The Outdoor Classroom > Mountain Exploration

Mountain Exploration

Length: Full Day
Theme: Montane Ecosystem, Fire Ecology, Local History
Place: Mount Falcon Open Space, Denver Mountain Parks. Transportation by CU bus.

This is truly a day in the mountains. The first comment out of many students’ mouths is, "It smells so different up here! There’s no pollution!" We begin exploring the Montane Forest through a douglas-fir/ponderosa pine ecosystem. Animal adaptations are discussed as we hunt for Buford, a stuffed brown rabbit, a favorite activity of students. The class will come upon a burned area that serves as a dynamic lesson on fire ecology and plant adaptations. After an erie hike through the ghost forest and a discussion on how the fire started, students reflect in their booklets and use charcoal to sketch a snag or flower growing out of the burned forest floor. Time permitting, we explore the ruin of John Brisban Walker’s castle before returning to the bus.