View Full Version : Kids taking me to show and tell!
wrongway_08
02-12-2009, 19:39
My Brother's kid asked me to be his "show and tell" in 2 weeks :).
While I was Thru-hiking the class was keeping track of me and now Adam (the kid) and his teacher wants me to go to his school and do a class on the trail.
Heres the plan:
- I have a 5 foot X 3 foot lamanated map of the trail.
- Will be taking a lot of photos along to hand out to the kids.
- Will try and bring Erwin the dog along, since he was adopted on the trail.
- Will be making some sort of list about the wildlife out on the trail.
- Might bring in my pack, some of the the gear to show them what we "live" out of while out there.
The kids are around 9 - 12 years old, you all have other ideas?
Thanks
- Rick
Blissful
02-12-2009, 20:11
You have to show your gear. We did this with second graders. Paul Bunyan got into his sleeping bag and they loved seeing him like a mummy. We showed pictures too via our laptop. Also, when we told them our trail names, the kids then wrote out what kind of names they would like to be called and why and gave it to us as a thank you.
BipolarStroller
02-12-2009, 20:19
But you don't like kids, if you tell about the trail, then they'll know where it is.
FYI, chances are they will not let you bring your dog, most school don't allow dogs on school property, unless they are "working".
And as a sugestion, maybe tell them about "Leave no trace", or how to coordinate a map with a compass, and to be quiet around other adults, lol, somebodies gotta tell 'em.
Have fun, you never know what kind of impression you'll leave with children and what you'll learn from them.
Dude you should really freak them out and tell them that you ate mice as much as you could and bite the head off a fake mouse. Well you might actually bite the head off a real one!
SGT Rock
02-12-2009, 20:40
Show them how to poop in the woods.
johnnybgood
02-12-2009, 20:44
You might photo copy pages of your trail journal so they can feel what emotions you were going through at the time.
YoungMoose
02-12-2009, 20:50
sounds like fun. wish i had that when i was that age
johnnybgood
02-12-2009, 20:58
sounds like fun. wish i had that when i was that age
Uh...that was like 3 years ago.:rolleyes:
Wow outwar...... I never noticed how old you were cool. Good for the youngns to out on a web site that is not facebook.
SGT Rock
02-12-2009, 21:04
Uh...that was like 3 years ago.:rolleyes:
That is over 20% of his life. It is like me saying I wish I were 32 again.
johnnybgood
02-12-2009, 21:14
Yeah , I,m tacking on a crooked number come saturday.
That is so cool! I've done lots of stuff with cub scouts over the years, and the kids will definitely love to see your gear. Our little cub pack can't get enough of seeing my gear. Definitely get in your sleeping bag and show them how you would get comfortable to sleep, maybe let a couple of them try on your pack. You can show some of your stuff and ask them to guess what it is before you tell them about it. Likely, they won't know what a trail stove is, for instance. If you're allowed, letting them try some trail food might be interesting, but check first. Schools have a lot of food regulations these days because of allergies. If you can't share the food, you can definitely show them something dehydrated. You'll probably get a few "ewwwwws" out of that. Leave time at the end for a question and answer session. The kids are sure to come up with lots of really great questions.
And don't forget to take a picture with the kids that day and post it on WB!
shelterbuilder
02-12-2009, 21:54
Definitely take your equipment - pack your pack just the way it was on the trail, then "make camp" in the classroom. The kids will love it.
Miles per day on the trail are largely meaningless to kids that age UNLESS it's compared to something that THEY know (trips around the block, laps around the gym, etc.). The same thing applies to climbing mountains (stories of a house, sets of stairs, etc.) But make it fun...interesting.
Take your lead from the kids and their questions (yeah, leave plenty of time for Q&A). Have fun with it.:)
I agree, making camp will be something the kids remember for ever.
In fact that's one of the reasons I got into Boyscouts and hiking. A group of scouts that had through hiked came to my school and setup their gear in the field behind the school. I went home and told my parents that I wanted a tent and backpack just like I saw.
Definitely take your equipment - pack your pack just the way it was on the trail, then "make camp" in the classroom. The kids will love it.
Miles per day on the trail are largely meaningless to kids that age UNLESS it's compared to something that THEY know (trips around the block, laps around the gym, etc.). The same thing applies to climbing mountains (stories of a house, sets of stairs, etc.) But make it fun...interesting.
Take your lead from the kids and their questions (yeah, leave plenty of time for Q&A). Have fun with it.:)
Make sure not to shower from now till then or change your clothes.....so they get the full feel of it.:p
Definitely bring your pack. Maybe let them try it on. Empty it item by item. It's show and tell. Really cool for you to do this kind of thing.
Don't forget the live rattlesnake! :D
several times for different classes and grade levels at my school.
Definitely take the pack and all your equipment.
Being a teacher, I focuses on NEEDS & WANTS - started with asking them the difference, then started pulling things out of my pack and letting them tell me if it was a need or want.
showed the AT trail map, but also took topo maps and let them look at them and explained the difference between topo map and map their parents would use to go on vacation.
They don't have any sense of distance! Find out how far it is from the school to a town/city that's about the same distance as a day's hike/mileage. Then tell them you walked the same distance as the school is to ___.
Have FUN! You'll enjoy it and they will too!
ALSO, they love to know what you ate. I had little snack size ziploc bags fixed with trail mix and gave each one. One time I made peanut butter and tortilla wraps cut in half. Check with the teacher first for allergies!
communication is something else you could talk about! the way messages get passed along the trail & trail names.
Wrong Way, you're going to have a ball with those kids!!! By all means take your gear and demo your stove, of course clear this with the teacher first. Set your tent up if its free standing. Do it all. Show them how you purify water and everything. Take a pair of worn out shoes too.
And, take Erwin, but clear it with the teacher first. I remember when you got him. He is a good dog. They will love him. You may have to take his shot record. I carry my dog Max with me to visit Mom in an assisted living facility and they keep a current shot record on file in case the inspector shows up.
Let us know how it went. :sun
YoungMoose
02-13-2009, 20:45
all im saying is that it would of been cool to see that stuff when i was younger
Wise Old Owl
02-13-2009, 20:45
Show them how to poop in the woods.
I am not being sarcastic - tell them that and they would fall off their chairs!
boarstone
02-13-2009, 20:49
...he/she may be a liability...put a on muzzel on it...you know how schools/the states are about liability issues...
YoungMoose
02-13-2009, 22:47
i think if u show them how to poop in the woods the teacher would even be surprised. do it still. hehe who else would team them
Ron Haven
02-13-2009, 23:03
Wrongway08 this will be very nice of you.
wrongway_08
02-14-2009, 13:00
Thanks for the ideas! I am also looking at finding some A.T. maps and making them each a packet to take home with them and share with the parents.
If I can bring Erwin and find film for the instant camera, maybe giving them each a photo of themselves with Erwin the 600 miler would be neat.
Going to do a simple "fun facts sheets also, with the milages/states/temps and stuff like what thru-hikers eat. Again something for them to bring home and talk about with the parents.
4eyedbuzzard
02-14-2009, 13:07
You could also show them Old Goat's thru-hike youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nu0qChRIms) if they have a projector and internet connection. It runs just under 5 minutes and is one of the better ones I've seen. Something like that along with a gear show and tell would be pretty good.
Make them some Ramen and have them taste it - no, maybe not. They'll never want to hike if they think they have to eat that stuff. :p
papa john
02-14-2009, 13:27
Take your stove along and cook them some oatmeal, mac & cheese and maybe a ramen or 2. N/M, Tinker beat me to it. Great minds think alike...
Desert Reprobate
02-14-2009, 14:39
Cook them lunch. Ramen for everybody.
Lost_Soul
02-14-2009, 15:30
Does this mean you actually have the stuff for the map finished ? Or is it still just the trails line and the thought of the rest of it ? (I could have a frame ready for it with the exact dimensions.... yea, I forgot to get them when I gave it to you)
See ya soon.
southpaw95
02-14-2009, 15:50
Yeah, cook with your stove... that will impress the little burgers.
Maybe put up some blazes around the school/class and let the kids put on your gear and follow them.
Have fun:)
southpaw, good idea show them how your stove works and cook up some ramin and let them all try it.
johnnybgood
02-14-2009, 18:06
Yo southpaw ,where exactly is Catawba ?? By the way - great ideas ,you either have little ones at home or you're a kid at heart.
I met and hiked with old goat from hawk mt shelter until davenport. WHAT A GREAT GUY! he and his wife are thruing this March also. If you get a chance to hike with him you should do it good times are what you will have.
Lost_Soul
02-14-2009, 20:47
Dude,
Try making a few dirrerent things you ate on the trail. Show them the variety that can be had. (and that it's not all sticks and berries). Make sure with the teacher there are no food alergies in the class, too. Maybe even do up a small pot of something like soup (or whatever you liked out there). This way they can all have a taste of the stuff. Try something like the foil wrapped chicken and salmon I sent. Plus something like the Propel™ waters, too. (this you can make more of than the other stuff) This would go good with the water purification stuff.
Show off things (drops) that friends and/ or family sent you while out on the trail. This shows that you had caring people helping you along the way. And that even though you did the trail yourself, it's not necessarily all loners out there. This way they recognise there's a big community who are there to help. (same with 'Trail Magic')
And as far as Erwin joining you, load him up. Show how he pulls his weight (and food) around with him. The doggy backpack is cool to see, too.
Also, you have friends here who can help you set stuff up. Don't forget to ask them for help. (as opposed to just on here.. though, this is a cool place to do it and show off that you're doing more than just hiking) (the REAL reason you're posting this on here) RPFLMSS
Will see ya soon bud.... and if today's any indication I should be healed up enough for the hike on the 22nd. (woohoo... {S dancin')
Old Goat
02-17-2009, 23:37
Thank you 4eyedbuzzard for the comment about my video. I put it together to use at a group presentation I gave shortly after thru hiking.
I didn't want to sit there reading statistics so I tried to have the video do it in an entertaining way. That is why there are privy's, stiles, different shelters, states signs, and other elements to make the facts about the AT flow. I showed the video to the group then spoke and answered questions. It went over pretty well with a teen age / adult audience.
With that said Check Six and I did a presentation for our granddaughters Brownie troop last week. We had to keep it simple so it ended up being a skit where we walked around the audience fully dressed in hiking clothes and a full backpack. We pretended that we were on the trail as we walked. The girls had written down questions for us the week before so as we walked we used the conversation between us to answer and explain their questions. When we stopped walking we set up our tent, rolled out our sleeping pad and bag. We then pretended to get water for dinner and explained why we needed to filter our water and proceeded to pretend to cook on our stove.
Check Six told me I talked over the heads of the girls and should have kept it more simple. Each presentation has to be kept to the level of the audiences interest and experience.
mtnkngxt
02-18-2009, 08:04
If you bring your pack remember to take any knives or razor blades out. When I talked to my cousins class about my section in 06 I forgot I had my Mora in the bottom of my pack. Needless to say drama I didnt need followed.
jersey joe
02-18-2009, 09:47
My wife wants me to come in and talk to her 5th grade class one of these days about thru hiking and these are mostly good suggestions. Wrongway, let us know how it goes and what the kids responded to the best.
boarstone
02-18-2009, 10:01
and have the class make paper white blazes to put on the floor from the hall to her room maybe?:D So you can find your way....
skinewmexico
02-18-2009, 11:08
I was going to suggest feeding them some trail food also, they would think that was really cool.
If it is a nice day, try to have it outside. Bring your pack and set up camp while you talk to them as part of the presentation. Cook up some Ramen or something on your stove.
how to start a fire? filter dirty water? Show then a toe with no toe nail?
Talk about trail educate, about how people hike stuff forward that is left behind, stuff like that.
Pokey2006
02-19-2009, 04:19
Yes, feed them trail food! Avoid the stove (fire hazard), and leave out the nuts (allergies). You could co a water-filtering demonstration, if you have a filter. Make the water as dirty as you can and give one of the kids the job of making it clean again.
If you have a freestanding tent, it would be way cool to set it up and let them take turns crawling inside. Or, a tarp might work. And see if you can rig up your backpack nice and heavy, and have them take turns trying it on and walking around the classroom. Then point out that you carried it up mountains!
Check in with the teacher. Find out from her what the kids seemed most interested in while they were following your hike, what they want to know about the most. Encounters with wild animals? Do you have any good stories? How you dealt with the rain. Q and As are always fun with kids. Funny the things they ask.
Good luck!
wrongway_08
02-19-2009, 18:34
Great ideas, I have been working on this all week and have a pretty good idea of what I'll be doing and talking about.
Will let you all know how it goes :) .... I like the idea about whiteblaze the room for I dont get lost :)
totally cook something, set up your tent, and show them your pack. maybe some LNT things? you have any bear canisters? let us know how it goes!
Powder River
02-20-2009, 04:35
Bring some shelter mice. :D
.... I like the idea about whiteblaze the room for I dont get lost :)
This is a really cute idea, however, realistically, I don't think that would help our friend Wrongway ;)
wrongway_08
02-25-2009, 17:09
This is a really cute idea, however, realistically, I don't think that would help our friend Wrongway ;)
:eek: How dare you..... :p
wrongway_08
02-25-2009, 17:10
About to leave, will try not to tramatize them toooo much!
Nicksaari
02-25-2009, 17:19
in a classroom somewhere, Wrongway is sweating nervously in front of a group of schoolchildren. haha!! thats awesome you're doing show and tell for them! i have been keeping up with the tread for a while, and didnt realize today was the big day. i was going to suggest making mass quantities of hot chocolate, but soon realized the fire hazards in such an environment. ill check back for Wrongway's synopsis.
About to leave, will try not to tramatize them toooo much!
Hope all went well today.:)
wrongway_08
02-25-2009, 20:47
Got it done!
Was a good time, I showed up 20 minutes late - went to the wrong school - Dont Ask!!!
After finding the right school and getting things going, it went well.
Started off looking at the gear and asking questions, then hit up the photos using the labtop.
They asked mostly about animals and getting lost - that I could help them with :) !
One kid wanted to know if he could bring a gun to shoot animals so he could eat them, I like that kid!! Told him the gun would be okay to bring, just not to shoot animals with - KIDDING!
They liked the photos of the snakes, bears and rivers. We got stuck on the not showering for a week at a time. I did explain how I took showers at the shelters using the camel back.
All in all a great time!! Lots of fun, if any gets a chance to do this - go for it.
johnnybgood
02-25-2009, 21:27
Good to hear that the show and tell went well and the kids had questions .
Since you were twenty minutes late did any part of your presentation get nixed ?
Did you see the excitement in their eyes when the hiking gear was set up ? Any future Whiteblazers in the class, you know the ones with many questions.
Did you talk about the pink blazes ? :banana Just kidding of course .
wrongway_08
02-25-2009, 21:36
Nothing got left out, the kids ask a good amount of questions. 2 kids had their hands up 80 percent of the time and they talked to me after the class. They thanked me for comming in and showing them all the hiking gear and items.
The gear got them going, after I set up the stove ... they opened up. The one kid asked about crapping in the woods. Showed them the photo of the privy without sides - just a seat on top - got the blank stares and then a "uuhhhh, yea..... hmmmmm" out of the kids :) !
wrongway_08
02-25-2009, 21:38
Did you talk about the pink blazes ? :banana Just kidding of course .
Thats going to be for their advanced class.... :)
They did ask about girls on the trail.... and the girls asked about boys..... almost brought up pink blazes but bit my tounge!
shelterbuilder
02-25-2009, 21:47
It sounds like you had fun with it - and so did the kids.
Good work!:banana:banana:banana:banana