Explorer Community School kids take Oregon Trail adventure

History was made on Oct. 1, as the City of Redmond and local non-profit Nature Vision piloted a program for an Oregon Trail educational experience, right here in Redmond.

Susan O'Malley, a teacher at the Lake Washington School District's (LWSD) Explorer Community School, along with Clay Heilman, president of Nature Vision, created the curriculum for the program, which they hope will eventually be offered to all fourth graders in the district.

"We integrated the state's EALRs (Essential Academic Learning Requirements) for fourth grade with key messages about water use and conservation," said Heilman, whose organization presents nature programs in partnership with Redmond Parks and Recreation, Scouting groups and other youth groups.

"This is a simulation of the Oregon Trail, also making connections about how people used water and land in the past and how it relates to sustainability," Heilman added.

"Conestoga Wagons," made out of Radio Flyer wagons with canopies, held buckets of water that children would have to protect and conserve, along with other supplies for a pretend journey on the Oregon Trail. The re-enactment began in Redmond's Juel Park, with the kids pulling the wagons all the way to Farrel-McWhirter Park and back.

Before students arrived, O'Malley explained that each group would represent a real family from the Oregon Trail.

"We'll all start at Independence, Missouri and go through all the same events and encounters. We read the diaries of these families. It is all based on fact," said O'Malley. "Lunch will be at 'Fort Boise.' They can refill their water there, barter and trade for more provisions. On the way back, they'll meet a mountain man based on a real person. ... One of the encounters is that a wagon burns and that family will have to figure out what to do, how to travel with another family."

The students knew ahead of time that they would face challenges requiring teamwork and quick problem-solving, but didn't know the specific details of the situations, O'Malley noted. The point was to show the kids how courageous the pioneers really were, as they crossed bodies of water and mountains, dealt with wild animals, severe weather and other emergencies.

Following the long walk, more activities would include a log-pulling relay race, a water bucket relay and looking at salmon in nearby Bear Creek, to discuss what kind of conditions affect the fish.

O'Malley also brought primitive tools that pioneers used to wash clothes, make butter or card wool.

"It's lots of hands-on activities," she said.

Traditionally, fourth graders in the LWSD have gone to Pioneer Farms in Eatonville to explore this type of learning.

"But we thought it would be really cool for our community to host something here and make it relevant to our own pioneers in Redmond," said O'Malley. "We talked to Clay and she connected us to Cindy (Johnson, outdoor program administrator for Redmond Parks and Recreation)."

Johnson said the city was pleased to get involved, "because we have these great parks here and it's all about sustainability. Why go all the way to Eatonville when we can do the same thing here? It's less driving, less expensive, more personal for the community."

Johnson, Heilman and O'Malley said they will likely repeat the program for several other schools and propose that it should be adopted throughout the LWSD.

For more information, contact Clay Heilman of Nature Vision at (425) 836-2697 or www.naturevision.org; or Cindy Johnson of Redmond Parks and Recreation at (425) 556-2393, cjohnson@redmond.gov or www.redmond.gov.

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