Great Western Experience 2006

Course Description

This is a reoccurring course (every 2 years) offered by the Shepherd High School Science Department.  Upon completion of the course the student will earn ½ credit.  The meetings for the class will take place during the 2005-2006 school year.  A two week trip to six National Parks (Badlands National Park, Mt Rushmore National Monument, Devil's Tower National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and maybe, either Rocky Mountain National Park or Glacier National Park) will take place during the summer of 2006.  This course will cost each student $850 (this is just an estimate based on previous trips. A final cost will be determined before the end of this school year).

The course is made up of three components:

   
1.

Hiking.  One local hikes in Michigan and various day hikes in the National Parks.  Each studentwill be required to take part in all hikes.

  
   
2.

Assignments.  The students will be divided into groups and be required to complete thefollowing assignments:

  
 
a.
 Students will be divided into groups of 2 to 3 to complete this assignment. The assignment will involve a National Park, a geographical region of a National Park or an environmental question involving a National Park. The group will be required to construct a multimedia presentation on their topic. Much of this will done during the 'class' portion of GWE, but some information, interviews and pictures will be gathered while on the actual trip.    
 
b.
 An individual Science Journal will be completed.  It will include:    
   
i.
 Completed online and class assignments required throughout the 2003/2004 school year.  
ii
 Plans for meals for the entire group for 3 to 4 days of the trip  
iii
 A daily log that written during the trip. Pictures taken on the trip by the student will be included and the log will be turned into a web page at the completion of the trip.  
   
 
3

Meetings.  There will be online materials (Internet) and several meetings throughout the nextyear (about one per month and 5 half days after the trip) for specific topics.  The topics will include:

  
   
a.
History of the National Park System.
    
b.
 Zero Trace camping and hiking.    
c.
 Technology (web page building, digital photography, digital video editing, and gps work).    
d.
 First Aid.    
e.
 Political/environmental questions concerning our National Park System.    
f.
 Building of artifacts to exemplify concepts being study in class about a certain park.    
 
   
4.

All students will be required to make at least two group presentations of the trip.  These are usually to the Shepherd Board of Education and Chippewa Valley Audubon Club.  A smaller group of students may elect (for extra credit) to present to the Shepherd Rotary.

  


Admission to the course.

Admission to the class is competitive and by application.  Twelve to fifteen students will be selected for the course (and the trip).  However, the choice of students is not simply based on grade point averages.  We are looking for students for a variety of roles on the trip.  A Student who is adept at working in groups with a positive, adventurous attitude will be given equal consideration as those with above average grades.  The application process is made up of three components;

 
1.
 Completion of the GWE 2006 application.  These will be used to determine what students qualify for the second component.  They will be judged not only on quality, but also on the applicants ability to follow directions precisely  
 
2.
 A personal interview with a panel of instructors from Shepherd High School Science Department.  The purpose of this interview is to give all the members of the selection panel an opportunity to meet and get to know the applicant.  At this time, the applicants will also be judged on their ability to express and conduct themselves in formal and informal situations.  Student may be queried as to their experiences in travel, hiking, camping, computers, working in a group, and presenting in front of a group.  
 
3.
 A group hike.  This will during or after the interview process.  The purpose of the hike is to give the prospective student an idea of what will be required of them on the trip.  Most hikes on the trip will be in the range of 2 to 6 miles in length.  There are usually a couple of hikes that are over 10 miles in length.  For example, the hike in the Tetons is over 12 miles with a gain in elevation well over 3000 feet. Even though it is a well worn trail, it is very demanding.