Auburn-Washburn USD 437

First-grade students across the district have been taking turns visiting our Outdoor Environmental Lab for their “One in the Sun” field trip. During this day-long experience, students rotate through a series of hands-on learning stations focused on:

💫 Exploring patterns in the sky – Students learned about constellations and the role of the sun as an energy source. Using light meters, they investigated how light travels and extended their learning about UV light by creating UV bead bracelets to see how sunlight impacts our daily lives.

🦎 Animal growth and change – Through live animal experiences, students observed how animals grow and change through their lifespan. The program emphasized conservation, respect for wildlife, and understanding how animals interact with their environments.

🦉 Animal adaptations – Students investigated physical traits that help animals survive. Hands-on activities such as bird beak exploration and a blubber experiment helped demonstrate how structure and function support survival in living organisms.

🪿 Animal communication – Students explored how sound travels through vibrations and applied their learning by creating and testing their own goose calls.

🌿 Survival strategies – During their hike, students searched for real-world examples of plant and animal defenses. A survival-themed scavenger hunt helped students connect classroom concepts to the natural environment.

Experiences like this bring science standards to life by giving students meaningful, real-world opportunities to explore, question, and discover!