Hitting the Trails: Ozark Natural Science Center

First posted on 04-09-2010

This is the second of three articles about the Center. If you'd like to read the first article, it can be found here: Immersing Children in Nature: Ozark Natural Science Center.

More photos of Ozark Natural Science Center are in the gallery.

I was privileged to experience part of an educational hike at Ozark Natural Science Center during my visit there a couple of weeks ago. I joined a group of 5th grade students who had come in from West Fork, Arkansas for a two day program. We headed out in overcast skies and, just before we left the main building, the rain began.

Undaunted, rain gear was passed out quickly and off we went. Jason Kindall, assistant director of the Center, had told me that hikes took place in all weather conditions, and he meant it. Hikes are a central part of the Center’s nature education programs. The experience is not to simply learn in a classroom, but to explore the outdoors.

Our field guide on the hike was Naima Montacer, a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in animal sciences. She has also earned her Master of Science in biology from West Texas A&M University.

Naima’s major emphasis throughout the hike was to encourage these students to observe and record their findings. She fielded frequent questions and posed several of her own. The children (and I) were armed with a nicely detailed field journal with facts, information and plenty of space for taking notes.

One of our first stops was a cross-section of a felled oak tree that had been mounted for teaching purposes. Naima explained the growth rings, how trees transport water and nutrients and discussed the area’s history of logging years ago.

Tree identification was an important topic during the trek and we learned to identify several species by bark, leaves, even the scent of twigs in the case of spice wood and sassafras. Each child had an opportunity to participate, ask questions and discover.

From the moment we assembled back at the main building, through each portion of the hike, the enthusiasm of these kids was readily apparent. Clearly they had looked forward to this opportunity for quite some time and it was more than evident that they were not disappointed.

The hike was not a march through the woods, nor was it by any means a canned lesson in nature. We took the trail slowly with Naima pointing out what she observed and always encouraging the others in the group to use their senses as well. She often found something, like antler moss or the call of a nuthatch, and used it as an opportunity to teach and to discuss, using what the outdoor classroom handed her as teaching devices.

We talked about what to do if lost in the woods, where we might find sources of water, animal habitats and identification, rocks we found.

A keen emphasis was placed on reducing our group footprint on the trail, and ecological considerations were a top priority. So were our jobs as conservationists and stewards of the outdoors, important lessons for children to understand.

Unfortunately for me, I had to head back before I could experience the entire hike. I enjoy being outdoors and I can do pretty well but I have to admit, I learned a great deal with my group. They proved to be a fine assembly of eager minds and we were lucky to have an excellent instructor. Earlier in the day, I met with most of the other field instructors or had the chance to observe them interacting with the children. I was struck by two observations: they were all passionate about what they were doing, and they were all very knowledgeable about what they were teaching.

No wonder these 5th graders were so anxious to have their ONSC experience.

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