Teresa Gonzales - Castro County Playa Festival

The Fifth Annual Castro County Playa Festival was held in Nazareth, Texas on October 25, 2011.  The Festival was attended by approximately 100 students and teachers.  Buses arrived at the Home Mercantile filled with excited students prepared for a great day of learning.  Students began the day with a session on how to keep a nature journal.  It was presented by Julie Hodges, OC Education Director, whose enthusiasm and love for nature is exemplified in her own nature journal.  After clear directions and journals in hand, the students are prepared for their anticipated outdoor experience.
Our goal is not only to teach students about High Plains water and the importance of conservation but also raise an awareness of the beauty of nature including live raptors (rare and beautiful owls),  learning about waterfowl and playa buffers (topics new and fresh that apply to our very own communities),  and finally, experiencing a playa first-hand (giving students an opportunity to explore, make observations and drawing conclusions on their own).  We believe very student can succeed to their potential given the opportunity.

Mississippi Kite Bird perched on Gail's hand 

Students were divided into four rotating groups for the four presentations.  Teachers marked each students' hand with their group number to avoid any confusion.  Our live raptor presentation was given by Gail Barnes of the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Lubbock, Tx.  This presentation was a big success as Gail describes and explains details of the habitats and characteristics of her owls.  Students were amazed at the beauty of the uncaged owls perched on Gail's hand.  I think Pippin and Titan were the students all-time favorites!
Our next session was the Playa Lake Buffers and Waterfowl demonstration by  Jim Steiret an author and waterfowler.  We were pleasantly surprised by an unexpected visitor,  a Northern Harrier!  He is the first winter bird to visit this year. (While it may not be the first one to visit this year, it is the first one we have seen.)
Darryl Birkenfeld, OC Executive Director and Teresa Gonzales, Educator and OC Intern, combined to present "what is a Playa" and "Playa Soils".  Using the outdoor classroom, students completed a T-Chart on Top Soil and Randall Clay. The educational panels proved to be very useful in the discussion of playas. The panels include maps and illustrations that gave the students a better understanding of  the history of playas, where they are, why they are unique to our region,  and the wildlife that thrives here.  Finally, students were able to make observations of what a playa might look like in a normal rain year by the use of the playa jars.  A great visual model!


Students enjoy a day of exploring and journaling on the playa

 The last group was presented by Julie Hodges and Teresa Gonzales combined to guide the students on the Playa Tour.  Students were given the opportunity to explore the playa and  encouraged to collect  vegetation, snails, or even clay for further investigation.  Students were successful in finding and identifying orb snails, blue weed, dodder, and spikerush...all present despite this drought year.
As always, teachers were encouraged to collect Randall clay for future classroom playa jars!   This project has endless possibilities for learning as it is constantly changing as the seeds grow and the eggs to hatch for all to see!   We have one educator in Dora, N.M. who utilizes playa jars to create an environment for constant observations and communication.  Every student has their own playa jar to observe individually or compare with others in the class.
We strive for all students to be successful and excited about learning...Playa Festivals are a valuable tool that should be utilized by any school district that believes in a full experience of learning.

Teresa Gonzales - Barry Playa Festival Clovis, New Mexico

Barry Elemenatry in Clovis, New Mexico was a great place to visit and a super place to teach!  We were greeted by Ms. Mohaughton, Ms. May, Ms. Burnett, and 36 eager fifth graders who accompanied us in a day of learning  and great adventure.  These eductors are enthusiastic and excited about our program of teaching through hands-on activities and outdoor learning.   We began our journey in the Barry Elementary Library where Julie Hodges, our Education Director,  introduced the day with a visual presentation on what playas are, where they come from and why they are important followed by a presentation on nature journals and their value, presented by Teresa Gonzales, Educator and OC Intern.  After a brief  investigation of soils and their differences, we proceeded our rotating groups of Jim Steiret, waterfowler and author, Robert Martin, from the Nature Conservancy in Clovis, New Mexico and Joe Whitehead with the NRCS in Clovis, New Mexico.  Each bringing vital information for a clear understanding of the importance of preserving our natural resources.
Jim Steiret demonstrates the importance of lake buffers and how they help preserve playas.  He checks for student understanding and challenges them to explain ratio to him in relation to playa buffers.  The water fowl demonstration was a big hit, as usual, identifying birds by their markings and color.  He informed the students that it will require a quiet approach to get close enough to get a good look at the wildlife upon arriving at our designated playa (the first one I have seen this year with water in it ...awesome!).  Robert Martin brings  yet another layer of excitement to learning by sharing his reptiles and amphibians!  He was assisted by Tish Stewart, an upcoming OC Intern.  Robet and Tish shared toads, frogs, salamanders, snakes and the all-time favorite, Ms. McLuven, Robert's personal snapping turtle!  

The true star of the day is, Ms. McLuven, a beautiful snapping turtle that weighs 6-8 pounds now but will weigh 50 pounds at full term and has a life span of 40-50 years!

 



Students were amazed and  full of questions.  Joe Whitehead from NRCS in Clovis uses humor and music for his presentation. Topics covered are the Ogallala Aquifer and watersheds.  The students  participated as he brought his presentation to life using music. I loved his "Jewels of the Plains" and his "Water Song." The message that Mr. Whitehead delivers is that our playas are necessary but suffering due to roads, farming techniques, and the lack of awareness that our society has about our natural world.  In Mr. Whitehead's words, "Take care of what we have, now that we know."  He made a believer out of me!

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With the best yet to come and their curisosity level pretty high level, we proceeded to a local playa.  To my surprise, this playa was well preserved by the community and was a place where people actually visit and enjoy.  There are posted signs for the walking trail which is very nice and allows a wonderful view of nature and wildlife (really peaceful).  The trail measured one and one-eighth miles.  I observed at least ten walkers in the short time we were there.  None seemed intimidated by the school bus and 36 excited fifth-graders!  They just kept coming!  This is a true example of what more communities should be doing with our precious playas. 

Teresa Gonzales - Farwell Playa Festival

This was a very productive Festival! The 45 fifth graders that attended were excited to be there and well prepared by Ms. O'Hare and other teachers. The students' nature journal covers illustrated a good understanding of not only what a playa looks like but how it drains into the Ogallala Aquifer. Inside the journal, I observed a (modified) Beaufort Scale for land. This chart is set up to identify force, windspeed and observational description. The teachers also included the vocabulary list that students seemed pretty familiar with as they used it in their interactions with their peers and during feedback. It was very clear that Farwell used the available resources. Julie Hodges, The Ogalla Commons Education Director, is a great resource for teachers interested in preview lessons or follow-up lessons to our presenations. Not only has she developed a binder of great lessons and ideas to piggy-back off of but she developed a trunk with experiements that will save educators much needed time in planning and preparing for projects. Notify Julie Hodges for more information. Julie's presentation was very effective. The students were able to pull from prior knowledge as their teachers set the foundation before we arrived. The students were quite proud of the journals and were ready to learn more about what goes into the journal and how this will help them in the future. Julie does a great job of including art and mapping in her presenation and discussing the importance of gathering information on paper other than in text text form. Assignment:  1.Complete daily log 2. Find an unusal object 3. Ask yourself a question about this object 4.  Draw the Object  5. Write a reflection With instructions in hand the students were eager to load the bus and go out to the Ogallala Classroom! Gail Barnes with the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Lubbock, Tx. was good enough to come out and share some wonderful raptors with the students. She brought five owls that are very different in nature but beautiful to look at and ask yourself questions about. I was honored to assist her in her presentation. I was allowed to have a beautiful bird I have only seen in pictures actually perch on my hand . The owl understood "up, up, up" meant cool it and "wings down." of course meant please don't try to fly away. They also like a soothing voice which was good for me cause I needed to know that it was a calm raptor! I hope I get to have that experience again. Wow. Jim Steiret, author and waterfowler shared his playa buffer demonstration and discussed ratios. The best ratio for a playa buffer is 3:1. Of course, not everyone can do this; 2:1 is okay and 1:1 is much better than nothing to protect the playa.. He is great at what he does. I learn more each time I observe or assist in his presentation. His waterfowl presentation is always interesting with his sound effects to identify bird calls, feathers, and his carved birds for his display. Students identify feathers to models and learn how the birds were named...by their markings. Students were very attentive. Julie Hodges and I worked on the "What is a playa" and the "Soils" presentation. This was a big hit because we were able to utilize the outdoor classroom for our demonstrations. The students enjoyed the information boards and even took pictures of them.. For our nature walk, the students gathered plants, soild and observed the deep cracks in the ground from the contracting clay beneath their feet. I'd like to mention the two young fifth grade scientists that stood out in my mind are Clay and Thomas. Clay has some great questions and was eager to participate in discussion and Thomas was a great gatherer of information. He has a great attitude toward learning and I forsee great things for him. He volunteered to collect soil for his teacher for their own "playa jar" and class project! These students are excited about learning thanks to the enthusiasm that their teachers bring to learning. Great job, Farwell!

Teresa Gonzales - Mesa Playa Festival

This festival was truly a great learning experience for the 97 fifth graders at Mesa Elementary School in Clovis, New Mexico. We were welcomed into a school that displays great pride and respect. students' artwork is displayed throughout the school from framed clay-artwork to painted tiles in the entrance area. The students at Mesa Elementary practice the six pillars of character which, in my opinion, lays the foundation for  learning in a safe environment and and a greater opportunity to reach the students' potential. Presenters at this festival included Robert Martin with the Nature Conservancy in Clovis, New Mexico. Joe Whitehead with NRCS in Clovis, Darryl Berkinfeld, Ogallala Commons Executive Director, Julie Hodges, OC Education Director, and myself, Teresa Gonzales, Educator and OC Intern. Robert Martin had a great reaction from the students as he presented his "Amphibians and Reptiles." He brought along a variety of frogs and snakes but his all-time favorite is his personal pet, Ms.Mc Luven. A snapping turtle he has possessed for about 5 years. He acquired it when she was just the size of a silver dollar and now she weighs a whopping 6-8 pounds. He said she eats just about anything including dog food, an occasional weiner (in 2 bites!) or 40-50 goldfish! The students enjoyed this presentation and asked him to come back. Joe Whitehead from NRCS in Clovis shined in his presentation using humor and music. The students wanted to participate as he brought his presentation to life using music. My favorite was listening to  "Jewels of the Plains" and his "Water Song" played on his guitar. The message in the songs that Mr. Whitehead delivers/writes is that our playas are necessary for survival but  are suffering due to roads, farming techniques, and the lack of education that our society has about how important playas are and  to "Take care of what we have, now that we know." Darryl Birkenfeld is the presenter for Playas. What they are how they got here, and what they do on the High Plains water cycle. I assisted in this presentation while students were tasked to compare top soil and clay using a T-Chart. They discover that there is a huge difference in the types of soils they are dealing with. They also make oral observation of the playa jars which we encourage all teachers to have in their classroom. These are a great class project as it will keep students engaged in making observations as the playa in a jar is constantly changing and will raise an awareness in nature that the students may not possess. Julie Hodges prepared the students for the day with a presentation on Nature Journaling. She begins with basic information a daily journal include then emphasizes the that journals are personal and can be completed in the form of text or artwork including mapping. With their Affective Filtered lowered, students are more likely to enjoy the journal and express themselves in a way that they are not accustomed to!

Teresa Gonzales - Bella Vista Playa Festival

This is a great place to be!  The history of this school is interesting and a great place to visit.    Lincoln Jackson Arts Academy merged with Arts Academy in 2006 to form what is known today as Arts Academy @ Bella Vista Elementary School. This school serves K-6 grades with about 500 student enrollment.   The school promotes creativity in thinking by embracing art as an avenue to express yourself.  As you enter the building, the first thing I noticed was the soft music and decor.  Student artwork is displayed throughout the building including ceiling tiles painted by students.   The students were excited and prepared for some great presentations.  Presenters for the 76 fifth graders students at Bella Vista included Darryl Birkenfeld, OC Executive Director, Joe Whitehead with NRCS, Robert Martin with the Nature Conservancy, and Teresa Gonzales, Educator and OC Intern.  Mrs. Milliron  did a great job of preparing the students for our visit  and we enjoyed a great lunch in their hospitality room.Robert Martin had a great reaction from the students as he presented his "Amphibians and Reptiles." He brought along a variety of frogs and snakes but his all-time favorite is his personal pet, Ms. Mc Luven. A snapping turtle he has possessed for about 5 years. He acquired it when she was just the size of a silver dollar and now she weighs a whopping 6-8 pounds! The snapping turtle eats just about anything including dog food, an occasional weiner (in 2 bites!) or 40-50 goldfish! The students enjoyed this presentation and asked him to come back next year!  Joe Whitehead from NRCS in Clovis nailed his presentation using humor and music. The students wanted to participate as he brought his presentation to life using music. I loved his "Jewels of the Plains" and his "Water Song." The message in the songs that Mr. Whitehead delivers is that our playas are necessary but suffering due to roads, farming techniques, and the lack of education that our society has about how important it is to "Take care of what we have, now that we know." Darryl Birkenfeld is the presenter for Playas. What they are,  how they got here, and what they do on the High Plains water cycle. Students were tasked with comparing top soil and clay using a T-Chart. They discovered that there is a huge difference in the types of soils they are dealing with. They also made oral observation of the playa jars which we encourage all teachers to have in their classroom. These are a great class project as it will keep students engaged in making observations as the playa in a jar is constantly changing and will raise an awareness in nature that the students may not possess. I prepared the students for the day with a presentation on Nature Journaling. I began with with basic information on keeping a daily journal.  They observed a student map in a nature journal where we discussed just how many details were included in the sketch and how useful this tool is in writing.  The last objective is to write a poem or a reflection.  We had fun here!
                                                       Our Leopard Frog
                                                      Was sitting on a log
                                                         In the dense fog
                                       When he was approached by a hungry hog
                                                   He thought," I'll go for jog!"
These festivals are getting better and better!  Julie Hodges, The Education Coordinator, has done a great job of forwarding agendas, preview lessons and needed vocabulary to our educators before our arrival.  This has proven to enhance the learning of fifth grade students all over the High Plains.

Teresa Gonzales - Hemphill County Water Festival

One day after the Festival in Panhandle, Darryl Birkenfeld and Jim Steiert continued east on U.S. Highway 60 to "The Emerald City" of Canadian. There, our veteran faculty members teamed up with Hemphill County Underground Water Conservation District to present a Water Festival to 75 5th Graders from Baker Elementary School in Canadian. A star attraction for the day was Mr. Bob Rogers from Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. over at the Gene Howe Wildlife Managment Area, who brought a demonstration that included the 5 turtles of the Texas Panhandle: softshell, ornate box, yellow mud, and two kinds of snapping turtles. Mr. Rogers' stories were even more fun and interesting than the turtles! After a great presentation on using math to measure aquifer levels by Janet Guthrie, General Manager of Hemphill County UWCD, students and teachers boarded buses and drove out to the Canadian River. On their field trip, students observed water spiders, minnows, dozens of wetland plants, and just basked in the warm autumn sun under the Canadian River Wagon Bridge. Students and teachers all agreed that it was a great day filled with learning and adventure!

Teresa Gonzales - Carson County Water Festival

Ogallala Commons partnered with Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District (PGCD) and the Square House Museum to hold a Water Festival in Panhandle, TX, on Oct. 3rd. Three schools (Panhandle, Claude, and Groom) sent 86 5th Graders and 8 teachers to our event. Jim Steiert, a regular on our Playa Festival Faculty, taught the Nature Journaling topic at this Festival, as well as his usual outdoor presentation on playa buffers and waterfowl. Meanwhile, Darryl Birkenfeld lead presentations on "What is a Playa?" and "Soils, Macroinvertebrates, and Food Webs." Rounding out the Festival were presentations on water conservation by Joy Shadid of Panhandle GCD and a history overview on our region by the Square House Museum. After lunch, students and teachers only had to drive a mile to a fantastic rangeland playa on the west edge of Panhandle. This playa had huge cracks (see photo)! Even though it is a drought year, we were please to find a large number of wet playa plants like barnyard grass (see student holding plant), annual aster, and pink smartweed.

This student seems very pleased to have located barnyard grass in his search for wet playa plants. This is unusual given the drought year we have just experienced.

Young scientists making observations and journaling in the wonderful outdoors!

Teresa Gonzales - Crosbyton, Ralls and Lorenzo Playa Festival

This was a great day! The environment in which we arrived was welcoming and very respectful. Way to go, fifth grade! We had the honor of having a special presenter for this festival, Melanie Hartman is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and shared a Wildlife presentation with the students.. This was a large group so they were divided into three rotating groups . The three presentations were Playa Wildlife by Melanie Hartman. Playa Plants and Soils by Teresa Gonzales, and Playa Lakes, Buffers, and waterfowl was presented by Jim Steiret, an author and waterfowler. After our classroom instruction, the students loaded buses to a nearby playa. Students were excited and ready to explore their new surroundings.   Students usually enjoy the field experience most of all.  This group collected plants and shells and made observations about the earth's surface and they were amazed at the cracks and how deep they might be.  The teachers were interested in the follow-up lessons provided by Julie Hodges in her "Playa Binder." The teachers were informed that the Playa Binder was forwarded to their princiipal via email. Amy Reece, a fifth grade Ralls teacher collected the clay soil she will need to start her own "Playa Jar." She knows the soil contains over 350 types of seeds and 200 types of eggs. Her students were very pleased that they will be able to have a class project that will lend itself to all subjects easily. Her students are lucky to have her!

Teresa Gonzales - Swisher County Playa Festival

Students working together to come up with a strategy to harvest the most rainwater! 

Ninety Tulia students joined the OC Playa Festival team at the Home Mercantile in Nazareth, Texas for an exciting day of learning. This festival was enjoyed by the students, four teachers, and even the bus drivers took part in this exciting day. The festival was introduced by Darryl Birkenfeld with an overview on what to expect to learn about, specifically playas, and the importance of the world around us. Julie Hodges followed with a presentation on journal writing as a tool to gather information with text, art, and mapping. Armed with information and tools, the students were loaded up and driven out to the Playa Classroom for an experience with the outdoors as they have never seen. Rainwater Harvesting proved to be a pretty competitive project. The students(In small groups) were challenged to harvest the most amount of rainwater using sponges and non-soluable squares as the surface for the rainwater. The goal here is to position your props in such a way as to have as little run-off water as possible then measure the water in the sponges only. The interaction between the students was amazing. Social skills were put to the test! The Playa raptors presentation was very engaging (even the bus drivers were engaged). Gail Barnes does a beautiful job of explaining the facts and details about owls. Gail brings the raptors from the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Lubbock, Texas. The birds are gorgeous to look at and students are amazed to see these creatures at such a close distance. I enjoyed the outdoor classroom where my group made some soil and macro invertebrate observations before heading out to the playa for some interaction with nature and journaling. Jim Stieret's demonstration consisted of water buffers and waterfowl. I have assisted in the buffer presentation in the past and it has to be one of the best buffer models I have seen. Thanks, Tulia, for visitng the Playa Classroom!

Teresa Gonzales - Dora Playa Festival

Mr. Bilbrey's amazing collection of Playa Jars!

Macro Invertebrates swimming in one of Mr. Bilbrey's Jars!

While I did not attend this festival due to other civic duties, I gather that I missed out on a very exciting and successful festival on 09/22/2011. This area is bringing a much needed awareness to the importance of "saving our playas" by way of educators like Mr. Bilbrey. He has embraced this opportunity to expose our students to the natural world around them by creating playa jars for each of his students to enjoy. (20+ jars!) This class project will keep students engaged as they observe and take ownership of the "life" that has been brought forth. Wow! I want to be in this class.! Students are only as excited as their teacher. I wonder if the winner of the Macro Invertebrate Jar Contest will come from Mr. Bilbrey's class next year! The real beauty of this project is that learning will be acquired in an approach that allows students to make connections with the natural world around them. Observing the jars over a period of time, keeping a journal, taking photos of the changes, and communicating with peers are all great ideas that are being applied in Dora.

Students pet a Tiger Salamander!

Joe Whitehead of the NRCS explains watersheds to the Dora Students

Students trailing out across a playa where we found Texas Horned Lizards

Every student will experience success...there are no wrong answers! I think eyes will be opened to the possibilities of the world around them because Mr. Bilbrey has modeled how important it is to learn more about it. There were about 75 students in attendance at this festival where they enjoyed an overview by Darryl Birkenfeld who explains what a playa is, how it got there and why they are a keystone ecosystem. Julie Hodges did a presentation on Journal writing (including art and mapping) followed by Bird Identification which the students always enjoy. Jim Steiert, author and waterfowler, is very successful in his presentations. His "common sense" approach to identifying birds by color and markings brings back a much needed skill...logic. I always enjoy Mr. Steiert's presentations and the knowledge he brings to the table. The group was joined by Robert Martin and Joe whitehead who assisted in making this festival a success. The support system in place in Dora, N.M. is very strong. Not only are educators excited about teaching but parents are willing to go the extra mile to make great things happen in Dora. A special thanks to Betty Williamson, a supportive mom, who secured the playa and provided lunch for the Ogallala Commons team. I look forward to meeting the students at our next festival on October 18, 2011.

Teresa Gonzales - Great Plains Water Cycle

Students examine a Macro-invertebrate jar full of spike rush and tiny creatures. The playa jars are providing us with a glimpse of what a wet playa would look like as we are working in a dry playa in a drought year.

A student attempts to see how deep a crack in the OC Playa is.

We had the pleasure of meeting approximately 70 fifth grade students from Whiteface, Hart, and Nazareth, Texas. The students appeared excited to be allowed the opportunity for an outdoor experience. I am not sure they knew the treat they were in for. Once we completed the "classroom" instruction that included a great journal writing lesson and bird identification, the students proceeded to (what I hope) will be the one field-trip they will never forget. The day included: 1. The "Raptor presentation" What a sight to see! Live owls! I wonder how many parents are superstitious! 2. Field Experience included plant Identification and my first experience with buffalo chips and scat (I had no gloves.) Also, making observations and predictions about the playa landscape was fun. 3. Buffers/waterfowl presentations were great!
Overall, this group was pleasantly surprised and learned a great deal about the world around them. The playa trunk will definitely enhance the learning of this group.

Sara Hunter's fifth grade class from Nazareth, Tx. enjoyed a morning outdoors at the Playa classroom learning about the High Plains water cycle, raptors, waterfowl, shorebirds, plus soil properties, playa plants and journal writing. Nazareth was joined by 52 students from Hart, Tx. and Whiteface, Tx.

Teresa Gonzales -- Abernathy Playa Festival

The Abernathy Playa Festival on 09/15/11 was focused on learning about High Plains water.  Fifth grade students from Abernathy Elementary and Kress Elementary attended this festival.  I had the honor of assisting Jim Stieret, author and waterfowler, in his presentation on playas.  He was very informative in explaining why playas are a keystone ecosystem and how to identify whether the indicators of a healthy playa are present.  He emphasized the importance of preserving our playas and discussed the effect of losing even one playa because they are all inter-connected.  He did a great job of explaining that playas are one of the few water sources in the world that "recharge." 

My presentation was on playa plants and soils.  Students did not observe playa plants due to the weather but observations/ field notes have been re-scheduled for next week.  Instead we discussed the frequently seen plant, "evening primrose." Consumers can buy this over-the-counter in the form of a vitamin.  They passed the bottle around to check out the ingredients and see the capsule. This activity was followed by a short powerpoint and some discussion how clay develops.  We used  T-charts, and made observations of clay and sand.
The high-light of the day was The Playa Raptors presented by Gail Barnes.  The students were very respectful of the quiet environment that is required for this presentation.  The students got a close look at how beautiful owls are and how different each type is.  I was very impressed at how quickly the students picked up the vocabulary; it was evident in their feedback .  I was also pleased to see how much of the new knowledge they were able to transfer from Julie's presentation on Bird Identification to the Raptor's Presentation by Gail.  Again, aquiring knowledge in a non-traditional way.

Teresa Gonzales -- Ascension Academy Playa Festival Amarillo, Tx

The Playa Festival at the Ascension Academy in Amarillo, Tx on 09/09/11 was a great success due to the warm administrators and staff who are dedicated to the success of their students, the parents who volunteered their time to come out to photograph activities and promote their school, and lastly the students who were visibily eager to learn and welcomed a challenge. Students were engaged with nature after an overview of what playas are and how they got here. We took rotating groups out to the playa for hands-on experience with playa plants which the students illustrated in their journals. We also observed the ever-changing landscape where we found cracks as deep as three feet. The other group observed a rainwater harvesting demonstration by Jason and Julie Hodges and were divided into groups to compete against each other for which group could harvest the most water. The afternoon schedule consisted of three rotating groups which participated in Bird Identification, Plant Identification, and I assisted in Soil Identification. My favorite part of the experience was facilitating the students with Julie's challenge to engage them with nature thru creative writing. The students were engaged with making good observations and illustrations but poem writing proved to be where students wanted to spend more time and thought. These students acquired knowledge and were left to ponder the world around them and how we can best conserve our playas. I was extremely impressed with the positive attitude of the staff and students.

Tierra Blanca Students feast on Fesitval of Playa Learning

In a groundbreaking first for the Hereford school system, 50-plus fifth grade students and teachers from Tierra Blanca Primary--and even their principal--immersed themselves in a one-day Playa Festival April 19. The Festival, held at the Home Mercantile and a nearby Playa Classroom facility just south of Nazareth, provided an educational experience centered on the perfect outdoor learning lab provided by playas. The seasonal wetlands dot the Southern High Plains of Texas in their greatest concentration in the world.

The Tierra Blanca Soil and Water Conservation District marked a new experience right along with students from the same namesake school. Thanks to the foresight of its board, TBSWCD served as a Playa Festival sponsor for the first time. District board members who approved the sponsorship include Jerry Homfeld, chairman, Chris Urbanczyk, vice chairman, David Wagner, secretary, Danny Frerich, and Nathan Betzen.

"The board feels that getting kids outdoors and participating in Playa Festivals is a good thing. Festivals teach them about life outside of the home and the classroom. So many youngsters live in town now and they really don’t know about things outdoors. People don’t realize how important playas are, and we’re glad somebody is teaching them about the importance of playas in the water cycle," said Jerry Homfeld of the TBSWCD’s sponsorship role.

Playa Festivals are staged by professionals and individuals well-versed in playa flora and fauna, creative writing, journaling, and playa history. They work through Ogallala Commons, a nonprofit resource development network offering education and leadership in the eight state High Plains Ogallala Aquifer region.

Interdisciplinary Playa Festivals fit the school day and can be one, two, or three day events. Students and teachers learn about playa ecology and the water cycle through Science, History, Biology, Art, and Creative Writing.

Playa Festivals were inspired by the book "Playas: Jewels of the Plains" by Jim Steiert and Wyman Meinzer, and also utilize "Common Flora of Playa Lakes" by Dr. Dave Haukos and Dr. Loren M. Smith as the go-to reference for plant identification in playas. Dr. Haukos is also a frequent presenter on playa ecology and plant life at Festivals.

Prior to the Tierra Blanca Festival, students viewed and touched some of the amphibians and reptiles associated with playas. Robert Martin of The Nature Conservancy brought live amphibians and reptiles into the Science classroom at Tierra Blanca. Students also received a vocabulary list pertaining to playas.

At their Festival, TB students viewed live raptors displayed and discussed by wildlife rehabilitator Gail Barnes of Lubbock. They compared playa soil with upland soil, and learned about macroinvertebrates and playa plants from Dr. Darryl Birkenfeld, a playa landowner and director of Ogallala Commons, and Julie Hodges, Ogallala Commons education coordinator. Julie, who is not related to TB Principal Sharon Hodges, also conducted sessions on journaling, bird anatomy and identification, and helped students to look and listen on their playa field trip.

Students explored a playa basin, noting plant and bird life and got a pointer on sketching waterfowl. A wrap-up session included a demonstration on soil erosion, playa siltation, and the role of native grass buffers in protecting playas. Pupils saw life-size models of wading birds, shorebirds, and puddle ducks that utilize playas, and heard a demonstration of the calls of some of the puddle ducks.

Students were instructed in journaling techniques, and had the opportunity to make written observations and sketches on what they learned and experienced.

The Playa Festival drew rave reviews from D’Lisa Pohnert, fifth grade Science teacher at Tierra Blanca, and Principal, Sharon Hodges, who were also assisted on the field trip by Carol Ruiz, a Reading teacher at Tierra Blanca and Shari Ellis, a Math teacher at the campus.

"Kids got a hands-on outdoor experience with material that ties in with the TAKS test. They learned about bird characteristics, how the birds get food, special adaptations of bird beaks for eating fruit, prodding for insects, sifting seeds and macroinvertebrates from water and mud, or devouring prey. Students learned about differences in the feet of birds. We got in-person lessons on the food chain, and natural camouflage.

"Learning about journaling was important--standards have changed for Science and every student from Kindergarten up now has to have a Science journal. We got pointers on how to have a really good one.

"The Festival reinforced what we talk about in class, but got kids out of the classroom and into the outdoors--enhancing their learning experience. The kids enjoyed simply walking, looking, and finding stuff in a playa. The live raptors and the waterfowl call demonstrations were really popular. The Festival experience brought Science to life," she said.

Principal Sharon Hodges felt the field trip proved highly worthwhile.

"The Playa Festival was one of the most rewarding academic experiences for both students and teachers alike. We are blessed to have an outdoor classroom that allows students the opportunity to encounter our area’s natural habitats, birds, and vegetation, and to learn the importance and value of protecting our playa ecosystems. It was a wonderful experience," she said.

Jim Steiert, author of this blog post, is an award winning member of the Texas Outdoor Writers Association and a Certified Texas Master Naturalist.

Macro Invertebrate Jar Contest! $$$Cash Prize!!!

Ogallala Commons would like to announce the First Annual Macro Invertebrate Jar Contest for Playa Festival Teachers. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first and second place winners - $300 for first place and $150 for second place.
To enter, you will need to grow, document and photograph a Macro Invertebrate Jar as instructed at our Conservation Education Day Teacher Trainings this spring. Jars will be judged based on three areas - Jar Content, Jar Journal, and Photo documentation of the Jar. A total of 50 points are possible (20 for Content, 15 for Journal and 15 for Photos) Jars will be judged on Sept. 1, 2011.

Criteria:
Jar Content - Content of jars will vary widely due to the use of soils from several different playas. Content will be judged based on the content and overall condition of the plants and creatures in the jar.

Jar Journal- Journals should feature weekly documentation of the progress and changes occurring within the jar throughout the spring and summer.

Photo Documentation - This is an important part of the documentation of the jar, and will make for a wonderful photo essay to share with students and teachers in the future. Photos should be taken on a regular basis to document the progress and transformation of the jar.

Those of you who would like to participate in the contest should send an email with your name, school and contact information to Julie Hodges, OC Education Coordinator at juliehodges@prairieworkshop.com by April 1.

Great Plains: America's Lingering Wild is coming to Playa Festivals!

Watch this preview of the Documentary based on Michael Forsberg's book.

NET Great Plains upcoming documentary - Preview from Patty FORSBERG on Vimeo.

Ogallala Commons Playa Festival Video 0001

Conservation Education Days (teacher + landowner trainings)

2010 is winding down…and it has been a banner year for Playa Festivals and playa education! Over 1,500 5^th graders in 22 schools were engaged in hands-on learning through 14 Festivals in 2010, as well as teachers, parents, and educators. Ogallala Commons (creator of Playa Festivals) and our partners at Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, and county Soil & Water Conservation Districts…are now gearing up to make 2011 another great year for building natural resource literacy for students and adults.

Ogallala Commons and its partners will conduct 5 Conservation Education Days in early 2011 that will occur on school days. Each of these training days will provide educators with basic information about playas and Playa Festivals, as well as opportunities for teachers to share tools and activities that enhance TEKS-based learning before and after the Festivals. In addition, for a 90-minute lunch period, area landowners will be joining our session to learn with the educators. This interchange is important for three reasons: 1) it will allow landowners to see that there is interest in playa conservation in local schools, with a new generation of students, 2) it will allow teachers to meet landowners who might have an interest in playa conservation, and/or school visits to their playas, and 3) it will enable teachers and landowners to learn some pertinent information about playas, conservation of the Ogallala Aquifer, and natural resources in general.

The five dates and locations for the Conservation Education Days (see attached agenda) are:

- Wednesday, January 12 at Clovis ISD Central Office, Clovis, NM

- Wednesday, January 19 at Oak Grove Elementary School,

Brownfield, TX

- Wednesday, February 2 at Lindsey-Steiner Elementary School

Library, Portales, NM

- Tuesday, March 1 at Amarillo Southwest Library, Amarillo, TX

- Tuesday, March 8 at Friona High School, Friona, TX

(These sessions will be conducted from 9am – 3:30pm…and are limited to 20 teachers/educators each)

We want to let all schools know that demand for Playa Festivals is very high…currently more than we can provide in the fall semester or even the short spring semester. So, any schools selected to host or participate in Playa Festivals will need to assure that their 5^th Grade teachers complete a training session before the Festivals take place. Now, here is the good news: the trainings listed above are free of charge, they will be energizing, and those who complete any of these training workshops are eligible to receive 6 hours of GT continuing credit through Region 16 and 17. Those of you

interested in receiving credit from Region 17 need to email me at juliehodges@prairieworkshop.com, and I will send a link to you for online registration. In order to receive credit you must complete this process prior to the session date. Region 16 teachers will need to fill out a form that will be available at the Conservation Education Day.

I would suggest that any school interested in a hosting or participating in a Playa Festival strategize to send a teacher (or maybe two) to each of the scheduled training sessions. Since each session is a bit different with varied presentations, having some of your teachers represented at all the training sessions increases the information and resources that can be brought back to teachers and schools.

Playa Festival Promo Video

It is finished!!!

Enjoy!