A journey, bridge, adventure, the place to be for restoration and reflection: Tumalo Creek: Science Week 1

What REALMS is about

What is REALMS

REALMS is a Hands On Learning Charter School in Central Oregon. We are very different from most schools because we normally do not believe in learning by textbooks and homework (though we do have some). Our purpose is to foster scholarship, strengthen community, and inspire stewardship through active learning.

Here we have a mission, a mission to challenge each other to investigate, understand, and become stewards of the human and natural world around us.

Our Mission

Our Mission

Our mission is to help the process of restoration for Tumalo Creek. Meaning what we did to help restore Tumalo after the Bridge Creek fire. Since the fire was so devastating loggers came and took all of the trees away including the trees that were in the banks. After that there was nothing left. People finally realized that what we are doing to the creek is wrong so they started to fix it. They thought that it would be nice for the schools to get involved and that’s where we come in.

The 8^th grade classes started to get really involved. We replanted trees and most of the riparian vegetation along the side of the creek along with a couple other schools.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Science Week 1

Week 1 Science

Every one was so excited. Our first time at Tumalo and it was go time. Our class split into two groups for the day. The first group laid down tiny orange flags across the bankfull line. The bankfull line is the imaginary line that is created when the stream is at its fullest. " It surprisingly didn't take as long to place each flag than I thought it would." - Amelia Carlson. " It was difficult to determine where the bankfull line was at some times. It became easier as we continued through our job." -Conner Berlant.
For the second half of the day the second group walked along the bankfull line holding a 6 foot PVC pipe that was home made by Mr. Beck. Every time the tube hit a tree another person behind them would right down what kind and how old the tree is. That's the job I had. I traded off holding the tube with the other members that were in my group. I learned all the of the different tree species that live at Tumalo Vally. My arms got very tired from holding the pole. Many people were exhausted after the day ended. I couldn't wait to come back to Tumalo Vally.