This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

From the moment we arrived we were impressed with this facility, part of an over 1000-acre parcel of land host to Aloha Foundation’s three different camps that began in the 1920s.  During the school year, Hulbert Outdoor Center occupies one of the camp facilities, offering adventure-based learning and teambuilding programs to youth.

Each day CELC students enjoyed and were challenged by a variety of activities, including wilderness skill building, forest and ecology classes, archery, a program about the Underground Railroad, lots of group games, and a high-ropes challenge course.  This, plus an amazing variety of well prepared and plentiful home-cooked food made for quite a week together.

Here are some of the student’s own impressions:

I can’t believe we are on this trip.  The forest is beautiful, and I am with all my buddies.  I look forward to team-building exercises, like the liquid nitrogen game.   – Jakob

When we got to Hulbert, CELC was met by two people who seemed to run the place.  Their names are Shannon and Jake.  Jake had what was later going to be called THE BEARD …

Day Two

I opened my eyes at 5 a.m. and started journaling for twenty minutes while waiting for others to get up.

A glorious breakfast … there were waffles, whipped cream, and strawberry sauce.  I made a waffle sandwich with a ton of whipped cream!

Day Three

After dinner, we went on a journey called the Underground Railroad.  We acted as runaway slaves and went to three different safe houses, where we were kept safe and given information about the real Underground Railroad.    – Cole

The most exciting thing that happened to me was not only the long hike for seven hours, but also our Underground Railroad adventure.  We were acting as slaves on the run and would stop at safe houses.  A bounty hunter was trying to catch us.  At each safe house there were different activities …                                                  – Anton

Wow! What a great first day at Hulbert.  When we first got here, we met our counselors Jake and Shannon.  We played a few games and then had lunch.  The food here is good.

Next we went on the low ropes course.  Two people at a time had to figure out how to wok together to complete an obstacle course tied to trees.

Amazing!  Another great day at Hulbert.  Yesterday we did archery.  That was by far my favorite thing of the day.  I got three bull’s eyes and three in the red.  We then went to aquatics.  While there, we also got to go inside a cabin and see Jake’s rescued baby squirrel.  She climbed on me and licked me!

I love Hulbert!  Today we hiked for seven hours.  We found two red salamanders, one toad, and dozens of bugs.  We hiked up a really tall mountain and it was hard.  After the hike, we had recreation time and then had dinner.                                     – Julia

Today I did so much at this wonderful camp.  I had a lot of fun on the low ropes course.  It was very challenging at the same time.  I did not think I would make it as far as I did.  It was hard when my partner and I both had to go together.  Another cool thing we did was play a new version of camouflage.  There was a powerful wizard that could vanish instantly, but the wizard could only vanish when no one was looking at him, so I had to look at him when he couldn’t see me doing it.  It was really fun.  I got spotted in the first round!   – Nolan

Yesterday we did a few different challenges, but I did have a favorite – it was the night walk.  We all wore bandanas so we could not see and had to walk in a line together to get to a secret place.  When we got there, we kept one eye closed and went inside a cabin where there was only a little bit of light.  When we opened the closed eye, we had perfect night vision!                                                  -Liam

for ages 10 – 14

Explore math and science through a variety of hands-on and minds-on activities, including cooking, sports, art, and nature.

Meets 24 – 28 June 2013 or 8 – 12 July 2013    9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

Limit 10 campers per session.  Cost is $295.00 for the week, includes all materials and instruction.   

 Math/Science Camp Registration Form

“Folks and Field Trips” Summer Camp

for ages 10 – 14

Visiting teaching artists will bring the depth and breadth of their talents to share with young people.  Each day will include a different type of experience in the morning, such as visual art, story illustration, farm and garden, Japanese art form Oshibana, or peace studies.  Afternoons bring us to the beach, nature center, or a local museum.

Meets 15 – 19 July 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. 

Cost $295.00 per week.  Maximum 10 participants.  

Folks and Field Trips Registration Form

REGISTER NOW.  Email us at mandm@CTExperiential.org

or call 203.433.4658.

Each year at CELC we have a particular theme that weaves its way into areas of academic and experiential study. In addition to CELC’s 5^th-8^th grade curriculum, the thematic study is included through literature, math, science, etc.  Theme is also where students learn to write formal research papers.

During the past month, CELC students  have chosen a different civilization and time period to study, gathered resource materials, researched and read about their topics.  They were then taught to create a working outline and to take notes that correspond to the parts of the outline.  First drafts are now beginning to happen, and over the next few weeks, each will have completed a formal paper that achieves a grade level–appropriate word count, table of contents, bibliography, interesting visuals, and an attractive cover page.

Simultaneous to the written portion of this learning, students are also involved in creating and constructing large “living museum” displays to share about what they’ve learned.  During this building time, our classrooms have been transformed into a working space containing a plethora of materials, including, but not limited to, cardboard refrigerator boxes, cans of paint, brushes, bamboo, clay, and even cement!  Incorporating as many aspects of their civilizations, students are building by hand a variety of visuals, objects, and other items that can be part of their “environments” to represent and simulate the ancient culture.

Each project will contain a variety of informational items, including a timeline specifying dates of the civilization; list of important events that occurred within the time period; hand-drawn maps of ancient compared to modern geographical locations and place names of the region studied; a research report; visuals; dioramas; models; and more.

The students, dressed in costume, will portray an invented persona representing the civilization studied, creating an authentic historical fiction account of their persona’s family, occupation, lifestyle, etc. and eloquently will  share this story as visitors enjoy each display.

Please visit CELC’s Theme Share Day!   On Friday, 31 May the auditorium at the Blackstone Memorial Library will become transformed into a “living museum” of ancient civilizations, representing the months of research and study by students of the Connecticut Experiential Learning Center (CELC).  Visitors are encouraged to ask questions to find out about aspects of each civilization that is represented.

From cuneiforms to Greek alphabet, from the story of Alexander the Great to the invention of the wheel, we invite you to join us as the civilizations of the Indus Valley, Persia, Incan Empire, Greece, the Celts, and the Maya all spring to life once again!

The public is invited to attend this interactive “living museum” event Friday, 31 May 2013 from 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

For more information, contact mandm@CTExperiential.org or call 203.433.4658.  www.CTExperiential.org.

Find out more about this exciting and innovative middle school program for students grades 5 – 8.

Contact us to schedule a visit !

Connecticut Experiential Learning Center (CELC) students benefit from small classes in a safe and exciting environment that builds leadership, promotes a love of learning, and challenges students to think for themselves.

CELC offers a full-time middle school program and special events for homeschoolers.

REGISTER NOW

for 2013 -14 Academic Year

The public is most welcome to attend this interactive “living museum” event Friday, 31 May 2013 from 12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Each project contains a variety of informational items, including a timeline specifying dates of the civilization, list of important events that occurred within the time period; hand-drawn maps of ancient compared to modern geographical locations and place names of the region studied; a research report; and a plethora of visuals, dioramas, models, and more.

The students dress in costume to portray an invented persona representing the civilization studied, creating an authentic historical fiction account of their persona’s family, occupation, lifestyle, etc. and will eloquently share this story as visitors enjoy each display.

Visitors are encouraged to ask questions to find out about aspects of each civilization that is represented. From cuneiforms to Greek alphabet, from the story of Alexander the Great to the invention of the wheel, we invite you to join us as the civilizations of the Indus Valley, Persia, Mesopotamia, Incan Empire, Greece, the Celts, and the Maya all spring to life once again!

]]> http://ctexperiential.org/wordpress/2013/05/ancient-civilizations-are-alive-and-well/feed/ 0 http://ctexperiential.org/wordpress/2013/05/life-happens-in-a-vernal-pool/ http://ctexperiential.org/wordpress/2013/05/life-happens-in-a-vernal-pool/#comments Mon, 13 May 2013 18:46:35 +0000 celc http://ctexperiential.org/wordpress/?p=6363 CELC students work with environmental educator Lucy Meigs throughout the year studying and exploring nature.  Lucy shares her passion for the outdoors and her expertise in botany, geology, and vernal pools. Vernal pools are temporary pools of water that provide habitat for distinct types of plant and animal life.  These pools are especially fascinating, as they changes throughout the year and are critical for “obligate” species – those species that rely on vernal pools for different parts of their life cycles.

During winter, vernal pools are often covered in ice and snow.  During spring and early summer, they contain water, and by late summer are completely dry.  The obligate species that rely on bodies of water depend on having enough water via rainfall and on having temperatures that are right for their needs.

Some of these species are fairy shrimp, mole salamanders,

the wood frog.  With Lucy’s guidance,  CELC students use pond scopes to view – up close and personal – these unique organisms.

Whoosh! Whosh! The wind is blowing on my face as I ski down from the tiptop of Okemo Mountain, located in Ludlow, VT. I’m feeling light as air as my skis carry me down. I’m also trying not to wipe out.

DAY 1 : Today is my second time on skis, but my first official time on them! We start the day meeting the instructors – Liam, A.J. and I  are paired with Matt. First, the basics : stop; go; turn left, then right.  We master these skills within ten minutes of being introduced to Matt, so soon we are ready to try the Magic Carpet, a lift for beginners like ourselves. It is sort of like a conveyor belt upon which we are to stand, to be brought up the “mini” hill. The ride up is pretty scary because the newly-falling snow is making the belt slippery and we keep sliding backwards. I start way up in front of instructor Matt, but by the time it is my turn to get off the belt, I am now only inches in front of him!

It is time to start skiing toward the bottom – “WOW! I like this!” At first it is difficult to turn, but as we descend, I get better at it! This first hill is fairly easy. We continue here six more times. Matt announces it is time to do a real lift … ugh, doesn’t he know that I hate chairlifts! What a nice surprise to have such a smooth ride to the top. The hill itself is easy , except for one part when I cannot control my speed. I turn; I get myself down!

DAY 2, afternoon :  My teacher Maria tells me I may go to the top of the mountain. Really!? I am nervous and excited at the same time. I ride the chairlift, thinking about how much fun I am having. I see all the skiers going down the slope. I begin to relax and enjoy the ride when suddenly the chair jerks slightly. “Wait, what is that?”  Panic, but only for a few seconds; we are on our way – whew, what a relief! From the top of the mountain I see all of Vermont. I am  enjoying the view when Maria says it is time to get started down. Huh? This is it! I think for a moment – can I do this? This is my last thought before I shove off. I am flying. I am exhilarated! The trees whirl by! I feel free and in control all at the same time. It seems like only seconds have passed, yet I find myself at the bottom. “Again!” I shout. Day 2 experience is spectacular! O.K., I WAS VERY NERVOUS when I began a day ago, but I conquer my fears and cannot wait for the next new adventure!