Science Olympiad Field Trip
Dunes Environmental Learning Center
Twenty-one Lisle Science Olympiad team members packed up early on Friday, December 14th, and headed off for an overnight field trip to the Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center in Chesterton, Indiana.
Upon arrival the students broke into groups and worked on team building exercises. They continued on to the low ropes challenge course to work on solving problems and executing tasks by working together. Some of the activities included guiding partners through a tricky web of ropes, working to balance a large see-saw with their collective body weight, and supporting each other across diverging tightropes.
After dinner, the groups headed out for a night hike to demonstrate how our eyes adjust to darkness. The highlight of the night hike was the solo walk, in which each team member walked alone in the dark for about 100 yards. It took a lot of courage, and everyone did a great job. After the night hike, the team reconvened for a campfire, singing, and s’mores!
The focus of the trip was preparation for Science Olympiad events. The Dunes Learning Center staff held four 75-minute small-group study sessions. Different events were offered at each session, and team members chose the events they wanted to attend. The sessions offered were Reach for the Stars, Ecology, Meteorology, Oceanography, Write It Do It, Science Word, Amphibians and Reptiles, Rocks and Minerals, and Road Scholar.
By the end of the trip, the team earned an award for having zero food waste during all three meals. We were presented with a certificate and the name of our school will go on a special bulletin board in the Lodge! The team was also told that they were one of the best groups they’ve had at the Learning Center.
