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What will they be learning?Opportunities for Learning
The academic focus of our 10-day program is marine science, forest ecology and coastal Native
culture. Our 30-day summer program also includes volcanology, geology and glaciology, fish
biology and Native cultures of interior British Columbia, Canada.
More than just academics, students also learn valuable life skills. As the framework for these
skills, we use symbols that correspond with each concept:
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| Habitat |
Tradition |
Respect |
Chains |
Adaptation |
Community |
The cultural component of our program is woven into the daily structure through these concepts.
Native elders engage with the students, sharing stories and knowledge vital to
student's understanding and pride in their heritage.
Experiential Learning
FLOAT School puts the experience in experiential education! From searching and collecting
samples, to dissection and analysis, to camping, hiking and canoeing each day, students are
immersed in environmental and self-discovery.
Students utilize the latest technology to discover, explore and examine their environment. The
FLOAT School experience is enhanced by the use of computers, night vision equipment, binoculars,
microscopes and underwater digital cameras.
In addition to academics, daily life at FLOAT School includes cooking meals, paddling canoes,
teambuilding games, initiatives and other opportunities for learning life skills to take back to
the classroom and life at home.
Projects
Homework
There is time structured into each day for completing various projects. During the spring and
fall 10-day FLOAT School programs there is time set aside to complete homework as assigned by
teachers back at home. This provides students with the opportunity to keep up with schoolwork
and practice their time management skills.
Field-Books, Paddles and Slideshows
At the beginning of each FLOAT School program, each student is given a field-book with relevant
educational information and corresponding journal activities and assignments. Students also
receive a canoe paddle of their own to strengthen by sanding and varnishing. The paddle is used
throughout the program as a metaphor. When the students are first presented with the paddle it
is raw and unfinished. Throughout their time at FLOAT School they gain skills and experience,
represented by the layers of varnish as strength, which they add to the paddle. By the end of
the program each student produces a slideshow documenting his or her experiences at FLOAT
School.
Upon completion of the program, students take home their field-book and paddle as
documentation and representation of their studies and accomplishments throughout their FLOAT
School experience. They also receive a copy of their slideshow as a DVD, which can be shared with
their families and classmates.
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