Here is a general overview of the daytime classes and programs offered at Blue Ridge OEC; however, each class can be tailored to fit your particular goals and needs, i.e. to cover material for a scouting merit badge, or to teach a specific curriculum requirement.
Our classes conform to many of the Georgia Standards of Excellence at all grade levels.
Animal Ecology
Students learn about how scientists classify groups of animals and what makes different groups unique. Students will learn about animal adaptations with hands-on activities and exploration in and around our nature center. Students will get to meet and interact with our wide array of live animals!
Topics include: birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians
Appalachian Geology
How did these mountains get here? What makes this region of Georgia unique? We are situated where the Piedmont and the Blue Ridge regions overlap which makes for a fascinating mix of species and landscapes. This introduction to our area answers these and many other questions.
Topics include: geology, physiographic regions, and succession
Aquatic Ecology
Students get an intimate look at Little Toccoa Creek including an up-close look at some stream inhabitants. After observing the aquatic habitats and features, the students conduct a biological survey and may also sample the water for dissolved oxygen content, pH, and temperature. After analyzing the results of the chemical and biological testing students will be able to determine the health of the aquatic habitat.
Topics include: water characteristics, habitats, aquatic plants and animals, chemical testing, biological indicators, macro-invertebrates
Burma Bridge
Students learn how to build a unique rope bridge!
This bridge will be constructed by students with help from chaperones during class where they will learn scientific concepts such as horizontal and vertical forces, simple machines, and mechanical advantage. Students will also learn knots and hitches.
Support is another critical concept for this class as students will learn how the separate ropes combine to make a bridge as ropes are tied together as well as students supporting one another by spotting while each student gets to use the bridge they just built!
Topics include: support, force, gravity forces, simple machines, mechanical advantage, hard skills (knots and hitches), critical thinking
Forest Ecology
While walking with a staff naturalist on one of our many hiking trails, students see how the soils, plants, and animals are all interconnected in an intricate web.
Our mixed deciduous forest provides the perfect lab for examining how organic and inorganic components depend upon one another to survive. Everyone can see how our lives, too, are connected to the forest.
Topics include: producers, consumers, decomposers, forest life cycles, layers of the soil, vegetation investigation, succession
Geodome
While working together in groups, students learn hitches and lashings while creating a self-supporting geodesic dome frame. Not only does this class help study geometric shapes, students practice communication skills and team work by building the structure and by studying how the structure is able to stay self-supported after being built.
Topics include: geometric shapes, hitches, lashings, team work, communication, support
Land Navigation
Students learn to use a compass, read maps, and apply these skills to an orienteering course. Students do not just learn about land navigation; they actually DO it! GPS can be taught instead upon request: learn to use Garmin eTrex H series handheld GPS units to navigate our geocaching course.
Topics include: maps, topography, compass, cardinal directions
Outdoor Living Skills
Do you know how to plan ahead and prepare? What about make a shelter in the woods? Do you know what Leave No Trace is? What to bring on an outdoor excursion?
Students will discuss these, and other, skills and get a chance to practice in a supervised setting.
Topics include: Leave No Trace, things to consider when spending time outside, the outdoors are for everyone
Predator - Prey
This large group simulation is a way for students to see the dynamics of the food web in action! Students represent various levels of the food web actively seeking the food, water, and shelter they need to survive…without becoming food for a predator themselves!
Topics include: habitat, survival needs, trophic levels, interdependence, parasites, biomagnification
Sustainability
Where does our food and water come from? What is the true cost of driving to school or turning on a light? Students will explore the concept of sustainability as it relates to humans’ impact on the environment.
Through a combination of group activities, student discussions, and hands-on activities, students will gain an understanding of how we affect our surroundings and what we can do to lead more sustainable lives.
Topics include: recycling, water conservation, sustainable harvesting and agriculture, energy
Team Building / Group Initiative
Students tackle a variety of unique physical and mental challenges while learning to work together. The lessons learned will be valuable in building a sense of community and problem solving skills during your visit, back at school, and for the rest of your students’ lives.
Topics include: effective communication, cooperation, trust, respect, problem solving
Trek!
Best suited for students fifth grade and older…including adults, too! Trek is a creative problem-solving adventure which combines a hike with team building elements. Participants work together to overcome a series of challenges including a cable traverse of Little Toccoa Creek!
Overcoming the obstacles encountered requires teamwork, imagination, and critical thinking. Trek! usually requires 3-4 hours to complete.
A Walk In The Woods
A Walk in the Woods is a class that combines a hike with lessons about the nature around you and different ways to appreciate it.
During this class you and your students will get the chance to not only learn what some of the plants and animals around you are, but you will also get the chance to sit and listen to the world around you while reflecting on it with poems and discussion.
If the Waterfall hike is just a little bit too long or your students just aren’t quite ready for it yet, then we have just the class for you!
Topics include: basic forestry, poetry, observation, enjoyment and challenge of hiking
Waterfall Hike
Students hike up and over the ridge to a 20 foot waterfall. Along the way they will stretch their physical limits while exploring the natural world with a theme of learning through observation and reflection.
This is a difficult trail. The total distance to the waterfall is about 1.5 miles, making for a round trip of almost 3 miles with 500 feet of elevation change both there and on the way back.
Topics may include: basic flora and fauna identification, observation, enjoyment and challenge of hiking
