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Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Wild, Wooly and Weird Wildlife! High Plains Science Adventure Camp 2017

JUNE 12th - 16th 2017 | 8:00am - 4:00pm

Join area naturalists and biologists while exploring the world of wildlife! Campers will learn about local wildlife while hiking through habitats, exploring ecosystems, conducting wildlife surveys and adventuring in the outdoors!

COST: $175 per camper

AGES: 9-12 year olds

Registration ends May 20, 2017

Applications available the Wildcat Hills Nature Center

For more information or a camp application contact Amanda Filipi, Education Specialist
308-436-3777 | amanda.filipi@nebraska.gov

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

HPSA Camp 2014: Walkin' on the Wild Side

As the first official day of spring approaches, the days are getting longer, daffodils and crocuses are starting to poke their heads up, and summer vacation no longer seems that far away. If spending time outdoors, exploring the natural world around you, and learning all about the animals and plants of western Nebraska, then have we got a summer camp for you!

This July, Children and Nature in Our Parks is excited to present High Plains Science Adventures 2014: Walkin' on the Wild Side. With a mix of animal, insect, and plant investigations and closeup meetings, this camp is sure to interest the budding naturalist in your family. This camp is open to students who have finished 4th-7th grades and runs July 14th-18th. We will be exploring different areas around the panhandle including the Wildcat Hills and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, and we'll finish off the week with an overnight at the Riverside Discovery Center!

Below is a link that will take you to our registration page that contains all the necessary paperwork for this summer's camp. If you have any questions, run into problems with the registration packet, or would simply like more information about camp, please email HPSAcamp (at) gmail (dot) com.

2014 Registration

We look forward to seeing you in July!!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Buggin' Out: Mentors Needed for 2013 Camp

Do you enjoy working with kids?
             Enjoy being outside and learning about science?
                       Are 16 years old or older?
                                    Looking for a fun and engaging summer work experience?

Well, the role of High Plains Science Adventures Camp Mentor might be just the job for you!

This year's camp, Buggin' Out, runs June 17th-June 21st at various locations around Scottsbluff. A day camp with a Thursday overnight, HPSA is a hands-on, experiential science camp for 4th-7th graders. Mentors function as camp counselors, taking responsibility for a group of six students, spending the week with them taking part in activities and experiments, and cultivating a sense of fun and exploration.

The application can be found below, and completed applications and letters of reference may be emailed to HPSAcamp (at) gmail (dot) com or mailed to Amanda Filipi, P.O. Box 65, Gering, NE, 69341. For questions or more information please email us or call Amanda Filipi at 436-3777.

Mentor Application

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Buggin' Out: High Plains Science Adventures Camp 2013

As the snow falls outside, and the mercury hovers around 20, summer seems a long ways off. However, it's never too early to think about summer camp, especially if exploring nature, learning what life is like as a field biologist, and spending time outdoors interest you. This June, Children and Nature in Our Parks (CNP) is delighted to once again bring you High Plains Science Adventures Camp. This year our theme is Buggin' Out: Insects at Home on the Prairie!

Come spend a week with us exploring different natural areas in the southern panhandle as we conduct our own research projects, collect and learn about the insects that call Nebraska home, and even spend the night out at the Wildcat Hills. You'll get an inside peak into what goes on at the Panhandle Extension Center, meet entomologists (folks who study bugs), and take part in a pollinator planting at Nine Mile Wildlife Management Area.

Below is a link that will take you to our registration page that contains all the necessary paperwork for this summer's camp. If you have any questions, run into problems with the registration packet, or would simply like more information about camp, please email HPSAcamp (at) gmail (dot) com, or call Amanda Filipi at 308-436-3777.

2013 Registration

We look forward to seeing you in June!

Monday, July 2, 2012

Paleontology: Can You Dig It? Wrap-Up

Thanks for reading along about our adventures at High Plains Science Adventure Camp; Paleontology: Can You Dig It? We had a great week and learned a lot about paleontological sites across the Nebraska panhandle.

Paleontology: Can You Dig It? Days 4-5


Dinictis
Yesterday we went to Toadstool and we saw a lot of rocks. We also saw footprints bones and fossils. We saw where animals walked and the ancient rivers ran. We saw that there was an ancient river and stream. There were different kinds of rocks and sand. There were gopher teeth and jaw bones. We learned that you can go to jail if you steal fossils. But some people stole from Toadstool anyways. 

 More work on the fossilized tortoise shell.


We ate lunch at Fort Robinson and played games. At the museum we saw a big mammoth and we saw the mammoths that had tusks caught together. At Agate we took a hike and we saw a corkscrew tunnel. We saw that ants can carry bones to their nest and you can see micro fossils. We went outside at night and used our night vision and saw millions of fire flies. We slept at Agate Fossil Beds and saw a bed of bones and lots of Indian stuff that Red Cloud gave to them. At Agate we had bison burgers. We played fun game like shore to ship and fossil tag. 

Today we went to Harms Center and had breakfast burritos and made up a cheer. We're going to play jeopardy and we journaled.

The group posing next to a rock containing fossilized footprints recorded in ancient river silt.


Lonesome Georges

Day 4
Thursday was our field day. We rode the college’s charter bus to Toadstool National Park to hike around and view some pretty groovy rock formations. While we were there we came across some fossilized twigs and silicone dioxide from the ash. We learned that Toadstool is a standard timeline for evolution. We also learned that the rock formations at the park are caused by soft rock eroding from wind and rain underneath harder cap-rock.

Sediment layers at Toadstool Geological Park record what has happened there over the course of time.
            After we left Toadstool we drove to Fort Robinson to eat lunch and visit the museum. At the Museum, Shane gave us a tour of all the interesting fossils found in the area. The coolest fossil by far was the two mammoth fossils interlocked in a battle to the death. Using animal relatives today we discovered how scientists can give a pretty accurate idea of how animals in the past acted. Anne showed us mammoth tusks and by looking at the rings in the tusks we can tell how the animal grew.
            We left Fort Robb and went to Agate Fossil Beds. There, we walked a trail that had animal burrows called The Devil’s Corkscrew. The point of the corkscrew shape was it made it easier for the animal that occupied it to enter and exit its home, rather than a straight vertical drop. After the hike we had buffalo burgers, chips, carrots, watermelon, and water. For dessert we had s’mores. Then we watched Ice Age II: The Meltdown with popcorn. We went outside and watched the fireflies. Then we went to bed in Agate’s museum.                 

 The LG's and the Paleocasters hiking at Toadstool.

 Day 5
       We boarded the bus and headed to Scottsbluff’s Harms Center for the parent presentation. We put some gluey stuff on some fish fossils that LeRoy found and collected the stuff from our Great Science Adventure. 


Paleocastors

Thursday

On Thursday we went to Toadstool National Park. While we were there we saw cool rock formations, ancient rhino tracks, rabbits, and several faults. After that we went to Fort Robinson and ate lunch. Then we went to the Trailside Museum. While we there we saw the “Clash of the Titans”. It could also be Mammoths. Soon after that we went to Agate Fossil Beds and went on the Daemonalix trail. Then we left and on the way to the bus we saw a bullsnake. After our arrival at the actual museum we unloaded our luggage. Then we went outside and played Ship to Shore. Then we ate Bison Burgers and we watched Ice Age 2 The Meltdown. And then we went outside to see hundreds of  fireflies and stars and constilations. Then we spent the night at Agate.

The Paleocaster group in front of one of the formations that give Toadstool its name.

Friday
Sadly, today is our last day at paleontology camp. When we got up we ate breakfast and went on a morning hike. Then we packed our luggage and got on the bus and drove back to Scottsbluff. When we arrived we unloaded our luggage … again. Now we are doing activities.

 Carefully removing the plaster jacket from an excavated tortoise shell.


Syndyocerous
 Today we got on the bus and drove to Toadstool and did a really cool hike and got to take lots of pictures. 

Taking a break during a hike at Toadstool.

Then we got back on the bus and went to Ft. Robinson to eat lunch. After that we went to the museum. We got back on the bus and drove to Agate Fossil Beds and did a short hike and played some games then ate buffalo burgers for dinner. We watched Ice Age 2 and had popcorn. Then we went outside and watched fireflies. After that we went to bed.

 Hanging out with a fossilized mammoth at the Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson State Park.

 
Learning how to set up a grid system to divide a dig site before digging begins. 

Today we got on the bus to leave. Then after we got back to Scottsbluff we did a journal entry. Now we are writing on our blog today we haven’t done much yet.  

Titanothere

We went to Toadstool Park and found a turtle fossil half buried in the dirt.

 
A shallow, water-formed cave at Toadstool Geological Park.
   
We spent the night at Agate Fossil Beds and ate bison burgers.

Today we are getting four types of fossils: shark teeth, petrified wood, a clam, and a fish.

We watched a great movie: Ice Age 2: The Meltdown.
           
We saw the fire flies at night and some of us picked them up even through we weren't    
              supposed to.

 
The Titanotheres preparing for their oral report on the history of Toadstool Geological Park.








 


Paleontology: Can You Dig It? Days 2-3

Dinictis

Day 2

Today we learned a lot about fossils . we went and dug fossils in the bad lands. We went up the monument and went on a hike down. We saw a bull snake. We met a park ranger name A.J. our group dug up a fossil that was descoved 4 years ago and we finished the job. The fossil was a 32 million year old land tortoise shell. we made plaster and put it on the shell to get it out with out breaking it.

 Dinictis group carefully removing a 32 million year old tortoise shell

Using chisels to remove the dirt from around the tortoise shell

Day 3
Today we dug up micro fossils. We figured out which  fossils were what.  We had to have partners to dig up fossils. We made our own dinosaurs. We made posters about how not to steal fossils. We also chiseled off the extra rock on the fossils. We went on the gps to find location numbers. We played lots of games and we made casts out of plaster.


Lonesome Georges (the giant tortoise)
Our second day of camp we went to the badlands to excavate fossils. After digging a trench around the fossil, we covered the fossil with toilet paper then with plaster.
Then we ate lunch. A park ranger talked to us about why we needed to protect the Monument’s fossils. We also took a long hike down the monument while another ranger talked to us about the layers of the monument and how they represent what happened long ago.
 
Day 3
This morning we worked on getting the dirt off of the jacketed fossils. After that we poured plaster fossils. We played fossil tag then no laugh game. We screened for micro fossils. We made “Anti fossil theft” posters. This afternoon we made our own dinosaurs. We are going to do a global positioning system scavenger hunt this afternoon. 
 The Lonesome Georges screening for microfossils


Paleocastors (digging beavers) Can you dig it!?!?     

On Tuesday we dug fossils in the bad lands of Nebraska. We were assigned to work on a giant turtle shell. I collected an Oreodont finger bone and Sal got some turtle shell fragments.  Later we went to Scott’s Bluff National Monument. We first listened to a presentation from a protection ranger. Then we hiked all the way down.  Next we looked at some off-site fossils. We also did a timeline in geographic time like eons and periods, etc. Today we dug some microfossils and made our own prehistoric creatures.

 Examining fossil fragments collected in the badlands


Syndyocerous
Yesterday we went to the badlands. The bones we got to dig up were an oreodont jaw, and two turtle shells. To dig up these fossils we used chisels, brushes, hooks and hammers. We also found fossilized burrows. The reason we had to be careful with the fossils was because we didn’t want them to break. They were so fragile because they were millions of years old. After we were done digging, we wetted toilet paper and set it on the fossil. Then we put medical tape on it to form a plaster.
After digging up fossils, we went back to the monument and listened to one of the rangers speak about why we shouldn’t take fossils. We don’t want to take fossils because the fossils belong to everyone. After the seminar, we played a timeline game, that showed the different stages of earth and what was created in those time periods. We then went inside to look at fossils. We looked at turtle shells and other fossilized parts.

 Syndyocerous working on digging out fossils at the badlands helped by Shane Tucker (NE Dept. of Roads)

Day 3
 The first thing we talked about was rocks and gems with Le Roy. Any crack in rocks can be filled with minerals.


Titanothere 
Day 2-3
                                                     
We went to badlands and dug up fossils and bring back a turtle shell.

We dug for microfossils in soft sand it was fun.

We had a good time walking down the monument on saddlerock trail.

We made plaster casts today.

There was a bull snake in the tree.

 Fossilized titanothere jawbone.