- EARTH FAMILY CAMP
Earth Family Camp is the family nature camp regarding experience and awareness as important.
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2013
Earth Family Camp 2013
Date : 2013 / 8 / 10 (sat) - 8 / 11 (sun)
Place : Hokkaido Forest Study Center
Participant : 11 Families, 29 Persons
Guest : Norio Murano (Former Professor of Rakuno Gakuen University / Reseacher of Bats)
Programs : Ice Break / Forest Hike / Cooking Curry / Observation of Bats in Night Forest / Project WILD / Planting Tree
Earth Family Camp 2013 could get many applications and 11 families participated. This year's main program was bats observation. We invited Mr. Murano as a guest who is a reseacher of bats.
We could hear cute call of bats from "Bat Detector" which enables us to hear the special frequency of bats. We could not see, but we could feel something wonder that a mammal same as us flying in the dark. Children's eyes were shining and feeling the indication of bats or feeling the silence of darkness which they usualy couldn't feel. Then came back to lodgings, all of them fell asleep soon.
This year, 11 students who learning the Project WILD Activities participated to this camp. They teach to everyone some activities such as "Jungle Game", "Magic Box" and "Oh Dear". I think they could do on-the-job training. They had prepared well, did a good job.
Our camp programs always aim to respect oneself or others, not only learning about nature. We are using local vegetables, winter-flooded rice paddies from local farmer, additive-free bread from local bakery and not using chemical condiments. And we get help by participants with cooking and care about only staff are tired.
We bring a "Solar Cooker" which can boil water or cook. Sky have some clouds but it could made hot water enough.
Finaly we plamned trees with everyone.
This year's Earth Family Camp was big camp of 43 person including participants, staffs and volunteer students.
Sponsor : Hokkaido Government
Plan and Conduct : Tobetsu Ecological Community
Support : Tobetsu-Chou / Tobetsu Board of Education / Hokkaido Environment Foundation
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2012
Earth Family Camp 2012
Date : 2012 / 8 / 11 (sat) - 8 / 12 (sun)
Place : Hokkaido Forest Study Center
Participant : 11 Families, 28 Persons
Guest : Yutaka Harauchi
(Director of Hokkaido Odonatological Society / Part-Time Teacher of Rakuno Gakuen University)
Programs : Ice Break / Make a Trap for Insects / Let's Find Insects' House / Cooking / Night Program / Reseaching the name of Insects / Looking Back the Camp
Families that loves insects came to Earth Family Camp. Participants were 28 persons including families that escaping from Fukushima to Sapporo by the nuclear disaster.
This year's theme was "The Forest of Insects". Everyone was keen to look for insects everytime in the forest. Children and Adults screamed with delight when they found insects. However they might be able to get sense for focus on the surrounding environment.
The local bakery shop "Nordessen" gave their support of bread also this year.
DAY1
At first, Ice Break for become a Earth Family. They could be calming nerves gradually by some activities such as "Paper, Stone and Scissors of Evolution" and "Who am I? (Insect version)".
After lunch, went to the forest of insects. They made the trap to catch the insects getting help of the guest. And they put the trap made by plastic bottle on where insects might be gathered. Also the light trap was setted. Everyone was looking forward to the time that catch.
Even while on the move, they could find lots of insects because we didn't make a schedule tightly.
Night is the time of insects. So many insects gathered on the light trap and Everyone delighted. Then we also try to find owl, but could not find this day unfortunately.
DAY2
Got up at seven in morning, they collected another plastic bottle trap set on near the pond. They put the insects into small bottles and watch.
After lunch, they looked back.
Children observe some insects into the bottle and check their name with a picture book. They are never teached from teacher, teached by themselves with looking attentively. When they could collect then asked to teacher. If it was failed, try again. Like this, they might be able to get interest for insect and nature not only names because they could do it by themselves.
Totally, it was a insect camp for 2 days.
Sponsor : Hokkaido Government
Plan and Conduct : Tobetsu Ecological Community
Support : Tobetsu-Chou / Tobetsu Board of Education / Hokkaido Environment Foundation