Fall SKIP Week 4 - Geology!

It was a cold and rainy day, but things were "rockin'" at Murphys Point on Sunday as the SKIP gang gathered for a hike to the Silver Queen Mine.

The program was led by the park's Natural Heritage Education Leader Tobi Kiesewalter, who gave us some great tricks for remembering important geology facts. For example, having trouble remembering rock terminology such as igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic? Well, Tobi remembers them as a rock band made up by members Iggy, Cedric and Morpheus, of course.

We started off in the drive shed at the Lally Homestead where a warm fire burned in the woodstove and Tobi showed us not only some nice crystal specimens, but also explained how we can make our own using regular table salt. He also demonstrated the result of a crystal-making kit. It's not as difficult as you might think!

Then we started off on our hike, stopping first at the barn foundation where Tobi explained the effect of erosion on rock. What water would take millions of years to do, our SKIP kids accomplished in a couple of minutes with a hammer - to make sand! We also learned about the types of rocks typically found in this area and how they were frequently used in building foundations.

Our next stop was devoted to learning about metamorphic rock - rock that changes through the effects of heat and pressure. What better way to demonstrate this than by stacking Starburst candies together and watching how they change after applying heat and pressure from our hands. It was a yummy demonstration.

Next, by looking at the landscape, we learned how different rocks have different levels of hardness. This was further demonstrated by attempting to scratch different specimens with various objects.
And look! We saw fungus, too!


We headed to the bunkhouse where we learned just how difficult it is to make money by mining. Tobi had us mine for chocolate chips in a cookie using toothpicks as drill bits. A cleanly recovered chocolate chip (mineral) could net $500, but if there was a lot of dough (waste rock) clinging to it, you would lose $100. Tobi assessed the results and tallied the earnings. It was yet another delicious activity!

And then it was time to go down into the Silver Queen, where we saw the real-life results of mining and caught a glimpse of the mica, feldspar and apatite that was mined here. A big thank you to Tobi for his excellent geology program, as well as to our intrepid volunteers for the day: Linda, Pat, Jane, Nancy, Steph and Maria.

Next week we're heading off in voyageur canoes to explore Hogg Bay!

Fall SKIP - Week 3 - Outdoor Cooking

It was a beautiful day to be at Murphys Point, and our SKIP participants joined volunteers in the Hogg Bay campground for a program about outdoor cooking.

 Of course to cook outdoors one needs a heat source, and our participants had a chance to learn about safely building a fire - with adult accompaniment, of course!

Led by volunteer Beth Peterkin, the kids were instructed on how to build a fire, with particular attention to safety. Keeping water nearby and a shovel, making sure clothing and hair is tucked in and away from flames, and being aware of wind conditions and the surrounding environment were among the factors discussed. Beth showed the group some of the basics of fire building, and before long we had two lovely campfires going in fire pits on two campsites.

Next it was time to prepare the goodies! First up, a modified version of s'mores - graham crackers and chocolate wrapped in foil - along with yummy baked apples - cored and filled with such things as brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips and raisins and wrapped in foil.


Leaving some adults to tend the fires and wait for the treats to cook the water to boil for hot chocolate, Steph led the participants down to the beach. A pair of Canada geese honked as we approached, which was a good lead-in to our first game - the Migration Game. The kids played the part of birds on their way from Murphys Point to Florida and encountered all sorts of dilemmas along the way: predators, hunters, habitat destruction, bad weather, etc. It was quickly seen that getting to and from one's summer home is not always an easy feat! Next we took a breather and created the sound of a rainstorm with our hands. Then we played a modified version of the Biodiversity Tag we experienced at the Lally Homestead in Week 2.

Then we wandered down to the shoreline where we could see Canada geese and loons congregating, no doubt considering their own long journeys to their winter homes. We even saw some fungus along the way!

Everyone headed back to the campsites to enjoy the warm, toasty treats. Then we made sure the campfires were out cold before wandering to the playground for a few minutes of fun before it was time to go home.

A big thank you goes out to Beth and our volunteers Pat, Jane, Nancy and Steph. Next week Tobi will lead us all to the Silver Queen Mine as he tells us all about geology. SKIP rocks!

Fall SKIP - Week 2 - Biodiversity

The second week of our Fall SKIP session taught us all a whole lot about biodiversity - the importance of the diversity of life and the challenges species face.

The program was led by Maria Fournier, who has worked summers at Murphys Point. She led us in a tag-like game that demonstrated that species rely on ecosystems. The kids were tasked with having to pick up coloured straws representing food, shelter, water and reproduction - all vital to species survival. In the first round, the kids raced to pick up all four straws without getting tagged by a "predator" or a "disease," and we evaluated the survival rate.

Round 2 kicked it up a notch with each colour located in a roped-off circle representing habitat. This showed how habitat sometimes gets fragmented, and species have to work harder to get what they need. The circles were considered "safe" zones, with the tagger lurking between the circles.

In the final round, we talked about edge habitats and how it can be hard for species to survive because they have to be aware of predators or diseases that are found in both types of habitat. The tagger was given the advantage of being able to reach across the "edge" of the circles to tag the prey. All of this showed the battles some species have to fight in order to avoid endangerment.

Next we broke into groups and went on a nature scavenger hunt. We looked for such things as evidence of animals, seeds, fall flowers, artifacts, rock formations, something related to species at risk, an example of human encroachment on habitat (such as roads), etc. We found lots of evidence of animal activity in the area!

Next Alida Lemieux, a park interpreter, visited us with the black ratsnake from the visitor centre and talked about the difficulties this species encounters. This large, gentle snake is a threatened species that is struggling against human encroachment and habitat destruction. Fragmentation makes it difficult for it to find all the things it needs to survive.


Finally we shared the results of our scavenger hunt over an excellent snack provided by our Skipper, Jane. A big thanks to all our other volunteers for the day: Robbie, Val, Pat and Steph.

Please note there will be no program on Thanksgiving weekend; the next one will be Oct. 17 when we will be cooking outdoors. Stay tuned for directions: this will be held at a location in the campground.

And look at the puffball Gareth found just down the road on his way home!