.



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Just For Fun Games

Sometimes the campers needed a chance to let loose. Our daily schedule was

always fluid and playing games was a great way to fill extra time between activities

or cool off from the summer heat. The campers loved the games and asked to play

them every day. This summer we played the old favorites Nest Robbers and The Tail

Game, and introduced Bird on a Perch.



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Ranch Buggy Tour

Every Thursday, our campers were treated to a 2 ½ hour buggy tour at the

MacArthur Agro-Ecology Research Center, also known as Buck Island Ranch.

Campers learned about conservation on private ranchlands, saw wildlife, and met

Ranch ecologists. They also disembarked from the buggy to explore an oak

hammock on foot.



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Invertebrate Ecology Research Program Visit

Interns and staff from the Invertebrate Ecology Research Program gave campers a

tour of their offices and organized a pollination ecology relay race. At the office tour,

Research Intern Katie Burns showed campers examples from Archbold’s insect

collection. They also got to meet Research Assistant Stephanie Leon, who showed

them the species imaging system she was using to digitize the collection. The relay

race, which involved water balloons, was a big hit with the campers.



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Bird Body Bingo

Bird Body Bingo is an activity from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Sleuth

curriculum. The game was designed to get kids thinking about the colors and

markings on birds. Campers used crayons to color in bird outlines, and then used

their coloring pages like bingo cards in a Bird Body Bingo competition.


Storytelling

Telling old stories is a way for us to learn lessons from our ancestors and others that

came before us. Stories also allow children a chance to see the world in different

ways and consider the actions and decisions of the characters. Many old stories

often have strong natural elements, and many demonstrate relationships between

humans and the rest of nature.


Family Science Night

Every Thursday evening the campers and their families were invited to an evening

program. Depending on the weather, the program was either a camp photo

slideshow with a night hike or an indoor camp trivia game. During our five week-

long sessions, the weather allowed us to do four night hikes. Family Science Night

was not part of the Delray schedule.


Lake Annie

Friday morning at Lake Annie was by far the campers’ favorite part of camp. This

lake visit was a chance for the campers, volunteers, and staff to relax and have fun

together. Watermelon polo, catching fish with nets, and taking group photos were

all part of the lake excursion.



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Letter Writing

On the last day of camp, we reviewed the week’s activities and then the campers

wrote letters to themselves. This activity offered campers some quiet time to

reflect on what they learned, enjoyed, and wanted to remember.


Birds of Bolivia

During Session 2, our campers were treated to a presentation on the birds of

Bolivia. The speaker, Oswaldo Rodriguez was the parent of one of our campers.

The camper’s mother, Alisa Coffin was a visiting scientist from Georgia who

brought her family with her to Archbold for the week. Oswaldo told stories about

interacting with wildlife as a child in Bolivia. He also shared some of the problems

facing Bolivian wildlife and talked about the importance of conservation.


Camp Shirts

Each year a new t-shirt is designed for camp. All the campers, volunteers, and staff

involved with camp receive a shirt. Some campers and volunteers take pride in

their collection of summer camp t-shirts and wear different ones throughout the

week. This summer, the shirts featured a Florida Scrub-Jay and the words “Florida

Scrub Life” drawn by Education Coordinator Dustin Angell.



Camp Surveys

As one way to measure the effectiveness of camp, we conducted pre- and post-camp surveys with

our campers. The first half of the questions were knowledge-based and the last half measured

attitudes toward nature and science. The survey can be seen on the next slide. The data are

available to Archbold staff on request.

2016 Results: Overall, our campers showed significant gains in content knowledge. The older

campers started with higher scores and achieved higher gains. Attitudes toward nature and science

were down 5 points overall, with boys declining the most. Delray campers were the exception,

gaining a point in post surveys. It is difficult to know if these attitude scores are measuring a real

decline in attitude, or are possibly the result of confusion with the survey questions, an affect of our

small sample size, or some other fault of the evaluation methods. Over half our campers were

returnees, which suggests that camp doesn’t hurt their attitude toward nature. We recognize that

the assistance of a specialist in environmental education evaluation would be helpful in future years.

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% 77

%

64

%

78

%84

% 93

%

74

%

88

%

A GE 7 -9 A GE 10 -12 ONLY D ELRA RY A LL CA MPERS

KNOWLEDGE QUESTIONS 2016

Pre Test Post Test

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%

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%

80

%

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%

71

% 80

%

74

%

65

% 71

% 80

%

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% 63

%

81

%

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A GE 7 -9 A GE 10 -12 GIRLS BOYS W/OUT D ELRA Y

ONLY D ELRA Y

A LL CA MPERS

NATURE AND SCIENCE RECEPTIVITY SCORE 2016

PreTest PostTest


Camp Survey 104


123 Main Drive

Venus, FL 33960

(863)465-2571

www.archbold-station.org

www.facebook.com/ArchboldBiologicalStation

www.facebook.com/scrubedu

ARCHBOLD BIOLOGICAL STATION’S 2016 Ecology ......2016 Summer Camp Report This report presents an...

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