Oklahoma Science Adventure 2011 Blog
Days One and Two
Hello, everyone! After saying goodbye to our families and friends at the Sam Noble Museum, we got to know each other a little before heading off to the OU low ropes course. We played games and took on some team challenges to help us communicate as a team. It was a lot of fun! After that, it was off to Claremore, where we arrived at RSU just in time for dinner. We had a welcome campfire and s’mores before an exciting night hike though several ecosystems of the conservation area where we will be doing our research this week. Today, we met John and April, two scientists from OU who helped us explore the ponds and wetlands during the day. It was muddy, wet and hot, but we found lots of really cool critters. After making our initial observations, we’ll create our research project to investigate tomorrow. Right now, it’s time to swim! Check out our team blogs to hear thoughts from the team at the end of day one! The next time we’ll check-in on the website will be Tuesday evening. Also – we’ll be able to post our first pictures too. Until then, we’re drinking lots of water and wearing lots of sunscreen! -Jes
Day Three
Hello everyone! Today we spent our last day at the Conservation District. We designed and carried out our first research project, focusing on aquatic ecology. From the hypothesis to the data collection to the presentation, each research pair created some amazing experiments. After presenting our findings to each other, we welcomed Nick Czaplewski, Ph.D., curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Sam Noble Museum to the Adventure! He gave us an introduction to animal tracking and how to observe our surroundings. We got the chance to do some tracking ourselves and even saw some bats as we crept through the forest trails at night. Tomorrow we’re up at sunrise and take our canoe trip! ( P.S. We’re definitely staying cool and hydrated!) -Jes 🙂
Caleb W.: I have had so much fun this morning we had red neck breakfast it was cereal in a cup yesterday we went on a midnight hike; a whole bunch of different rope courses and played different games I have made so many friends and I miss you all so much.
Pranshu: Hello everyone! We have been busy since we arrived at Camp. On the first day we did a ropes course, then started on the journey to Claremore. We came to the Aqua Lab and had pizza. We had s’mores took a night hike and it was light’s out. The next day we came back to the aqua Lab, did a few activities, and now we are about to have lunch. I miss my family but don’t worry, I’m having a great time.
Keefer: What’s up everyone!!!!!!! This place is AMAZING; I can’t wait to see what we are going to do. We have been doing great, fun, and interesting stuff. I love it here!!!!!!! We have done a night hike and roasted marshmallows’. I can’t wait for what we do next. 😀
LaDaryn: These last two days have been just great, by far the light of my summer this year. It’s like being in school all over again! Writing in my field journal, studying the experiments and animals we observe, it really gives me the actual feeling that I am a zoologist! I’m really enjoying myself. Really, really am!
Morgan M.: Yesterday when we arrived we did some group games and got to meet each other. After lunch we went and did a rope course which was really fun and challenging. After that we took a two hour drive to Rodger State University. We played lots of road games during the drive. When we arrived we went to the Aqua Lab where we got to observe all the different fish, frogs, turtles, bugs, and snakes which were really cool. After eating dinner at the Aqua Lab we roasted marshmallows on a campfire then took a night hike. After all that fun we went to the dorms and settled in for the night.
Maci N.: On our first day of the Oklahoma Science Adventure after we met each other we headed to a ropes course in Norman, after a while there we headed to Claremore, OK when we finally arrived here we went to lab where we will be learning for the next few days while there we went on a night walk through the forest and roasted marshmallows and went to the dorms where we will be staying the next few days. When we awoke and, after we ate breakfast we had to the aqua lab and have so far learned about ants.
Sarah: First Day at Camp: Had a Fantastic first day! First we went to a ropes course at the edge of the OU campus for some team building activities and games. Next, we all loaded in the vans and headed to Will Rodgers University. Once we arrived we went to a nature reserve (which is where we will be today) inside their lot s of different animals such as a beautiful dove, a few snakes, and more. This morning we did a couple of experiments. Later today after lunch we are going to start exploring the ponds and later tonight we are going swimming.
Libby: THE FIRST DAY!!!!!!! So today was the first day of OSA! After my parents dropped me off and all the parents left we played some games to get to know each other! They were really fun and all the kids are so cool!!! After the games we ate sandwiches and chips, packed up, and headed to a ropes course!!!!! We didn’t climb or hang up on anything but we played some really fun games! It was really cool! That’s 13 new friends! Haha! After the ropes course we had a 2 hour drive. Then we picked up Mazzio’s pizza, took it to an aqua lab, and ate. Then we took a night hike so that in the morning we could do it again and compare what we saw. Then we FINALLY got to go to the dorms!!! There were 6 beds in the room!!!!! And we brought cots for the 2 other people. I got a cot but it was pretty comfy and the dorm was just likea hotel! Well that’s all so I got to go bye!!!!! P.S. I love you Max!!!!!!!! And mom and dad HAHA!!!!!!
Maggie Z.: Everything here is so fun and HOT! Yesterday, my birthday, we went to the “ropes course” portion of the camp. It was SOOO HOT!!! Ugh. Someone almost nearly got dehydrated and had to rest ‘till the end of the obstacle course. Thankfully, right after that, we were sent back to the Sam Noble Museum. IT WAS 3 HOURS OUT IN THAT SCORCHING SUN! My legs got all sore and tired too. It wasn’t fun. ANYWAY, then we had to take that boring 3 HOUR DRIVE to Claremore and I couldn’t even sleep! But, just as THANKFULLY, we got to the Aqua Lab and played a few games, then celebrated my birthday with s’mores. We went back to the Aqua Lab and then went out for a late-night walk. We even got to see the Big Dipper! That was the best part of all. 7/10/11 Today, I woke up drowsy with my legs sore. WE WOKE UP AT 7! Anyway, after we ate breakfast at the boys’ dorm, we then went out and to the Aqua Lab. We had a great encounter with some deer! I took TONS of photos, so don’t worry. Right now we will eat lunch. I’m not sure what we’ll do next, but I look forward to going swimming tonight! BYE!
Justine E.: Yesterday was the first day of Oklahoma Science Adventure. I have made some new friends and everyone is awesome! After doing some group stuff and getting to know eachother, we set out for Caremore. Sarah, Libby and I sang “99 bottles of juice” We had a blast on the way there! Today is the 2nd day. We are here at RSU. The aqua lab here is soo cool! We have seen some deer, done experiments, and are now working on our 1st blog. Later we are going to get wet and dirty! Yay!! Mom, dad,- I’m having a great time! I will see you soon! All my friends back home—I miss you all!! Lol I will see c soon. Well we r about to eat so I got to go. With love.
Tristen: Yesterday was our first day at science camp! We took a night hike. We also got to eat pizza. But before we took the hike, we had s’mores at the campfire. Now today, so far, we woke up at 7:00 am. That was not so bad. We went to the Aqua lab. We also conducted an experiment with ants.
Shelby S.: We went on a night hike it was kind of scary…… We did some experiments today, my favorite was the melting ice… got to get wet today… yay! I have a roommate Sarah… she is great. Also get to go swimming today…my favorite thing… So far a thumbs up!
Stockton D.: Hey, it’s Stockton and I have been having a great time at camp. After you left yesterday, we played a few ice breakers, then we headed to the ropes course down the street from the Sam Noble. The course was very exciting, and I met some new friends and then left for RSU. It was about a two and a half hour drive. Once we arrived, we went to the aqua lab. We did a few activities and then roasted marshmallows. We then went on a night hike around the forest. Well got to go eat lunch. See you later. By the way can you find out how my team did in the volleyball tournament? Thanks.
Nick R.: Today we learned about the scientific method and we did an experiment with ants and their favorite foods. I took a ton of pictures of deer. I slept in the top bunk last night. We’re going to eat dinner at Golden Corral in a few minutes and I can’t wait to swim in the pond. Signing off.
Day Four
Hello everyone! We just returned from an AMAZING trip down the Illinios River. It was the first time floating for most of us, but everyone picked up paddling quickly. The scenery and weather was beautiful and we saw lots of interesting wildlife as we traveled. We stopped for lunch on the bank and swam for as long as we could. Sunscreen and water breaks were a must in the sun, and everyone did a great job keeping up. After a delicious dinner at Chili’s, we’ll play some games, make animal track casts and blog (so stayed tuned for updates from our team). This morning we woke up before dawn to observe nature at sunrise! It was really neat how much we could sense without seeing. Tomorrow, we’ll depart for Perry and our paleontology field site. -Jes
Shelby S.: Today we floated the Illinois River!!!! It was fun my partner was Stockton. We worked very well together… Probably one of the best….. Now we are making plaster molds of animal tracks and playing games… But this morning we got up at 4:30!!!! We watched everything else wake up… I was cool… So far a 2 thumbs up!!!!!
Nick R.: The only gift shop is at the museum. We are staying at an awesome hotel with a flat screen. I just plastered a track of a raccoon.
Justine E.: Today is day 4 of Oklahoma Science Adventure. Today we went to the Illinois River in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. We went 6 miles down the river. I got a little sunburned but too badly. It was lots of fun!! I found 2 rocks! One had an impression of some sort of bug, not sure if it’s a water bug or a land bug. The other had worm trails in the rocks… it was awesome!! This morning we got up really early and saw a lot of bats and birds and ton of animal tracks… if you guys want to, you can find me on facebook and plz do! =D with love.
Pranshu: I am having a lot of fun at this camp. It is AWESOME!! We just made plaster casts of animal tracks. It was a lot of fun. We also went canoeing down the Illinois River. It was hard work but we made it!
LaDaryn: These days have been so great! I canoed for the first time today and yet, my partners and I paddled for 6 miles down river. I’m proud of all I’ve achieved these first few days that seemed like everyone has known each other for much longer. the day before made me feel like an actual Zoologist studying six different cricket frogs in one area, and observing their behavior from a distance and recording its habits for thirty minutes each. Everyone is so much like my kind of people, people that I can be my true self around. 😀
Maggie Z.: Awesome! I can’t wait to see it when I get home! Today we got to go canoeing on the Illinois River. We canoed at least 5 miles!
Stockton D.: I HAVE BEEN HAVING AN AWESOME TIME!!!!! On Sunday and Monday we got to go explore three different ponds at the reserve. I found out about many new creatures that I have never noticed before. By the way I have never gotten so dirty in my life! This morning we woke up at 4:30am and went to the reserve to go see some new animals that only come out in the morning. This morning we left for Diamond Head Resort which means today we finally got to go CANOEING!!!!! It was very exciting and almost all of us either got stuck or tipped over. By the way the huge fish we saw today got me pumped for our fishing trip coming up. Well got to go. See you soon. P.S. just to let you know I am staying at the Holiday Inn in Tahlequah.
Morgan M.: This morning we woke up really early and watched the sun rise on the reserve. This afternoon we canoed 6 miles, it took us about 4 hours it was so much fun! I can’t wait to continue the adventure.
Libby: I’m having so much fun and i think it would be nice to mention all my friends- Sarah is SO FUNNY she’s a close friend i made fast & i call her GOrGEOUS! Justine is RANDOM we were fast friends!! Shelby is very pretty and funny!!! Maci is KOOL and nice! Morgan is HALARIOUS AND RANDOM; so funny!!!!Maggie is SUPER sweet and pretty! Pranshu is so nice and she was my first roommate(in cots)!!! Caleb is really funny and i call him squirrel!!! Nick is funny too, and he was my canoe buddy!! Tristen is a nature boy! Always picking up bugs and frogs!!! Stockton is always laughing at me! I’M NOT AN ANIMAL just kidding haha he doesn’t like it when I talk about milk!! Keefer is HILARIOUS he is cool and plays a game that is really hard to win! LaDaryn, who is always eager to answer my milk question, is REALLY funny too!! And Charles and Jes are AWESOME AND SOOO FUNNY! Well I’m having a fantabulastic time HAHA BYIE!!
Maci N.: Canoe trip was great! So far while in Tahlequah, we have gone canoeing, made animal prints with plaster, and played some really fun games and this morning we got up SUPER early 😛 but we saw three bats and watched them for a while. Love you mom!
Sarah: I have had a FANTASTIC few days! Everyone here is so Fantastical. Yesterday Shelby and I completed our project about Phantom Midges. We woke up at 4:30am this morning to see the area at an earlier time. Then later we went canoeing and had fun, but I got a little sun burn. P.S. I love you too Mom and Dad. <3
Caleb W.: We went canoeing down the Illinois River for 6 miles. We woke up at 4 30 AM and listened to different sounds. I am having so much fun. I miss you all.
Tristen: The last time we blogged was Sunday, the tenth. Since then we set a white sheet with two different kinds of lights to attract insects. I did an experiment about phantom midges and did a presentation. We did a thing about tracking. We woke up at 4:30 am for sunrise. We also floated for four hours on the Illinois River. It was fun!
Day Five
Hi everyone! Today we traveled from Tahlequah to Perry to meet paleontologists Bill May and Joe Baalke from the Sam Noble Museum. After an introduction to paleontology and the Permian Era, we went out into the field to visit a Permian trackway site. The site was incredible, featuring 1400 fossil tracks of reptiles and amphibians. We uncovered a section of the trackway that has never been studied or seen by scientists before. Our team made some wonderful discoveries! Over 30 new tracks were uncovered and we’ll begin our research tomorrow morning before heading back to Norman. It was another hot sunny day, but we’re now pros at applying sunscreen and drinking lots of water 🙂 We can’t wait to see you all on Saturday to share our discoveries! -Jes
Shelby S.: Today we hunted for fossils … It was HOT!!!!!!!!! But fun we are working on another project… bout fossilized tracks… and we went swimming today…..Wanting to c my bunny…. love u momma and daddy!!!! xoxoxox
Keefer: Hi everyone!!!!!! I love it here !!!!!!!!!!:D We are at a dig and we are doing an experiment and LaDaryn and I have and an amazing one. Best time ever, I LOVE it here:)
LaDaryn: Today was fantastic, here in Parry Oklahoma. We uncovered ancient reptilian tracks that has been under for 280 million years! That means I found and uncovered something that no one has ever seen!… FOR 280 MILLION YEARS!!! This has really made me feel great, everyone is no stranger to me here. We begin our study tomorrow, I can’t wait! 😀
Maci N.: Today we got to hunt for fossils!!!!!!!!!!! I found one! It had a shell imprint on it but, i lost it :/ i also found with my project partner Morgan over 40 tracks nobody has ever seen!!!!!!! We are in Perry at our hotel now. Love you mom! But i might have lost my phone ………. but remember you love me!!!!!!!!
Sarah: Had another great day. This morning we packed up and left Tahlequah. Had a very interesting 2.5 hour drive. 🙂 When we arrived in Perry we headed to the Hotel. Then we went to start our project over tracks. It was a little hot, but I put on sunscreen. After that we went to the public poo (our pool was drained for renovations) people kept staring at us. All in all a great day.
Morgan M.: Today we left Tahlequah and we are not at Perry. We are at the hotel now. This morning we uncovered fossils. It was really fun and my research partner (Maci) and I are going to do a project about the dinosaur tracks we uncovered. So tomorrow we will uncover more and do a project on them. SOOO FUN!!! 🙂
Libby: Today was great!!! it is so fun here i want it to never end!! LOVE ALL MY NEW FRIENDS!!!!!
Pranshu: Hello! Dada, thank you soooooooo much for writing to me from Nepal!:) Mamu, the canoeing was really fun. It was a team activity and my team had to work together. Today we also went to a fossil site and my team uncovered tracks that no one had seen in 280 million years!!!!!! And Bhai, the place we are at is called Perry like Perry the Platypus like Phineas and Ferb. Of course, Baba I miss you too and can you write to me on this blog page so I can access it better. I can’t wait to see you all on Saturday!!!!
Justine E.: Well today is the 5th day of Oklahoma Science Adventure! I don’t want it to ever end!!! I really have some good friends now! And it’s everyone!! =D lol I love them all! Today we went to a fossil site and looked for fossils and trace fossils! And then we got to uncover some new ones! =D we were the 1st to ever see them since they were buried! =D i felt special! (and forgive me but i cannot spell) tonight i am bunking with one of my better friends, and her name is Libby! I love her to death! She is funny, smart, and very nice! We have a lot of fun together =D lol well guess i will let some1 else blog see all of my family and friends soon! I miss you all! =D
Tristen: Today was fun! We learned about fossils. We ate lunch at Subway. We ate at Braums and had ice cream after. We went swimming. It was fun!
Nick R.: Hey mom first I need you to email me my Facebook password i forgot. Next i did paleontology experiment today (finding fossils) and I found tracks and tomorrow me and my partner are going to do an actual experiment. I can’t wait I’m taking tons of pics.
Caleb W.: We made a track and made a cast for it. We saw fossils that no one has ever seen before. We went swimming at a public pool and told everyone that we were adopted and that Jes and Charles AKA Chuck Norris were our mom and dad!!! After that we went to Braums and ate dinner and ice cream!!!!!!!!!!!
Day Six
Hello everyone! After a day working on our paleontology research projects, we returned to the Sam Noble Museum in Norman. We compiled our data and presented our findings to each other. As a group, we determined the general direction of the tracks in our new area of the trackway: east — a finding that inform future research for our university scientists! It was really exciting to know our work will be part of the ongoing investigation of the site. Tonight we will investigate the Museum after hours. We’ll make our last blog entries tonight and look forward to seeing you all on Saturday! P.S. Photos are now being uploaded to the site. -Jes
Shelby S.: At the museum today we had a scavenger hunt it was fun!!!! We finished our projects today…. it was hot again. Now blogging and wanting to c my bunny!!!!! Can’t wait for the reunion in October!!! Even though this adventure isn’t over yet…… Miss everybody!!!!!
Pranshu: This is the last blog we are doing for the OSA!!!! This has been probably the best thing that has I happened to me, Baba. Thank you for writing to me on this because it’s much easier. Mamu and Bhai, didn’t you have the time to write to me because every time I check the blog you write to me. It’s okay though. Anyways, I want to write the highlight of this trip so far. It probably was the s’mores and canoeing. I love OSA!
Libby: I’m gonna be more detailed at home LOL I don’t like typing that much but today when the museum closed we went on a scavenger hunt!! It was awesome! Even though i was in second to last place it was awesome! i was partnered with squirrel!!! LOL SQUIRREL U R REALLY FUNNY!!!!! another group (Justine and Tristen) they needed to know were something was and we needed to know what our last answer was so we tried to meet in the elevators but when we went up they went down, then they went back up and we went back down, then we went up and met. They told us were the answer was but we lied and told them something else so we were in 2nd to last place!!!!! I feel bad but they didn’t mind… that much.. lol well gotta go BYIE!
Keefer: Hi!!!!!!! I am having so much fun ! We did a lot today. We came from Parry after going to a dig site and came back to Norman, were we did experiments and played a scavenger hunt in the museum. bye 🙂
Tristen: OMG. This museum is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO cool! It has everything from Insects to human. We had a scavenger hunt. We got last. But I had fun.
Sarah: This Morning we finished up our work at the Billings site. Shelby and I learned a lot. The van ride was very interesting we played Catchphrase the whole ride. Then once we arrived at the museum we presented our presentations. Then we were toy bombed by Jes. Lastly we played scavenger hunt in the Museum. Lots and lots of Fun.
Caleb W.: We went to the museum and looked at the dinosaurs which was awsome. We had a scavenger hunt and Libby was my partner and we told another team the wrong place where a question was which made us come in 2nd to last. I think they didn’t mind. Actually Libby told them the wrong place. Its been a lot of things packed into a couple of days. It seems I have known everyone for years.
LaDaryn: Words cannot describe… But all I know what to say is that I do not regret this week. And I really don’t want such a good time to end. Today we did quite a few fun stuff in the museum after hours! I hate that tomorrow will be the last, but at least everyone is exchanging contact information before we all depart. 😀
Nick R.: Ok let’s see we packed the van and then ate breakfast. Then we went and did an experiment on the direction of the fossilized tracks we found yesterday. Then we left Perry and ate lunch at subway. Next we went to the museum and we presented presentations and then we had a scavenger hunt after the museum closed. Bye this is our last blog.
Maggie Z.: Today we came from Perry to Norman (the museum. When we got there, we ate Qdoba and then started a contest. You have to find these 10 questions in the exhibits and most importantly, find the answers to them. Nick and I came in 4th. Just now, Charles just came in with a Mohawk greased with his hair oil… uhhh, nevermind. I don’t think I should have written that.
Maci N.: I HAVE HAD A BLAST!!!!!!!!!! Today we got back to Norman and played around at the Sam Noble and did a scavenger hunt and me and my partner Keefer got tied for second because we cheated and so did the group we tied with 🙂 See you Saturday 🙂 love ya mom and i found my phone 🙂
Morgan M.: Today we woke up in Perry, drove to our dig site and Maci and I worked on our project that we are doing on dinosaur tracks that we are uncovering. We then drove back to the museum and collected our data and made a PowerPoint about it. After the museum was closed we had a scavenger hunt. It was super fun. I can’t believe how fast this week has gone by.
Justine E.: Well it’s Thursday now. Almost time to go home! I don’t wanna go home yet!!!! I’m gonna miss everyone here!! Today we got up and we went to the fossil site in Perry and made some observations. Then we came to Norman and looked at the Permian era stuff that they have at the museum. After that we made some presentations! lol I had fun making them! We just got back from a scavenger hunt in the museum! Libby and Caleb were in 6th place and needed one more thing and me and Tristen needed one thing too. We had what they needed and they had wat we needed, we were going to meet up in the elevators. So we go up and they go down. Then we go down and they go up! lol then we tell them the place and they lie to us! lol its cool though, it’s just a game!! =P love ya Libby!! Well imma get off for now, see you Saturday mom and dad!
Stockton D.: Well, today we woke up and headed back to the fossil site to get some more info on our project. After we went back to the Sam Noble Museum. Once we got there we started working on our paleo project. After we ate, we went and had a tour of part of the museum. Then we had a scavenger hunt in the museum while the museum was closed. It was awesome!!!!!! Me and Morgan were the first to finish. Tomorrow we might play a giant game of hide and go seek. I’ll let you know how the night at the museum goes on Saturday. See you on Saturday
Day Seven
Hi everyone! Today we visited the vertebrate paleontology collection and the herpetology collection to see where our research scientists work. This area is usually closed to the public, but we had the amazing opportunity to not only see the collection, but meet the scientists as they worked with specimens collected from the field. This afternoon we will work on our research presentations that we’ll share tomorrow at the closing presentation (yhey are looking great!). After one last dinner together, we’ll watch “Night at the Museum” before our very own sleepover in the Museum with the dinosaurs! We can’t believe our adventure is almost over! We’ll have a lot to share tomorrow, can’t wait to see you! -Jes
Day Eight
Hello everyone! Today is our last day of Oklahoma Science Adventure. We had an amazing week! Our group of fourteen middle school students from across the state met last Saturday for the first time. Over the week, they became a team and investigated the natural world with enthusiasm, curiosity and fun. It was truly an adventure and all of the staff at ExplorOlogy will never forget the wonderful experiences we had with this team! We look forward to seeing you all at the OSA Reunion this fall, stay in touch! -Jes
