On April 2 our Fannin County Christian Homeschool Group took a field trip to the Ocoee Whitewater Center, the site for the 1996 Summer Olympics, for our classes. Three classes offered that day were presentations about Snakes, Life in the Woods, and Streams. A very informative and enjoyable day was had by both the kids and parents. The staff at the Center is so friendly, and the classes offered that day were well-presented, lots of fun, and the educational interaction with the kids made for a memorable experience.
One of the Park Rangers offered a presentation on snakes, and brought several of his personal snakes for the class to touch. What an experience that was! When someone else is handling snakes, it's an amazing thing to revel in the beauty of these snakes. A very lively and informative, fun and interactive presentation- the kids loved learning about snakes, meeting them personally, and hearing some wild stories!
The second lively presentation about wildlife in the woods proved to memorable as well. We learned about all the different types of wildlife living in the mountains and woods and how they survive. Soft pelts of deer, bear, skunk, beaver, and possum were passed around for all to feel, after a brief explanation on proper handling of a pelt. One very informative fact we learned was regarding the deer and her fawn. When a mother deer leaves her fawn to go forage for food, the fawn is left unprotected, but perfectly camouflaged, lying very still in the same place his mother left him. As she departs she leaves a scent along the way, enabling her to find her way back to her baby. The problem occurs when hikers stumble upon a fawn, scare him away, and consequently the mother is unable to find her fawn upon her return. We were advised to never disturb a fawn in order to prevent this from happening.
The third and last presentation was about Streams. This was the presentation most eagerly anticipated, as it required the kids to get in the water, albeit the day was cold and windy. When did that ever stop an eager child from wanting to explore the wonders of the waters! The goal of this presentation was to find underwater creatures, capture them in the nets provided, and take them to a magnifying glass container to examine them up close. Specimens captured included crawdads, water spiders, centipede-looking creatures, and other interesting little creatures.
The Ocoee Whitewater Center features a large pavilion for grilling and picnicking. We enjoyed a festive lunch, grilling hot dogs and celebrating one of our students birthday.
A perfect destination for families and large groups, the Ocoee Whitewater Center promises to provide unending entertainment to all who enjoy the outdoors. Hiking and mountain biking provided on beautifully laid out paths, capturing the breathtaking beauty around you will prove to be quite exhilarating. Bring the kids to swim in the swimming holes in the river among all the boulders - certainly beats a swimming pool! The Ocoee Whitewater Center's gift shop is worth exploring, taking home a wonderful momento for a great time had on the river.
Labels: Blue Ridge Things to Do, homeschool, Ocoee Whitewater Center
