Hard at Work

Today was a very productive day in terms of our group project. In the afternoon we each went our separate ways and did work on our individual lesson sites. I got a lot of writing out of the way. I had previously researched the history of the homestead site last week and today began writing my lesson plan. It was great to research the history of the area and I stayed much more general than I initially had planned. I figured since Katie is doing the cemetery, she will be doing more of the specifics, such as the actual families that resided there. Due to the nature of the activity I have planed, I do not want to give too much away in the history. I really want the students to explore the site and figure out for themselves what the landscape is telling them. They are the detectives!

I am anxious to see the rest of my groups ideas and plans and then work it all in together. I feel like we are so separate right now and I really want to feel more like a group. Though we do work very well together and I love working with these girls! Tomorrow we plan on heading out into the field and working together a bit more. I think once our research and writing is done we will come together a bit more to work on the overall layout of the website and the GPS maps.

Aside from the project, I am relieved that the first draft of my pedagogy is done. I took my time writing it and feel pretty good on the final outcome. I stated my beliefs and tried not to make it too wordy by adding in flowery language to fill space :). It will be nice to see how Lara felt about it and what comments she has added. Constructive criticism is always helpful!

A Suprise at Home

This weekend I decided to make the journey home to visit with my family. When I got home Friday afternoon and I found a little surprise in my neighbor's yard....a little baby porcupine! Probably the cutest little thing I've ever seen. He was so tiny and we were very surprised that he would have been left alone at such a young age. I kept looking up in the trees close by to see if I could see his mother but no luck. He seemed to be making a little noise like he wanted something, maybe his mom? I searched online to learn about the family life of porcupines to see if maybe it was normal to see such a young one out on his own. It said that after about 6 months they travel out on their own but this little guy looked so young. Later that night our neighbor called us over and said she thought she found the mother! There was a huge adult munching away on pear in her pear tree. We tried to coax it over to the tree and eventually ended up having it cling to a piece of wood and move it over the few feet to the tree. It wondered around, still making that little noise but didn't seem interested in the adult, nor did the adult seem interested in the baby. I was hoping that they might be family or at least the adult take the little guy to where it lives. It was sad seeing the baby on its own, but maybe that's just he way nature works, right? I'm going to try and learn a little more about porcupine life and keep tabs on the baby through my family. It might be fun just to watch him grow up and see if he stays in the area!

It's a Poem Day

Today we did a small workshop on poetry and this is the outcome. Enjoy....

Summer on the Rocks

It’s summer and again I am here

The scene flashes by in the window
houses blurred, faces scrambled
ah, but the scent,
that lingers on…
the rotting smell of the sea,
I know that I am almost home.
The clumps of seaweed draped over boat lines,
dangle just so, like the most elegant crystals
signs of a rough see
…perfect

It’s summer and again I am here

The sun warms my face as I move from inside out
We step lightly on the prickly grass,
scramble to get to safety.
Tiptoeing around along the rough stone wall
with a little leap downwards,
we finally arrive!

It’s summer and again I am here

The large, smooth boulders surround he small cool pools,
the tide is shifting.
As the furious seawater drifts away, our playground emerges
waves gently lap against the stony shore,
my eyes burn from the intense heat
but I’m staying, my exploration has just begun.
The ocean sprays my face with a mist,
continuously I lick my lips
I can’t get enough of the cool, salty, wonderful taste

It’s summer and again I am here

Midday and the tidal pools are ready,
small hermit crabs bustle about.
Unexpectedly I grab one,
I disrupt his day out of wonder
As he sits in his shell, I close my eyes
“I am not here, come out and visit”
Seagulls fly over, squwaking as the go
fishing vessels motor about and a hum is echoed throughout.
One eye open…
“Caught you, you silly crab!”
his small pinchers emerged from his shell
not long after, his bugging eyes peer around.
I put him down and go about

It’s summer and again I am here

The darkening sky threatens night
and I don’t want to leave
I’m not done playing yet, I still have much to learn
The lights burn bright in the windows, warmth
Parents faces look out and the beckoning begins.
We trudge across the slippery rock floor that has been ours for the day,
Jump up onto that hateful grass
Tired and warm we emerge from our home, enter a different place

It’s summer time and again I am here

Discoveries and Insights

I began delving into my research this afternoon and found some interesting information and some new questions. I started by looking at past relevant projects, read, and reread their research process and findings. It was all very helpful too, as Eleanor said there is no reason to reinvent the wheel. It is nice to build off other's work as well and discover new findings. The 2002 group even mentioned additional ideas of what groups could do if they chose to carry on the topic of the homesteads and cellar holes. I'm taking in their thoughts and moving forward in a way that may blend their ideas with mine.

Speaking of my new ideas....
I went out onto the Barrington Headwaters after spending an hour or two looking at numerous papers, sifting through deeds and maps, and searching on the web. It was nice to get out into the field and begin exploring the homestead site. Lara and Katie explored with me and gave me ideas of what to think about, what qualitative research I might want to do, and what activities I'll have those that come do. I've been interested since day one when Lara spoke of coring trees to see their age, well now I'm going to have that opportunity. I figured I'd core the trees that are growing in the cellar hole to get a rough estimate of the site's age. I can conclude that the holes are in fact older than (blank) years old. I might even core some of what looks like newer growth pine trees that have sprouted through the site to get a further age estimate. From there I'm going to look back in Wessels and decipher if this site was used for agriculture or for pasture. I found clues today in the reading and from the visit that support both theories. I may even look at some of the stumps (Right) we noticed to see what they may tell me about the land. That is if I have time :). I know I say this in every post but after today and figuring out what I'm going to do on my site and working closer with both Lara and Katie, I'm really excited about this project and to get even further in depth with it!

It's all Starting

We're really starting to get to the heart of the Summer Institute. Today I left feeling a bit, not so much overwhelmed, but more so of..."it's all starting now."

My group, the Navigators headed back to the Barrington Headwaters to scope out some sights and figure out where each of us would be most comfortable. I'm big into the Natural History of the area and so my interests lead me to the cellar hole, barn, and stonewall (Left) of one of the old homesteads. I'm really excited to start my research and look into when these families arrived, how many there were on the Barrington property, why they left, how long they stayed, what did they do there, what did a typical house look like, and then family structure. I feel really lucky because another group member is also interested at looking into the families and more on the cemetery on site. I feel that we will collaborate well and have plenty to bounce off one another. We located three other sites as well (Right) and are planning on going to the headwaters tomorrow to find the other potential beaver pond. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all works together and the end product!

Tonight we are also beginning the Pedagogy process. The outlines are due tomorrow...yikes! But I'm really not that nervous about it because I have a really good foundation and know that we have plenty of time to revise. This is a work in progress and I'm interested to see where mine goes and how it all pans out.

Everything is really coming together and we are beginning all the activities, projects, and thought processes that we came here to do. It can see and feel a little overwhelming but it is something that I really am passionate for.

whirlwind

Last week provided me the opportunity to learn plenty of new information. On Wednesday we met up with Dan Gardoqi who brought us on trekking through the woods to look at animal signs. I recently became interested in tracking animals and was eager to know more of the local animals and the various signs behind. It struck me as funny that I all along I probably was looking at signs but just never associated them with any specific creatures. We discovered some interesting sights and plenty of animal markings. We not only saw typical scat but also bark nibbling of squirrels (Right), moose rubbings (which were awesome, I want to see a moose!)(Upper Left), numerous feather, and chewed branches from porcupines. I am trying to become more aware of my surroundings and really observe signs of the critters of not only New Hampshire but those native to other areas.

Thursday morning was spent wading in the Beaver pond with David Burdick, a professor at UNH who knows his wetlands! I had never really been exposed to wetlands and the science and nature behind them. It was a lot to take in, in two or so hours! I definitely enjoyed myself because I'm learning something new. I was given the chance to absorbed a ton of new information and its all very excited to me :). We took several samples of the soil in the marsh, on the edge, and then from just near the water. I was surprised to see the differences in color, texture, and where the oxygen line lay. Looks a little gross in this picture but those are all our samples.

Now on to today! Over the weekend we were given the chance to mull over all our project ideas, in hopes that today we could narrow ourselves down and pick groups. We managed, after deliberating which were similar and could be combined, which seemed to have a lack interest, and which seemed to stand out on their own, to narrow it down to three groups. I'm really thrilled with my group and I have a feeling we will work very good together. Our plan is to set up a sort of scavenger hunt throughout the Barrington Headwaters and at each site provide an environmental and educational learning experience through activities. I'm ready for tomorrow to get back out into the field and start our point plotting.

I've been learning so much within this Summer Institute I'm amazed and more eager. I think I've really found my niche! Each day provides the opportunity for more growth, more learning, and more knowledge to be bestowed upon me.

The woodland exploration

Welcome! I'm excited to start on this new blog telling all about my experiences and explorations with the Summer Institute. Yesterday was our first day at the Barrington Headwater and I was so happy that we were given the chance to discover some of the more interesting sights. The scavenger hunt brought us to a spot off the main path, one which I found to be most inspiring. A bit further into the woods there lay the remains of an old cellar. A deep square dugout lined with large stones suddenly made me wonder about life before. It is sad to see just remains, large trees jutting out from where a homestead use to stand. What happened to the people there? Did the land become too hard to take care of? Where are the others? Where did they all go? I hope that further in our studies we will begin to answer these questions. I have always been interested in not only nature but natural history. I'm curious to what the changes to this land have been, the journey so to speak the land has taken and why it is as we see it today.