Nature Classroom renovations!

This fall the Nature Classroom at Kinark is getting an overhaul. New paint job, new format, more fun! The classroom also holds three new program computers! The Climate change program has been using this room since the spring and the Kinark Outdoor Centre staff are eager to unveil this great place to learn. The classic "nature stuff" is in there like the taxidermy ermine, beaver chews, bird nests and information resources. New environmental education materials are available to teach about Climate change, natural resources, alternative energies and waste minimization and disposal. The room definitely brings a grand atmosphere to the classes that visit it so far. The students are always eager to hear about the things on the shelf as well as the posters on the wall. Keep checkin out the blog, Facebook or www.koc.on.ca for more info.

"Messy" Jesse the Intern

Water Festival takes over Kinark!

On September 27th and 28th in 2010 the Haliburton Muskoka Children's Water Festival took over the Kinark Outdoor Centre for two days of action packed learning. 834 students from 12 schools participated in 40 different stations around the Kinark Outdoor Centre.
The day started students arriving from the surrounding communities as well as briefing the 90 volunteers from Trent University who helped run stations. Primary students then broke off into smaller supervised groups that went to the stations that interested them. Lunchtime was in the main field with 6 large tents (thanks to the Township of Minden Hills and Castle Carnarvon for your help) where students ate and attended the largest drum circle I’ve ever seen. Barry Hayward led over 200 students at a time in a rhythmic community that shook ear drums. Barry brought a full load of drums, shakers and other percussion instruments and gave the students an opportunity to use all of them.
Stations included curriculum based games that fit into four categories which included water protection, conservation, technologies and attitudes. Some games were simple and very active (ex. Rolling Through the Shed: students donned Velcro vests and rolled down a vinyl “watershed” picking up particles and chemicals along the way), while other games were very demonstrational and educational (ex. Lay an egg: students placed cut out eggs in appropriate nests along a boardwalk and learned about wetland habitats)
According to the HMCWF website “Two of the primary objectives of this holistic-focused event are to develop personal awareness of the importance of water, and to foster respect for the natural environment. It is hoped that by increasing awareness and respect, as individuals we will make a commitment to use natural resources wisely.”
For more information go to http://www.hmwaterfestival.ca/ and remember… “Water covers 75 per cent of the planet, and also makes up about 75 per cent of a person's body weight. Water is essential for all life on Earth. Without it, nothing lives and nothing grows.”

Sincerely,

"Messy" Jesse the Intern

Building projects this fall at the Kinark Outdoor Centre

There are five beavers building a new lodge just 20 metres from where the Outdoor Centre keeps its canoes. They are busy using renewable resources (sticks) for structural support and other natural materials (mud) to make their winter home comfortable and warm.

There are also some humans working to make the Sustainable Living Centre warm and beautiful. This past October was busy with the Climate change having many Grade 5 classes through the program and two workshops teaching the public how to sustainably add to their homes.

The Natural Plaster Workshop with Sebastian Renal was very successful and allowed this intern to live up to his nickname of “Messy” Jesse! Mixing sand and clay takes a lot of care, consideration and willingness to get covered in sand and clay. Plastering it on the wall was sort of like putting icing on a cake. It didn’t taste quite the same though. We patched leaky spots and coated some walls with Alis paint which is made of natural pigments and flower paste. One participant actually made a beautiful symbol on our shed and we covered it in Mica which shimmers in sunlight.

The Solar Hot Water Heater Workshop with Sean Flannigan was also a great success with participants building their own thermal collectors out of simple materials. Teams of two put together a wooden case that held layers of insulation, a black piece of plywood, copper piping in a grid pattern and plexi-glass on top. The pipes were pressure tested and re-soldered until perfect. Participants were taught how to install the solar collector in their homes and how to maintain their panels.

We still have a few rain barrels left and anyone can contact me at Jesse.Christensen@kinark.on.ca to order or go to www.rainbarrel.ca/minden.

More blogs are coming very soon!

Keep up with us online at www.koc.on.ca or www.sustainablebuilding2006.com or www.kinark.on.ca or Jim McHardy’s twitter https://twitter.com/KinOutDoor or Jim McHardy’s blog http://www.speakingofkidsmentalhealth.com/blog/jim/ or search for Kinark Outdoor Centre on Facebook

Sincerely,

“Messy” Jesse the Intern