For their spring outdoor trip, Westside’s fifth-grade class recently embarked on an exciting year-end finale at Lake Wenatchee State Park Campground. This trip provided opportunities for students to learn new outdoor skills as they set up tents, cooked food, navigated trails, and created cozy homes in their sleeping bags each night. Led by Westside teachers and expert field instructors, students encountered wild animals, explored rivers and lakes, played games, and explored nature.
The primary goal of fifth grade trips is not only to teach the basics of tent camping but also to provide a unique setting for students to reflect on who they are, disconnected from their usual routines. Group camping presents opportunities for students to practice emotional awareness, personal traits, and understanding the support available to them. Such experiences are known to have boosted student confidence, independence, and a sense of personal responsibility.
Upon arrival at Lake Wenatchee State Park, students set up their tents, creating their own spaces inside. They learned how to choose a tent site, work together to ensure the tent was sturdy, and create a warm, dry sleeping area. Communication between tent mates, although sometimes difficult, results in stronger understanding and better connections.
During the trip, students ventured out for small group hikes, choosing from mild, medium, and spicy routes. These choices helped students recognize their comfort levels and gave them a sense of ownership over their experience. Middle school is a time for students to discover who they are as individuals, and these activities help them develop self-awareness with relatively low consequences. Plus, every hike offered beautiful scenery.
Students enjoyed free time in the campground, gathering in small evening circle groups for reflections and discussions about the day. Activities connected lessons about the Paleolithic Age with hands-on nature experiences, including stations on "Animal Adaptations," "Basket Weaving," "Boar Hunt," and "Messenger Relay."
The trip culminated in a fifth-grade variety show, where students showcased their creativity with skits, dances, songs, and teacher impressions. These shared experiences fostered incredible class bonding, often through unplanned moments. Outdoor trips like this have been shown to increase students' confidence, self-esteem, and sense of personal responsibility, leading to higher engagement in school and community.
As we reflect on the positive impact this experience had on our students, we are filled with excitement for the lasting lessons and memories they will carry forward.