Field Trip: McKinney Roughs Earth Day Festival Sat 4/17

This event has passed.

Attendance: 

Brigid
Amri
Emonee
Atalli
Mikayla
Ariana
+ Kiana and Elijah
 and lots of grown-ups.

Try It Activities Completed:
pg. 118 Outdoor Adventurer #3
pg. 86 Animals #2
pg. 14 Girl Scout Ways #3
pg. 110 Movers #1
part of pg. 94 Earth and Sky #3
pg. 122 Plants #2
pg. 117 Numbers and Shapes #6

Amri:
pg. 94 Earth and Sky #5
She wrote down all the sky creatures she saw over the weekend and then wrote down a note on each of them. Other girls can complete this activity at home by observing birds, insects, and bats and taking notes.

Additionally, everyone received a McKinney Roughs Earth Day Festival Patch (this patch goes on the back of the GS uniform, or can be placed on a tote bag for our Volunteers.)

Additional Notes:
Wow! We had a great turn out for this trip! Thanks to all- especially those that drove. The morning started out cool and damp. We were briefly drizzled upon, and then the sun came out and it was gorgeous. During our hike, the sun became a bit more aggressive, but I think the kids kept it together- for the most part.

We completed our Nature Passports first so that the girls would definitely receive their Participation Patches, then we went on a "1 mile" hike down to the Colorado River. The children were provided with notebooks for making observations. These observations will be shared at our next meeting.
We took so long on our hike- when we returned to the Nature Center, they'd packed up nearly everything and the last shuttle had already left. The wonderful Park Manager went and got a van and shuttled us back to the parking lot. We will be making her a Thank You note!

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Original Post:

4/16/10: I called the park- this is a rain or shine event! Any girls willing to demonstrate that they can be "courageous and strong" and brave the weather are invited to meet at my house at 10am. While on the trip, I expect everyone to follow the GS Law. Hopefully the weather we be in our favor, but if not, here's our chance to prove what little Troopers we can be! (Changes to made to this post are also in red...)

McKinneyRoughs
free Earth Day Festival
April 17, 2010
Cedar Creek, TX

The festival runs from 10am- 3pm. We will meet at Troop Leader Mandy's house at 10am to carpool/caravan to the event. We will be at the event a good part of the day, including lunch time. Tag-a-Longs are welcome. Any girls needing transportation to my home need to contact me in advance. All girls attending the festival without their parents need to fill out a Drop Off form prior to the trip. Please let me know if your daughter will be attending so that I can plan accordingly.

RSVP List:
Amri + Troop Leader Mandy 
Emonee + Dad + Elijah
Atalli + Mom + Kiana
Ariana + Assistant Leader Gloriana
Mikayla +Grampa

What do we bring?  

• a light poncho/rain jacket if needed
• a backpack
• bottled water, a canteen, or the equivalent
• a hat or sunglasses 
• something to keep your hair out of your face and off your neck
• Wear sunscreen- insect repellent might be a consideration.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes, and socks- plan on doing some hiking!
• If it's raining you could toss an extra pair of socks in your bag.
• Wear your Girl Scout vest. 
• Please dress appropriately for the weather. If it is cool out, bring a light-weight jacket that can be tucked into your backpack if it warms up- perhaps your rain jacket can do double duty.
• Bring a sack lunch or money for food/souvenirs. I will bring the trail mix we made at Monday's meeting. 
• Scout books are not necessary for this trip.

What will we do? Girls will earn a patch (provided by the Park) by receiving a passport at an information station and completing select activities throughout the park. The Passport will guide the kids through four  "zones" at the festival- Land Stewardship, Water Stewardship, Alternative Energy and Green Marketplace.

Additionally, we can participate in guided hikes through the wildflowers and pocket prairies. A schedule of events will be posted at the festival. There will also be nature crafts, conservation activity booths, nature and animal presentations, Earth-friendly vendors, food and music.

Potential Try It Activities: (I will be modifying this list. These are just options, not the schedule for the day.)

pg. 118 Outdoor Adventurer #3
pg. 122 Plants #2 and #4
pg. 117 Numbers and Shapes #6
pg. 140 Watching Wildlife #2 and #6
pg. 94 Earth and Sky, #5 and part of #3
pg. 86 Animals #2
Handbook pg. 99 Habitat Activity (collect)
Handbook pg. 94 Weather Watch Hunt

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  "The McKinney Roughs Earth Day Festival is part of Austin Nature Days, a month-long campaign celebrating Central Texas beauty, vitality and diversity of natural resources. This Austin-wide event is a collaborative effort of natural resource organizations to offer unique opportunities for individuals and families to experience and enjoy open spaces and natural places." -earthday.org

For more information visit: www.lcra.org/mckinneyroughs
hiker image from here
.
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