My last day as TRT was spent at Day Camp at Happy Days Lodge. Ranger Phil and I helped the summer and teaching interns to wrap up a fun environmental education week for over 60 campers ranging from 7 to 12. This was quite a contrast to the city kids who were afraid to go into the woods in June. We had many experienced campers. Some were decked out in vests, walking sticks, binoculars, head lamps, compasses, hiking boots, backpacks and water bottles, of course! We hiked to the Overlook via the Ledges Trail while exploring secret caves and crevices. It was an awesome ending for a fantastic summer experience! Can this be a juvenile Cormorant? We got so close to this large water bird while Ranger Shannon gave me a kayaking lesson. Northeast Ohio is so fortunate to have both the Cleveland Metroparks and Summit County Metroparks sharing the Cuyahoga Valley. Kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and paddle boats can be rented at Hinckley Lake. Thanks Shannon, one of many memories to keep close to my heart. One of my responsibilities as TRT was to select a project to complete while I was at the park this summer. I wanted to shadow the scientists and learn more about the CVNP ecosystem. I developed a butterfly unit that can be used at the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center. (CVEEC) "Brilliant Butterflies" reviews the magical metamorphosis these invertebrates complete during their life cycles plus the role butterflies have as pollinators in the ecosystem. "Migrating Monarchs" requires students to literally jump through hoops to survive the migration headache that Monarchs endure to survive their 3000 mile journey. The highlight of the unit is a readers theater that has Justin Beetle hosting "This is Your Life Cycle" for Monica Monarch. I am proud to say that this will be used at CVNP, posted on their website, and shared with all the national parks on an On arrival at the Ledges Shelter to set up for American Indian Games, we encountered this doe munching on dew laden grass. On one foggy, overcast morning I passed five deer along separate sections of Truxell Road. Since I did not have a program to teach on July 23, TRT Shannon invited me to go fishing with a handicapped adult group from Akron. It was a perfect, sunny, summer morning at Horseshoe Pond. Although we did not catch any fish, this frog kept us amused as it retrieved the fishing bobber like a dog. Mother duck and her ducklings are headed for covered as more people arrived! July 12: I am excited to work with CVNP biologist, Meg Plona, and volunteers who conduct weekly counts as citizen scientists at Indigo Lake and Terra Vista in the park. CVNP is part of the Monarch Butterfly Sister Protected Area Network, an international effort to conserve monarchs. Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Chuck and I collected dragonfly larvae at rain swollen Tinkers Creek on July 17. We were joined by fellow teachers and students to record mercury levels and send larvae samples for identification to The University of Maine, "Six-legged Scouts" dragonfly study. The creek was so high! The current was rushing rapidly. I thought I would fall crossing to Chuck. I am proud that I found the only dragonfly larvae that afternoon! The impressive Brandywine Falls with rushing white water after the rain. Typically the water trickles lazily over the rocks. People have asked me, "How do you stay dry being outside with all this rain?" Fortunately, we have had only sprinkles when we are working with student programs at the park this summer. Unfortunately, the ride home has been a different story. The July 3 storm brought high winds (60MPH) and heavy rain. The scarey part was when sparks were flying off the electrical wires. July 10th storm was one of a kind! After receiving severe storm warnings, I left the park 30 minutes early. Heavy rains hit on the turnpike heading east. Frost Road in Streetsboro had water over the road in low areas even though I was going uphill. Now, I received a text from both my daughter and husband telling me there is a tornado warning for Mantua! On Diagonal Road, a car was stalled in a low area with gushing brown, muddy water covering over 20 feet. I turned around and tried Bartlet Road, more water about 30 feet over the road. Next I tried, the other end of Frost which had gravel plus rushing brown water. By this time the rain had stopped but over 5 inches of rain had fallen in less than a hour! Pioneer trail had both ends underwater around me. Mennonite Road had a stalled car in the wash going west and water over the road going east. Finally I tried to get back on Diagonal heading north to Route 82. This area had a large 30 foot area underwater with branches floating in the water, mud, and rock debris. I watched smaller vehicles go through the rushing water before I attempted the drive. Going fast had waves of water above the windows of my SUV, but going slow felt like I was floating until finally the tires finally gripped road, Then Route 82 was under water. Finally Wayne Road had rushing water with pieces of asphalt broken in the water. It took me 90 minutes to get home! Intermediate School Teacher Rosemary Krupar was selected as a teacher-ranger-teacher for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park summer program. This entails working with summer camp students at the Nature Conservancy, working on a unit to leave for future programs, participating in resource management monitoring activities on amphibians, pilot use of Ipads in environmental education, and make connections to common core curriculum. Kruper will also do liaison work next year to bring the park to Crestwood through National Park week. She will set up a webpage and blog on Crestwoodexplorestheworl. org to share her experiences. She will be working in the park system June 10- Aug. 2. The purpose of the Teacher Ranger Teacher (TRT) position is two-fold. First, it supplements the park’s Interpretation, Education, and Visitor Services division by performing duties related to resource education and interpretation. Second, it allows the teacher to more fully explore a national park to enrich his/her understanding and appreciation of our natural and cultural heritage, and in turn provide students and educators with activities developed for use in the classroom. |
AuthorRosemary Krupar teaches 3rd grade at Crestwood Intermediate School. She is working as a Teacher-Ranger-Teacher at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Archives
April 2015
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