from the whole class

it's so fun can't wait til next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 5 Recap

Today students went to the Bozzuto Boathouse on the shore of Seneca Lake. Students used a rake attached to a long rope to harvest aquatic plants. The rake is thrown off the dock into the water and roped in to collect samples of aquatic plants. Students also conducted plankton tows and collected phytoplankton and zooplankton to analyze under microscopes in the Plankton Lab.

Day 4 Recap

Today we visited the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva. We met with horticulturalists who showed us a garden of native flower species. Then we met with a biologist who specializes in invasive plant species. We also met with two scientists who are working on control methods of swede midges, a tiny insect who harms cabbage plants.

On the way back to the Finger Lakes Institute, students collected plants and leaves to press onto T-shirts. Students also used the pressed plants from Monday to make a poster to show at the final ceremony for Kid's College.

Day 3 Recap

Today, we went to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. We met with Andrea, the community outreach coordinator, who told us about marsh restoration at the refuge. She also taught us about invasive species managment. We climbed the overlook tower and saw juvenile bald eagles soaring above!

Next, students learned how scientists use plant transects to study plant biodiversity. Instead of transects, we used hula hoops! Students placed the hula hoops on the ground and counted how many different plant species were growing inside their hula hoops. Students had a contest to see who had the highest plant diversity in their hula hoop.

Day 2 Recap

On Day 2, we visited the Cayuga Nature Center. We climbed the Tree Tops tree house 5 stories into the canopy of the forest. We also walked up a small creek and caught aqautic critters. Then, we went to the Taughannock Falls overlook for a picnic lunch. We hiked the Northern Rim Trail and made leaf rubbings of plants the students identified. During today's field trips, students did a scavenger hunt in which they had to find 30 different objects in nature, from evidence of a creek to a y-shaped twig to a centipede.

Robby's awesome story

I like botany camp alot. I would definitly recommend coming here. I don't really like having to write as much as you write in this camp. Their is alot of difficult and mind-boggling words that you have to use later in a question that teachers ask you all the time. I will probably not come back but it was a fantastic experience.

Brianna

Botany week was so much fun. I have met new people and have learned so much. My favorite part was the hoola- hoop project. We used hoola-hoops to do Plant Transects on one of our field trips to Montezuma. There were so many plants I found that I have never heard of, like the Golden rod. We also learned about Invasive Plants, Native and non-native plants. One thing I have learned is that the non- native plants have blown here in the wind or brought here. I have loved learning about Plants and animals and i hope to do this again!

Nathaniel (eagle-man)

I had fun at Botany week. We studied invasive species of plants and insects. We visited the Montezuma wildlife refuge and used hula-hoops for plant transects. I think that overall the camp was made fun by Sam our councilor who decided to be mr. funny guy also known as snooty mc. snoot snoot and of course mr. furry mc. fur fur

max

I've had a great time the counselers are so nice and the activities are awesome we've gone to cayuga lake,Taughannock falls and lots more. I've had so much fun!

Lucy

I really enjoyed the tree scavenger hunt. we learned how to use a GPS, which i didnt know how to do before. Now I know more types of trees than before I came, too. The counselors made it into a contest, so that made us get really into it also. At each tree, we had to identify it and answer a couple of questions about it. There was something to find at each tree also so that made it competitive too. And since my brother is one of the counselors, he makes it fun for me too.

Morgan

I really liked the tree scavenger hunt. it was so much fun to use the gps's to find the trees. it was just for the fun of it but we all got so intense about it. there was so much running involved but it was so much fun even though at the end we were all so tired from all the running. the girls team won even though one of the teams cheated. i would do that scavenger hunt again any day because it was so much fun.

Hannah McDonald

I really loved Botany Camp.It did get hot at times, but I survived!I guess my favorite part was swimming in Cayuga Lake.We also had a scavenger hunt about trees.We used a GPS.Iwas on the girls team.We won, even though another team used a golf cart!We went to Taughannock Falls, the Cayuga Nature Center, and more!!I have to admit, this is a whole lot better than I thought!!!

Day 1 Recap

On the first day of Botany camp, students identified unique characteristics of leaves and organized them into groups. We walked around campus and collected leaves and flowers to place in our plant press. At the end of the week, the leaves and flowers will be dried and students will make cards and stationary. In the afternoon, students worked with Nate Burtch, Finger Lakes Institute GIS specialist, and learned how to use GPS units. The students divided themselves into three teams and used their GPS units in a tree scavenger hunt on the HWS campus. Students used the GPS units to navigate to 11 different trees. At each tree, students had to conduct a bark or leaf rubbing, identify the tree as deciduous or coniferous and determine the leaf arrangement. Six of the trees contained puzzle pieces which the students had to put together and at the end, find the puzzle's picture on campus. The secret location was the statue of Elizabeth Blackwell on the Hobart Quad. When they arrived at the statute, students were rewarded with candy. Sheila's team of Hannah, Morgan, Brianna and Lucy came in first. Even though counselor Sam borrowed a golf cart for Christine's team of Damon, Tristan and Max, they finished last.

"What's A Botanist To Do?" Camp Schedule

Day 1: July 30
9:00 - 11:30
- Games and activities about plant identification at the Finger Lakes Institute
11:45 - 12:15
- Lunch on HWS campus
12:30-3:30
- Tree scavenger hunt on HWS campus
4:00- 5:00
- Swimming in HWS Bristol Gym Pool

Day 2: July 31
9:00 - 3:30
- Field trip to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
- Meeting with refuge staff
- Plant surveys
- Boxed lunch
4:00 - 5:00
- Swimming in HWS Bristol Gym Pool

Day 3: August 1
9:00 - 3:30
- Field trip to Taughannock Falls and Cayuga Nature Center
- Boxed lunch
- Swimming in Cayuga Lake at Taughannock State Park
5:00
- return to HWS campus

Day 4: August 2
9:00 - 11:30
- Field Trip to Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station and Food Technology Park
11:45 - 12:15
- Lunch on HWS campus
12:30-3:30
- Plant art activity
3:30 - 5:00
- Swimming in HWS Bristol Gym Pool

Day 5: August 3
9:00 - 11:30
- Wrap up games and activities on HWS Campus and Finger Lakes Institute
11:45 - 12:15
- Lunch on HWS Campus
12:30 - 3:30
- Seneca Lake shore to look at aquatic plants
3:30 - 5:00
- Swimming at Seneca Lake shore

News Release

The "Whats a Botanist To Do?" Summer Science in Action camp was featured in an article on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges Daily Update page.
Read the article: http://www.hws.edu/news/update/showrelease.asp?id=27203

Flowers of the HWS Campus

During "What's a Botanist To Do?" campers will see many different flowers on and around the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus. From varieties planted by the HWS landscape crew to wildflowers growing on the trail to the Seneca Lake shore, campers will enjoy studying flowers after learning how to identify plants.









All pictures taken by Christine Moskell

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge

Today we visited the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge to plan activities for the field trip there during the Botany camp. Campers will learn about the management of Montezuma's wetlands from the Montezuma staff. While at the refuge, campers will see and hear many different bird species who flock to Montezuma to take refuge in the wetland ecosystem during migration.

Cayuga Nature Center and Taughannnock Falls

Today we visited the Cayuga Nature Center to plan for our field trip during the botanist camp. We hiked the Treetops Trail and climbed a giant tree house to see the forest from different heights. The shaded trails will offer a calm and cool retreat from the summer heat in August during the camp. The Cayuga Nature Center also has a butterfly garden which includes plants that attract butterflies. We also visted Taughannock Falls State Park and viewed the Falls from the Northern Rim Trail. We spotted lots of different species of trees. We hope to show the campers how to identify these trees with bark rubbings. We also saw lots of wildflowers and other neat plants while marveling the giant waterfall from the trail.