Floating classroom teaching young students life lessons
By Emma Esteb
Click here for updates on this story
AUSTIN, Minnesota (KIMT) — Hundreds of students in Mower County and other neighboring communities have the opportunity to learn about science, history and culture- all while in a canoe on the Cedar River State Water Trail.
This is the 7th session the Watershed District in Mower County invited the nonprofit called Wilderness Inquiry to host this free learning experience known as the floating classroom or canoemobile.
Kids learned how to paddle and steer a 10-person canoe, tested their teamwork skills, and were able to work together in a variety of land-based activities. Students from grades 4, 5, and 6 are able to participate in this experience.
Wilderness Inquiry primary leader Ragen Hanton says, “the big thing is really just getting them closer to that environment and in a format where they can ask more questions, be a little bit more in depth with it and really focus in on it.”
He tells us why these skills are crucial for kids in Minnesota at this age.
He says, “the way we like to put it is starting that novel experience, giving the kids an instance that they can look back on and say ‘this was when I really got into getting out to parks, getting out on waterways, paddling, things like that.’ Giving them that starting point, is always best early on.”
The canoemobile serves more than 300,000 students and adults of all backgrounds and abilities every year.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
