🌲🪵💧 Fourth grade students from Oakley Elementary School stepped onto the trails of Bent Creek Experimental Forest for a hands-on survival adventure inspired by their upcoming reading of “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen.
Small groups, led by teachers and parent volunteers, practiced key wilderness skills like collecting and purifying water, building shelters, learning fire safety, and completing teamwork challenges. The immersive experience connected directly to their Language Arts unit on extreme settings and character resilience.
“Students impressed chaperones with their teamwork, problem-solving, and outstanding behavior,” said fourth grade teacher Lillian Weis. “It was remarkable how well students worked together to strategize when they gathered wood and other materials for their shelters.”
“It was really fun,” added Simon, one of the fourth graders. “I liked that they gave us the chance to make a fort. It was a cool experience.”
