More Than a Spider Web By: Megan Kuske

A three day, two night trip to Wisconsin for the Outdoor Education A three day, two night trip to Wisconsin for the Fifth graders at Beebe Elementary School. For the three days, students complete Different tasks that were intended to be Enjoyable and Educational.

Okay, Thanks mom! I’ll get started right now! Oh, You’ll be fine! Just pack some warm clothes, your coat, a hat, some gloves, and comfy clothes to wear at night! Let’s not forget your snow boots though! Hey Meg, Is Everything going alright in here? Remember you’re only going to be gone for two nights, not three weeks! Just pack what you know you need and then a few extras. Remember you have to be able to carry what you pack! Okay, Thanks mom! I’ll get started right now! Sure it sounds easy when you say it like that… I know, but what if I forget something important? I’ll look really silly in front of everyone else! How am I ever going to figure out what to pack?

I’m so excited! I can’t wait to share a room with you guys! I know this is going to be awesome! It’s going to be like a sleepover with out our parents around! I have been waiting for this… FOREVER!

Bye Meg, Have fun. I love you too! See you on Thursday! I know they will be fine, but I can’t believe it’s time to let my baby go to outdoor ed. I don’t know if she’s ready! Oh, Becky! Relax, nothing is going to happen to them they will be more than fine! This all just makes me feel old. Knowing that my baby is going to outdoor ed and soon she’ll be in Jr. High. I don’t want them to grow up so fast! Bye Meg, Have fun. I love you too! See you on Thursday! Bye Mom, Love you!

Eww Your right I think there are bugs in here. Oh well, I can’t believe we are here! Plus we got the better dorm with only 16 girls and all the cool teachers! I know this is really awesome! Let’s go find everyone else. I can’t wait to see what they have planned for us! I know M.A.S.H is my favorite game! This is great, but this room is nasty! Is this what all college dorms are like? I think this one is really bad. My sister’s room at college isn’t this bad! Eww Your right I think there are bugs in here. We’ll that’s good to know. I don’t want to live in a room like this for too long! This is so sweet! I can’t believe we are finally here. That bus ride went by so fast!

Team building activity Students must work together in order to Achieve the task at hand.

That sounds great! Let’s do that! This will be one of your more challenging activities, but if you all work together you can certainly be successful. Here is your task: You need to get everyone through the web or you’ll have to start over. No one can touch the net or you’ll have to start over. Also, once you’ve used one of the holes of the web, you can’t use it again. Remember safety comes first so you need to spot people and make good decisions that will keep all of your peers safe. Entire Class: That sounds great! Let’s do that! Well, we need to send the smaller people over first, because the bigger people can lift them through the top holes. How about we send some taller people over first so they can catch the smaller people? Ya! That sounds great, let’s send Megan over first through the highest hole we can lift her up to! That’s a great idea, but what happens when I get to the other side? I’m going to fall on my face!

I will crawl through first, then I can catch Matt. Okay! Let’s try this. I will crawl through first, then I can catch Matt. Okay send Matt through! Wow! I’m sure glad I had you guys to catch me! We really used some awesome teamwork today! Okay, I’m ready!

Entire Class: That was so much fun! Megan, good job making it clear when you felt uncomfortable! Class, good job listening to each other’s concerns. You did such a good job communicating and keeping everyone safe! Congrats class! You did wonderful today! Did you see how easy it is when you work together!

I don’t know about learning! But it sure was FUN! I think some day you’ll realize this trip wasn’t just a lot of fun, but it taught you a lot too! The teambuilding activity was my favorite. I didn’t think we could do it at first, but we all worked so well together! I don’t know about learning! But it sure was FUN! I loved being without any parents, it made me feel very responsible! Sure Mom… Wow, sounds like you had a great time and you learned a lot!

When I grew up, I realized how much I had learned That day and on the trip as a whole. This was my first experience away From home with my peers. I learned how to work together With other students and the Importance of leadership.

The End