Diary of a Stranded Kid

Melissa Dutcher and Kathryn Doxey

June 1, 2011

SPED 6402 641

 Survival 101: The Facts

Surviving in nature can be very challenging. Each year there are hundreds of

people who get stranded in the wilderness (Aramic et al., 2009). A person can survive

without water for up to twelve days. The location and temperature is a big factor in

survival. The survival rate for humans is much higher if there is water present or close

by. Also, temperature is also an important factor because freezing temperatures require

knowledge of how to remain warm and extremely hot temperatures would require a

person to know how to stay hydrated. “Learning how to care for major needs such as

shelter, water, fire, and food in the wilderness can give individuals a strong sense of

security wherever they are” (Ball, 2001).

In order to survive, a person should remember important survival tips that would

benefit them in any situation they may find themselves. The first thing some people may

do is panic, but it is important to remember to stay calm. Panic will cause a person to

lose their logical judgment and not make wise decisions (Aramic et al., 2009). A person

will need to remember to stay calm and not make rash decisions and remember to stay

positive. There are limited resources when people are stranded so it is important that

they remember not to overexert themselves. No one expects to be stranded, so they do

not always have the proper supplies to survive in the wilderness. A person will need to

improvise because of this lack of supplies. Each and every move should be made

carefully and with a purpose.

Another factor in surviving in the wilderness is whether or not the person is alone

or if there is someone else to accompany him or her. This would change the dynamic

completely because alone, one has only his or her self to depend on to survive. If there
are two or more people, he or she has to take into account that they need more of every

supply in order to survive. If more people are stranded, it can also help their chances of

survival because they have more people thinking of a plan and have different

information to contribute.

A good tip for surviving is to remember to S.T.O.P (Stop, Sit, Observe and Plan).

Some people go all over the place and wear themselves out when they should always

remember that panicking does not solve problems. The first letter in S.T.O.P. stands for

“sit”. If lost, a person should sit down and think about where he or she is going and what

the next logical move should be. The person should also save energy because it will be

needed later. The “T” stands for thinking. A person trying to survive should plan out the

next move before making that move. If two people are stranded together, they should

make sure there is open communication before deciding on the plan and it should be

agreed upon. If there is only one person stranded, he or she needs to keep an open

mind before deciding on a plan. Next, victims observe their surroundings. This is

designated by the “O” in S.T.O.P. People should look around to see what natural

resources are available. Lastly, a plan should be made. The plan needs to be logical

and help the victim(s) survive. The time of day would have a huge factor because if it is

close to dark the victim needs to designate a shelter fast to stay warm, keep the animals

out and have a place to sleep. The weather would be a factor because if it is cold the

victim needs to be able to start a fire and have other materials to stay warm (Aramic et

al., 2009).

When choosing natural resources that might be available, a person should be

cautious in order to not poison themselves with harmful plants. In general, unless fruit is
recognizable such as bananas or apples, it should be left alone. Wild berries are

another favorable fruit. Of course the blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, and mulberry

would be the most popular if these plants are growing in the wild. It is generally easy to

spot a berry that can be consumed. The rule is that if the berry looks like a berry that

could be purchased from the grocery store, it can be eaten in the wilderness. A berry

that is white in color could be an ivy berry which is poisonous (Shepherd, 2011). Wild

fruits can be poisonous and make a person sick if they are not ripe enough. Surprisingly

acorns can be used as a means of nutrition if one is near source that would produce

them. “The acorns of the white oak are sweet and only slightly bitter and, when properly

prepared…” (Merrit Lyndon Fernald, 1986). Plants can also be used for medicinal

purposes if the necessity arises.

There are several types of wild flowers that can be used as sources of nutrition.

The dandelion is one of the most popular kinds of edible plants. The roots of the

dandelion can even be ground and used as a type of coffee. If marshes are present, the

cattail is also an edible plant. While these are only some examples it would be important

to research edible plants in the area that is intended for travel (Wild Edible Plants,

2011).

If an injury occurs or illness, there are several plants that can be used for

medicinal purposes. One plant that is common across the United States is the fern. The

fern can be used to relieve stings, burns and cuts after it is rolled on the hand and get

the juices of the plant surface. If sage is present, it is one of the best natural medicines

that can be used by taking it orally. It is a natural anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and

anti-fungal plant. While these are just two of the most common medicinal plants, it is
important to research the area being visited in order to know what could be used in case

of an emergency (18 of Nature's Most Powerful Medicinal Plants, 2009). Mint is also a

plant that, if found, can be used to cure fevers, colds, headaches, and diarrhea to name

a few things (Foster, 1999).

The landform is also a factor in survival. One major landform is the ocean. The

oceans cover seventy percent of the world (Landforms of the World, 2009). The

average temperature of an ocean is thirty-nine degrees Fahrenheit which would pose a

problem if one was stranded in middle of the water (Landforms of the world, 2009). In

March of 2009, four men were on a fishing trip when the boat capsized. Only one

remained with the boat, and the other three had to survive the elements never catching

a break from the waves and were never found. If the person was stranded near the

ocean, it could be a way to get food such as fish, shellfish and other sea creatures;

water would also have to be filtered because of the high salt content in ocean water. A

person should not drink straight from the ocean because it will dehydrate his or her

body. Another factor to consider would be if the water is contaminated; the water could

be contaminated from a natural disaster such as an oil spill like the famous BP oil spill in

the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. This would also contaminate the plant life; therefore,

knowing the surroundings and events that may have occurred there will play a big part

in survival.

Mountains are another landform a person could be stranded on. Mountains make

up about one-fifth of the world’s landscape (Anderson, Anderson, Mynn, & Barrientos,

2009). Almost eighty percent of the Earth’s water originates from the mountains

(Anderson, 28). This would be valuable information so that a person trying to survive in
the wilderness could locate a water source. There also tends to be animals such as fish

or other wildlife searching for food near water sources. For a person who is trying to

survive in a mountain setting, food and water might be more accessible than other

landforms as they are more common. Trees and other vegitation would suffice for

creating a shelter from the elements as well. Mountains can range from being very dry

to very wet, so the location of the mountain would depend on whether there is a lot of

rain or not.

The desert is known as the land of little rain (Anderson, 28). Out of all of the

landforms, the desert is the driest biome. There is little rainfall because the desert is

located where equatorial air falls down toward the Earth's surface and rain does not

occur when air rises (Anderson, 28). There are xerophytes plants that provide water like

the cactus, which a person could also eat. The cactus plant is derived from the rose

family and originated from the West Indies. These plants can survive several years

through a drought. The animals in this environment will be hard to find because they

tend to camouflage themselves to avoid predators. These animals have also adapted to

avoiding the heat. Most can be found at dawn or hiding in the shade. Shelter in the

desert would also be an issue. It would be important to find a cave or tree to shade one

from the blistering sun and hot conditions. Deserts can be rich with oil and coal. These

natural resources can become useful when building a fire and can be used for other

inventive techniques for survival.

No matter where a person may end up stranded, knowing a few facts about what

he or she may need to do will be key in his or her endurance of the elements. A person

may be without help for a few hours or a few days; just a small amount of knowledge
will help keep the victim alive until help arrives. People have lived off of the wilderness

often in history, it is important to know that it can still be done if the need arises.
 References
18 of nature's most powerful medicinal plants. (2009). From WebEcoist:
http://webecoist.com/2008/09/30/most-powerful-potent-medicinal-medical-plants-in-
nature/#

Anderson, J., Anderson, J., Mynn, C. C., & Barrientos, M. (n.d.). A plea for environmental
awareness. From http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/mountain.htm#

Aramic, D., Brary, R., Hunt, D., Lenenger, C., Marano, W., Marlin, B., et al. (2009). Wild
survival. From http://www.wildsurvival.com/survival-preparedness/

Ball, M. (2001). Wilderness and outdoor education. Annual International Conference on

Outdoor Recreation and Education (ICORE). Pocatello, ID: ICORE.

Landforms of the world. (2009). From http://worldlandforms.com/landforms/

Merrit Lyndon Fernald, A. C. (1986). Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North Carolina. General
Publishing Company.

Shepherd, A. (2011, January 7). How to: Eat berries in the wilderness. From
http://camping.wonderhowto.com/blog/howto-eat-berries-wilderness-0117957/

Steven Foster, J. A. (1999). A field guide to medicinal plants and herbs . Houghton Mifflin
Company.

Wild edible plants. (2011). From buzzle.com: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/wild-edible-

plants.html
 Odyssey is a journey, bringing challenges that enhance a person's perspective of

life as he or she overcomes situations which he or she never have thought they would

encounter. Our unit is based on each pair of students being able to give information

about survival to his or her peers. The students will have simulations, learn about edible

plants and animals and medicinal plants. This is a situation that they do not expect to be

in or probably would not want to be in. The students will also have to be able to use a

GPS unit to get through the woods and be able to create their own path.

This perspective is based off Homer's "The Odyssey." This would be a journey of

epic proportions and anyone who could be stranded somewhere and need to survive,

minus the muses and one eyed monsters. Survival has been explored in such novels as

“Hatchet” by Gary Paulson and “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. In both of these novels

a person is unexpectedly placed into a situation in which they need to know certain

skills in order to survive. While both of the main characters in the books do not travel far

from their camps, they still complete a life journey of epic proportions as they try to

survive the wilderness.

As students embark on a journey through new knowledge, he or she will need to

know what is required of them in order to survive. This is the type of situation that will

show their survival skills, their strength and knowledge, and need for survival. It is not

something that can be taken lightly because the consequences will be fatal. Students

will need to know how to eat, how to create a home to protect themselves from the

elements as well as what they can eat and use for medicinal purposes in case the

occasion presents itself.

 An odyssey will show the students their strengths and weaknesses. There will be

plenty of events where they will need to make decisions and be able to stick to them.

Hopefully, the students will learn more about survival skills and be able to use them if

needed later in life.

 Catchy Sentences

Ants on a log for lunch? They’re not bad when roasted over a fire! In this unit, you will
learn what you need to do in order to survive. You’ll learn how to create a shelter,
gather food, and heal your wounds in case you ever get stranded in the wilderness. Be
prepared, you never know what Mother Nature will throw your way!
 Content Outline
I. Landforms
A. Oceans
1. Oceans take up 71% of the earth’s surface
2. Less than 10% of the ocean has been explored by humans
3. The average temperature of the ocean is 39 degrees Fahrenheit
4. Good source of food supply(fish)
B. Desert
1. Approximately 1/3 of the earth’s surface is covered by deserts
2. The Sahara is the world's largest hot desert, covering the maximum
surface area among all other hot deserts!
3. Antarctica is the world's largest cold desert!
4. The average rainfall is less than 10 inches on average.
C. Forest
1. Deciduous Forest
a. Found in the eastern US and Canada
b. The soil is very fertile and support many types of plants
c. Animals that live here must be adaptable to cold winters
2. Coniferous Forest
a. Found in coastal areas with mild winters and heavy rainfall such as
the Pacific Northwest
b. High levels of precipitation (50-200 inches per year)
c. Evergreens are generally found in these forests
3. Tropical Rainforest
a. Tropical wet climate
b. More types of trees than any other area in the world
c. About one-fourth of all medicines come from the rainforest
II. Edible Plants
1. Beech Tree
a. The nuts that are found on the beech tree can be eaten
b. Can be a substitute for coffee
2. Blackberry/ Raspberry
a. Grows in open sunny areas at the margin of woods
b. Berries can be eaten
3. Dandelion all of this plant can be eaten
 4. Lotus plant
a. The whole plant is edible raw or cooked.
b. The plant can be dug into the fleshy parts from the mud and
bake or boil them
5. Cactus
a. Found in deserts across the world
b. They are a good source of water and food
6. Edible insects
A. Bugs are an excellent food supply for nutrients
a. Can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted
b. Can be found under rotten logs, by trees, and in most moist shady
parts
B. Grasshoppers, worms, crickets, and ants are examples of bugs that can
be eaten
7. Medicinal Plants
A. Blackberries can be used to treat cuts and inflammation
B. Aloe Vera
a. Used for allergies, abscesses, abrasions
b. Burns, boils, blisters, bruises, bladder infections
C. Paper Birch can be used for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
D. Dandelion- the root can be used to treat kidney, liver and bladder aliments
E. Jewel Weed- crushed leaves can be made into a poultice to treat a rash or
inflamed skin, including irritation from Poison Ivy

III. Survival Skills

A. Stick to a trail if possible
a. Pay attention to geographical land marks to be able to find the way
back to the original area
b. Rescue team will most likely follow the trail
B. Be able to build a fire
a. A fire will help cook food
b. stay warm
c. Used for a signal for long distances
C. Use a log or build a shelter from natural resources.
a. Make sure that something is visible for searchers to find
b. Make sure it can keep wild animals out
D. Stop and stay put wherever you find yourself
a. Moving too far could slow down a rescue team
b. Become familiar with the area to find food and water
E. Ration food and water
 a. Make it last as long as possible
b. Look for a fresh water source and boil the water to get any bacteria
out
F. Send a signal
a. Mirrors can be used as a reflection
b. Smoke from a fire
c. Whistles or loud noises
IV. First Aid
A. Severe Bleeding
a. Have the injured person lay down and elevate the area that is
bleeding if possible
b. Remove dirt from the wound
c. Apply pressure on the wound
i. Do not remove gauze that has been bled on. Just add more
gauze.
d. Squeeze the main artery if necessary.
B. Sprained Ligament
a. Rest the injured ligament but, do not immobilize it
b. Ice the area that has been sprained
c. Compress the area with a bandage
d. Elevate the ligament
C. Heat Exhaustion
a. Symptoms: dizziness, headache, heavy, sweating, fatigue, pale skin
b. Get the person into a shaded place
i. If a shaded place is not available then use the person’s clothes
to create shelter
c. Drink lots of water
d. Monitor the person carefully
i. Heat exhaustion can quickly become a heat stroke
V. GPS

. A. How a GPS works

a. GPS signal has satellite position and very accurate clock
b. Three measurements with accurate clocks, in two dimensions
c. In 3 dimensions, 4satellites are needed to know altitude/accurate
position.
d. 28satellites available for now, each orbit is ca.12hours round
B. Rules of Play
a. Map. Issued one minute before start with only the start/finish symbol
preprinted.
b. Clue Sheet: Issued one minute before start with all the control
coordinates and physical clues listed.
c. Use the same control marker, with ID & punch
d. The next station should be visible within a reasonable distance
 In order to be able to survive, students will need to know how to use their natural

resources and work together to get back to civilization. No one knows when or how they

could get stranded away from everyone else. The Chilean Miners had no clue that they

would be stranded in the mines for sixty-nine days or the Carnival cruise ship

passengers that they would be stranded out to sea for almost a week. Disaster can

happen anywhere and to anybody. These types of disasters show us our will to live and

make it out alive. Each day we will present a clip of a real life situation where a victim

was stranded. We will discuss what would be the best plan of action and how our

students would handle that situation. We will then watch how the victim handled the

situation in order to stay alive.

Unfortunate events happen all the time. There are times the car breaks down,

campers get lost, a family vacation goes wrong, or a person just happens to be in the

wrong place at the wrong time. When these situations happen, a person must use their

resources and intelligences in order to make it out alive. The students at camp will

discover how diverse it is to be stranded on different landforms and how to make it back

to civilization.

In the first lesson, the students will learn about plants and which ones are edible

and have other uses such as medication through a simulation as well as hands on

activities that allow them to explore materials they may have with them if stranded.

Once the students learn about plants that would help them if stranded, they will be

introduced to Google Sites, which they will use throughout the week in order to create a

webpage about survival.

 In the second lesson, the students will look at which animals and insects would

help them given a stranded situation. Students will have a chance to taste foods which

contain bugs such as “Chocolate Chirpie Chip Cookies”. After reflecting on getting to try

foods that contain bugs, students will work on survival skills such as purifying salt water

into drinking water and exploring how survival skills would be essential on each

landform. They will need to re-visit Google Sites and add a page to their original page

discussing and sharing what they learned today.

On the third day, students will explore using a handheld GPS system. They will

use the GPS in order to navigate the courses that are given to them. After having a

chance to explore, they will be able to create their own course and add it to their Google

Sites page for others to use if they so desire.

The students will be creating a final project of a survival webpage using Google

Sites. This site will allow other to learn about the survival skills that the students learned

about over the course of the week. Since the students will also be creating a GPS

course, other students will be able to use that if their school owns similar GPS

handhelds that the AIG Camp students are using.

Technology is a big part of children’s lives today. Technology is everywhere and

constantly changing. The students will have to learn how to survive if all the sudden the

most of the technology was taken away. They will not be able to use a cell phone to call

home or text someone their location. Instead they will be working together to find

technology in order to send a message to someone to help them find their way back.
Unit Title: Diary of a Stranded Kid
Title Content Hook Proposed
Activities
Day 1 Mayday, The students will As soon as the Survival
Monday Mayday! learn about edible students walk in tell Stimulation
plants; cactus, wild them that they are all (give the
berries, acorns, going on a trip to the students a list
dandelion, beech Bahamas. They are of materials and
tree, lotus plant and taking a plane and they have to put
cattail. They will leave in the next few them in order of
also learn about minutes (have the importance and
medicinal plants seats set up similar to explain.
such as ferns, a plane with a few Go out to the
sage, paper birch, objects around them. woods and find
aloe, jewel weed, The students should some plants.
blackberries and sit in the seats and Bring them
mint. pretend they are on back in and
the plane). The plane look up to see if
ride is going smoothly they are edible.
over the Atlantic The students
Ocean until all of a will also work
sudden there is a lot on their survival
of turbulence (tell the webpage.
students to role play
with a PowerPoint
with pictures of a
plane behind them).

Day 2 This land We will talk about There will be dead The students
Tuesday is your each landform bugs on the students’ will sample
land… including what desks. The students bugs. They will
This land plants, animals, will be asked if they rate the items
is my climate and other would ever consider left from the
land… natural resources eating the bug. crash in order
that can be found in of importance
the wilderness. There will be samples and work on
They will learn of bugs (purchased their webpage.
about edible bugs. from the store and
prepared) for the
students to eat.
Day 3 Can you The students will The students will The students
Wednesday hear me learn about GPS have a car GPS will go through
now? systems and how system, a cell phone the woods
they are useful. and a hand held GPS using their GPS
system. They will systems. They
have to choose which will also
 one is better to use to continue with
get out of the woods their webpage
and explain why page and
using their podcast.
background
knowledge.
Day 4 The day The students will The students see a The students
Thursday of rescue learn how weather clip on getting out of will learn
and other natural the Amazon. survival skills
disasters affect and about
their survival rate. weather. The
students will
finish their
webpages.
 DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 1
MAYDAY, MAYDAY!

I. DEFINE THE CONTENT

LESSON OBJECTIVE:By the end of the lesson, the student will know the different types of
edible and medicinal plants by being able to match the plant to its description as well as
how this information would be beneficial to them if stranded in the wilderness.

A person could survive off just eating plants from the wilderness

II. PREPLANNING: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

AFTER THE LESSON,

A. WHAT 3 ITEMS ARE WORTH
KNOWING?
(THINK ABOUT THE CONTENT
YOU HAVE SELECTED. WHAT IS
IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO
KNOW?)
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- there are different types of edible plants and
insects and which ones are poisonous.
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- that there are different types of medicinal
plants that cure ailments.
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- know the different edible and
medicinal plants that will be useful to them if stranded in the
wilderness.

AFTER THE LESSON,

STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… find and bring back at least three edible
B. WHAT 3 ITEMS ARE plants from the woods.
IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO
BE ABLE TO DO?
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… work as a team to survive the plan crash
(DEFINE WHAT STUDENTS
simulation with only the items given to them.
SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AS A
RESULT OF YOUR LESSON.)
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… choose the most important item while lost
at sea during the Discovery Channel simulation.

AFTER THE LESSON,

C. WHAT ARE THE ENDURING
UNDERSTANDINGS THAT
STUDENTS SHOULD TAKE AWAY
FROM THE LESSON? (DEFINE
THE BIG IDEAS.)
STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… that there is always a chance that a
person could become a stranded victim.
STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… it is vital to know which plants are
edible/medicinal and which ones are poisonous in order to choose the
right ones if ever stranded.

STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… there are several plants in the

 wilderness that can become of use to a stranded victim.

III. PLANNING
D. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: WHAT PLANTS ARE SAFE TO EAT OR USE FOR MEDICATION IF YOU
(ONE OVERARCHING LESSON WERE STRANDED IN THE WILDERNESS?
QUESTION )
The students will be assessed on how well they worked
E. ASSESSMENT: together while they are looking in the woods for plants and
(PERFORMANCE TASK) WHAT animals through teacher observation and on the plants that
WILL THE STUDENTS DO TO
SHOW YOU THAT THEY
they are able to bring back that are either edible or medicinal.
MASTERED THE CONTENT? They will also be assessed on their list of the insects they
can eat.
VI. Edible Plants

A. Beech Tree

a. The nuts that are found on the beech tree can

be eaten
b. Can be a substitute for coffee

F. CONTENT
LIST THE CONTENT FOR THIS
LESSON ONLY.
(OUTLINE THE CONTENT YOU
WILL TEACH TODAY-T HIS MAY
COME FROM YOUR CONTENT
OUTLINE)
VII. Edible insects
B. Blackberry/ Raspberry
a. Grows in open sunny areas at the margin of
woods
b. Berries can be eaten
C. Dandelion all of this plant can be eaten
D. Lotus plant
a. The whole plant is edible raw or cooked.
b. The plant can be dug into the fleshy parts
from the mud and bake or boil them
E. Cactus
a. Found in deserts across the world
b. They are a good source of water and food

C. Bugs are an excellent food supply for nutrients

c. Can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted

d. Can be found under rotten logs, by trees, and in
most moist shady parts

D. Grasshoppers, worms, crickets, and ants are

examples of bugs that can be eaten

VIII. Medicinal Plants

F. Blackberries can be used to treat cuts and

 inflammation
G. Aloe Vera
a. Used for allergies, abscesses, abrasions
b. Bad breath, burns boils, blisters, bruises,
bladder infections
H. Paper Birch can be used for antibacterial and anti-
inflammatory
I. Dandelion- the root can be used to treat kidney,
liver and bladder aliments
J. Jewel Weed- crushed leaves can be made into a
poultice to treat a rash or inflamed skin, including
irritation from Poison Ivy

As soon as the students walk in tell them that they are all
going on a trip to the Bahamas. They are taking a plane and
G. HOOK: leave in the next few minutes (have the seats set up similar
(DESCRIBE HOW YOU WILL to a plane with a few objects around them. The students
GRAB STUDENTS’ ATTENTION should sit in the seats and pretend they are on the plane).
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
The plane ride is going smoothly over the Atlantic Ocean until
LESSON. BE CREATIVE.)
all of a sudden there is a lot of turbulence (tell the students to
role play with a PowerPoint with pictures of a plane behind
them).

Script
Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight 4325, this is your
pilot speaking. It seems as though we have hit some
turbulence. No need to worry, we will pass it within the next
few minutes. Thank you and enjoy your ride.

Passenger 1- Geez I hope this isn’t too bad. I get very

nervous flying.
H. INSTRUCTION:
(TELL, STEP-BY-STEP, WHAT Passenger 2- The pilot said that everything would be fine. I’m
YOU WILL DO.) sure there is no need to worry…

Passenger 3- I don’t know about you guys, but I think this

plane ride is getting worse. I have a bad feeling about this.

Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight 4325, it seems as

though we will need to do an emergency landing. Please
fasten your seat belts and prepare for a rough landing. Thank
you.
Passenger 1- Oh gosh, please let everything be ok.

(The passengers have really started to bounce around the

plane.)

Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight……

(The plane has hit the ground.)

Passenger 2- What just happened?

Passenger 3- Am I dead?

Passenger 1- WE MADE IT!!!

Pilot- Is everyone ok? We need to grab all the useful items

we can find. We only have one minute to grab what we need.

(Everyone starts finding the following items that are laid out
on the ground. The students are expected to grab the items
and walk quickly to the other side of the classroom.)

These are the materials the students will have close to them:
 A ball of steel wool
 A small ax (plastic)
 Can of Crisco shortening
 Newspapers (one per person)
 Cigarette lighter (without fluid)
 Extra shirt and pants for each survivor
 One quart of rubbing alcohol
 A compass.
 Family size chocolate bars (one per person)
 Luggage
 DVD’s
 Books
Passenger 2- What did everyone find?

Passenger 3- There’s no way we can carry all of these items.

We need to decided which ones are the most important and
why once we get to a safer place.

Tell the students that the simulation is over. Ask them how
they felt. Did they get into the role playing? Then tell the
students to get into pairs. They need to discuss how they
would rate each item from the most important to the least
important in pairs. One person should be designated as the
recorder and each pair will need to be able to explain their
decisions.

Each pair will present their list and explain why they chose
that item as being important. Allow time for questions and
input from the audience.

Present the following list to the students by reading the Boy

Scouts reasoning. This is how the Boy Scouts rated the list
and why.
1. Cigarette lighter (without fluid)
The gravest danger facing the group is exposure to cold.
The greatest need is for a source of warmth and the second
greatest need is for signaling devices. This makes building a
fire the first order of business. Without matches, something is
needed to produce sparks, and even without fluid, a
cigarette lighter can do that.

2. Ball of steel wool

To make a fire, the survivors need a means of catching he
sparks made by the cigarette lighter. This is the best
substance for catching a spark and supporting a flame, even
if the steel wool is a little wet.

3. Extra shirt and pants for each survivor

Besides adding warmth to the body, clothes can also be used
for shelter, signaling, bedding, bandages, string (when
unraveled), and fuel for the fire.

4. Can of Crisco shortening

This has many uses. A mirror-like signaling device can be
made from the lid. After shining the lid with steel wool, it will
reflect sunlight and generate 5 to 7 million candlepower. This
is bright enough to be seen beyond the horizon. While this
could be limited somewhat by the trees, a member of the
group could climb a tree and use the mirrored lid to signal
search planes. If they had no other means of signaling than
this, they would have a better than 80% chance of being
rescued within the first day.
There are other uses for this item. It can be rubbed on
exposed skin for protection against the cold. When melted
into an oil, the shortening is helpful as fuel. When soaked
into a piece of cloth, melted shortening will act like a candle.
The empty can is useful in melting snow for drinking water. It
is much safer to drink warmed water than to eat snow, since
warm water will help retain body heat. Water is important
because dehydration will affect decision-making. The can is
also useful as a cup.

5. Small ax
Survivors need a constant supply of wood in order to
maintain the fire. The ax could be used for this as well as for
clearing a sheltered campsite, cutting tree branches for
ground insulation, and constructing a frame for the canvas
tent.

6. Family size chocolate bars (one per person)

Chocolate will provide some food energy. Since it contains
mostly carbohydrates, it supplies the energy without making
digestive demands on the body.

7. Newspapers (one per person)

These are useful in starting a fire. They can also be used as
insulation under clothing when rolled up and placed around a
person’s arms and legs. A newspaper can also be used as
a verbal signaling device when rolled up in a megaphone-
shape. It could also provide reading material for recreation.

8. Compass
Because a compass might encourage someone to try to walk
to the nearest town, it is a dangerous item. It’s only
redeeming feature is that it could be used as a reflector of
sunlight (due to its glass top).

Then play the video of the plane crash, but pause the video
before it tells the students how the victim survived. Then ask
the students to think about what they would do if they were
on that plane and were the only people that survived. Tell the
students to think about how they would come up with a plan
for survival (2-3 minutes). Have a 5 minute class discussion
on each pairs plan. Encourage groups to ask each other
questions about their reasoning. Ask the students how they
would handle being stranded. Do you think that you are
strong enough to try to survive? What would be your first plan
of action? Do you think you would be too upset to find the
shelter and food needed to survive? What are some real life
situation that they can remember hearing about in the news?

Ask the students what plants are edible or medicinal. Then

give a PowerPoint presentation on the different types of
plants that are edible and/or medicinal. We will have a
 handout for the students to make their own notes.

Take the students out to the woods to find edible and/or

medicinal plants and edible insects (the teacher will go into to
woods to make sure there are plants and insects available).
The students will be asked to find at least 3 plants and 4
insects. Remind the students not actually eat any plants or
animals.

Introduce Google Sites to the students. Have the main page

on the projector and show the students a few of the features
while they are looking at the screen. There will be one main
page for the tips on survival for their peers. Each group will
have a sub page (edible plant page, medicinal plant page,
edible bugs, and an overall survival tips), Each page will
have to contain facts, pictures and links to other useful
sites/resource pages). Tell the students the username and
password for all the groups to the main page. Then assign
each group a sub page and let them play with the different
features Google has to offer. On the first day, they will need
to include their names (no last names) and any information
already known.

The students will watch a clip from the Extreme Survival

Pack video about a deadly plane crash. Then the students
will imagine they were on that plane. The students will have
to think about what materials they would need in order to
survive in the plane crash situation.

Script
Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight 4325, this is your pilot speaking. It seems as
though we have hit some turbulence. No need to worry, we will pass it within the next
few minutes. Thank you and enjoy your ride.

Passenger 1- Geez I hope this isn’t too bad. I get very nervous flying.

Passenger 2- The pilot said that everything would be fine. I’m sure there is no need to
worry…

Passenger 3- I don’t know about you guys, but I think this plane ride is getting worse. I
have a bad feeling about this.

Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight 4325, it seems as though we will need to do an
emergency landing. Please fasten your seat belts and prepare for a rough landing.
Thank you.
Passenger 1- Oh gosh, please let everything be ok.

(The passengers have really started to bounce around the plane.)

Pilot- Attention passengers aboard flight……

(The plane has hit the ground.)

Passenger 2- What just happened?

Passenger 3- Am I dead?

Passenger 1- WE MADE IT!!!

Pilot- Is everyone ok? We need to grab all the useful items we can find. We only have
one minute to grab what we need.

(Everyone starts finding the following items.)

These are the materials the students will have close to them:
 A ball of steel wool
 A small ax (plastic)
 Can of Crisco shortening
 Newspapers (one per person)
 Cigarette lighter (without fluid)
 Extra shirt and pants for each survivor
 One quart of rubbing alcohol
 A compass.
 Family size chocolate bars (one per person)
 Luggage
 DVD’s
 Books
Passenger 2- What did everyone find?

Passenger 3- There’s no way we can carry all of these items. We need to decided
which ones are the most important and why once we get to a safer place.
 DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 2
SOMETHING’S A LITTLE BUGGY AROUND HERE

I. DEFINE THE CONTENT

LESSON OBJECTIVE: By the end of the lesson, the student will able to identify edible bugs
and the tips for survival by creating a webpage with information.

A person could substitute bugs in their diet and get enough nutrition.

II. PREPLANNING: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

AFTER THE LESSON,

A. WHAT 3 ITEMS ARE STUDENTS WILL KNOW - the different ways to prepare bugs to
WORTH KNOWING?
eat.
(THINK ABOUT THE
CONTENT YOU HAVE
SELECTED. WHAT IS
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- a person could survive off of bugs
IMPORTANT FOR
for nutrition.
STUDENTS TO KNOW?)
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- attributes from each landform can
be beneficial to their survival.

AFTER THE LESSON,

B. WHAT 3 ITEMS ARE STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… list different ways of preparing
IMPORTANT FOR
bugs and know some of the nutritional value of the bug.
STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO
DO?
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO…. compare and contrast
(DEFINE WHAT STUDENTS
survival rates among different landforms.
SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
AS A RESULT OF YOUR
LESSON.) STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… explain how to successfully
find nutrition while stranded in the wilderness.

C. WHAT ARE THE

ENDURING AFTER THE LESSON,
UNDERSTANDINGS THAT STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT….some people believe that
STUDENTS SHOULD TAKE a person could survive off of bugs.
AWAY FROM THE
LESSON? (DEFINE THE STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… it is vital to know which
BIG IDEAS.) bugs are edible and which ones are poisonous.
 STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… survival skills vary from
landform to landform.

III. PLANNING
WHAT ARE DIFFERENT WAYS BUGS CAN BE PREPARED IN ORDER TO
D. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: RECEIVE NUTRITION FOR SURVIVAL?
(ONE OVERARCHING
LESSON QUESTION ) WHAT NATURAL RESOURCES CAN YOU USE FROM EACH LANDFORM
TO HELP YOU SURVIVE?
E. ASSESSMENT: The students will be assessed on their webpage. One group
(PERFORMANCE TASK) will be responsible for creating a page on the experience
WHAT WILL THE eating bugs (they will have to collect data from the other
STUDENTS DO TO SHOW group) and the other group will have to create a page about
YOU THAT THEY the correct way to build a shelter and resources found on
MASTERED THE landforms.
CONTENT?
IX. Edible insects

E. Bugs are an excellent food supply for nutrients

F. CONTENT
LIST THE CONTENT FOR
THIS LESSON ONLY.
(OUTLINE THE CONTENT
YOU WILL TEACH TODAY -
THIS MAY COME FROM
YOUR CONTENT OUTLINE)
e. Can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted
f. Can be found under rotten logs, by trees,
and in most moist shady parts
F. Grasshoppers, worms, crickets, and ants are
examples of bugs that can be eaten

G. HOOK:
(DESCRIBE HOW YOU There will be dead bugs on the students’ desks. The students
WILL GRAB STUDENTS’ will be asked if they would ever consider eating the bug.
ATTENTION AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE There will be samples of bugs (purchased from the store and
LESSON. BE CREATIVE.) prepared) for the students to eat.

When the students sit down, ask them if they’ve ever eaten a
H. INSTRUCTION: bug. Did they like it? What did it taste like? Would they ever
(TELL, STEP-BY-STEP, consider eating a bug?
WHAT YOU WILL DO.)
Tell the students that today they will not just be eating regular
banana bread; we will be eating worm banana bread. We will
also be trying mealworm fried rice and chocolate chirpie chip
cookies. Then the students will be able to sample some bugs,
if the students have parental permission.

Banana Worm Bread

Ingredients:

 1/2 cup shortening

 3/4 cup sugar
 2 bananas, mashed
 2 cups flour
 1 teaspoon soda
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/2 cup chopped nuts
 2 eggs
 1/4 cup dry-roasted army worms

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350

degrees for about 1 hour.

Mealworm Fried Rice

Ingredients:

 1 egg, beaten
 1 tsp. oil
 3/4 c. water
 1/4 c. chopped onions
 4 tsp. soy sauce
 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
 1 c. minute rice
 1 c. cooked mealworms

Directions:

Scramble egg in a saucepan, stirring to break egg into

pieces.

Add water, soy sauce, garlic and onions. Bring to a boil. Stir.

Chocolate Chirpie Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

 2 1/4 cup flour

 1 tsp. baking soda
 1 tsp. salt
 1 cup butter, softened
 3/4 cup sugar
 3/4 cup brown sugar
 1 tsp. vanilla
 2 eggs
 1 12-ounce chocolate chips
 1 cup chopped nuts
 1/2 cup dry-roasted crickets

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl, combine flour, baking

soda and salt; set aside. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar,
brown sugar and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs.
Gradually add flour mixture and insects, mix well. Stir in
chocolate chips. Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls
onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. in rice.
Cover; remove from heat and let stand five minutes.

The students will then share the information and their

personal experience trying bugs through a class discussion.
What was it like? Did it change them as a person (Ex. A
student that doesn’t try new things, tried a bug or a person
usually willing to try new things wouldn’t.). Would they ever
consider eating bugs on a regular basis?

Ask the students to name the different landforms. Show a 3-5

minute PowerPoint presentation on the different types of
landforms in order to refresh the students’ memories as well
as to find out what they already know. There will Have a
handout for the students to make their own notes on.

They will first discover how to purify salt water into drinking
water as if they were stranded in the ocean. We will place the
salt water in the sun with a collection jar and see how much
water we collect during the hour we have in class. This will be
revisited later in the day and the following day.

Students will explore different ways of survival on various

types of landforms. Give the students a list of websites and
they also have the freedom to look at other creditable sites.
Let the students discover which landform as more/better
resources.
http://www.survivalworld.com/geography/landforms.html
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/
http://www.aresearchguide.com/biomes.html

Assign one group to create a page on the experience eating

bugs. Information on this page should include their personal
experience eating them, what they tasted like, what types of
bugs are edible and the location the bugs can be found in the
wilderness. The other group will have to create a page about
the different landforms and the resources found on them. The
students should also go back to their previous pages and add
any new useful information.

Play the video of the firestorm, but pause the video before it
tells the students how the victim survived. Then ask the
students to think about what they would do if they were in that
firestorm. Have the students come up with a plan. Each pair
of students will have a large sheet of paper to describe how
they would get out of that situation (they can draw a picture,
list, or use any other form to represent their plan). Then each
group will present their plan. Leave enough time for the
audience to ask questions.

Show the ending of the firestorm clip and how that victim
survived. Compare their ideas with the victims.
Grading Rubric
One point for each section.
 Creating a webpage
Project Rubric
 Student's project includes a subpage
 Student's project includes eating bugs experience or survival tips from the
boy scout
 Student’s project includes images
 Student’s project includes factual information
 Students worked well as a team by teacher observation
 Student's project shows effort with neatness_____
 Student's project shows creativity in project _____

 Total __________
7=Wonderful effort
4-6=Satisfactory effort
2-3=Some effort
0-1 = Did not attempt
Grading Rubric
Each checkmark counts as one point.
 Creating a Plan for Survival
Project Rubric
 Students project includes materials in order with explanation
 Students found 2 edible plants
 Students found 1 medicinal plants
 Student found three edible insects
 Students worked well as a team
 Student's project shows effort with neatness
 Student's project shows creativity in project

 Total __________
6-7=Wonderful effort
4-5=Satisfactory effort
2-3=Looks like you tried
0-1 = Did not attempt
 DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 3
HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE?

I. DEFINE THE CONTENT

LESSON OBJECTIVE: By the end of the lesson, the student will know several different survival
skills and create their own GPS path that others can read and follow.

To survive in the wilderness all I need is a GPS.

II. PREPLANNING: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

A. WHAT 3
ITEMS ARE AFTER THE LESSON,
WORTH
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- a GPS system can be vital in survival.
KNOWING?
(THINK ABOUT
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- teamwork can be a huge help when trying to find the correct
THE CONTENT
path with the GPS system.
YOU HAVE
SELECTED.
WHAT IS STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- eventhough they have GPS systems, they will
IMPORTANT FOR not always be available to other victims.
STUDENTS TO
KNOW?)

B. WHAT 3
ITEMS ARE AFTER THE LESSON,
IMPORTANT FOR
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… use the GPS unit and follow the correct path.
STUDENTS TO
BE ABLE TO DO?
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… create a path using the GPS that other people can
(DEFINE WHAT
follow.
STUDENTS
SHOULD BE
ABLE TO DO AS STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… adapt their new survival skills to any situation.
A RESULT OF
YOUR LESSON.)

C. WHAT ARE AFTER THE LESSON,

THE ENDURING STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… not all GPS units are the same and some work
UNDERSTANDIN differently.
GS THAT
STUDENTS
SHOULD TAKE
STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… GPS systems can help when trying to survive and
AWAY FROM THE
get out of the wilderness.
LESSON?
(DEFINE THE BIG STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… every decision they make will have an effect on
IDEAS.) their survival.

III. PLANNING
D. ESSENTIAL WHAT SURVIVAL SKILLS ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR MY SURVIVAL?
QUESTION:
(ONE
OVERARCHING
LESSON
QUESTION )
E. The students will be assessed on how well they worked together during
ASSESSMENT: the simulation by peer observation and if they followed the course
(PERFORMANCE correctly.
TASK) WHAT
WILL THE
STUDENTS DO
TO SHOW YOU
THAT THEY
MASTERED THE
CONTENT?
X. GPS

. A. How a GPS works

a. GPS signal has satellite position and very accurate
clock
b. Three measurements with accurate clocks, in two
dimensions
c. In 3 dimensions, 4satellites are needed to know
altitude/accurate position.
d. 28satellites available for now, each orbit is
ca.12hours round
F. CONTENT
B. Rules of Play
LIST THE
CONTENT FOR
a. Map. Issued one minute before start with only the
THIS LESSON start/finish symbol preprinted.
ONLY. b. Clue Sheet: Issued one minute before start with all
(OUTLINE THE the control coordinates and physical clues listed.
CONTENT YOU c. Use the same control marker, with ID & punch
WILL TEACH
d. The next station shoulld be visible within a reasonable
TODAY-T HIS
MAY COME
distance
FROM YOUR
CONTENT II. Survival Skills
OUTLINE)
G. Stick to a trail if possible
a. Pay attention to geographical land marks to be able to
find the way back to the original area
b. Rescue team will most likely follow the trail
H. Be able to build a fire
a. A fire will help cook food
b. stay warm
c. Used for a signal for long distances
I. Use a log or build a shelter from natural resources.
 c. Make sure that something is visible for searchers
to find
d. Make sure it can keep wild animals out

J. Stop and stay put wherever you find yourself

a. Moving too far could slow down a rescue team
b. Become familiar with the area to find food and water
K. Ration food and water
a. Make it last as long as possible
b. Look for a fresh water source and boil the water to get
any bacteria out
L. Send a signal
a. Mirrors can be used as a reflection
b. Smoke from a fire
c. Whistles or loud noises

G. HOOK:
(DESCRIBE HOW The students will have a car GPS system, a cell phone and a hand held
YOU WILL GRAB
STUDENTS’
GPS system. They will have to choose which one is better to use to get
ATTENTION AT out of the woods and explain why using their background knowledge.
THE BEGINNING
OF THE LESSON.
BE CREATIVE.)
 Put the car GPS, cell phone and hand held GPS on the desks. Tell them
to choose the one that would work the best if stranded in the wilderness.
Then they will have to explain their choice and which one they think
would be the most accessible to them.

Ask the students if they can name the 6 survival skills. Each student will
have to brainstorm what they believe are the 6 essential survival skills.
Then show them a short PowerPoint on the 6 essential survival skills.

Introduce the GPS systems to the students. Give them each a handout
that shows the directions on how to use the GPS systems.

H.
INSTRUCTION:
(TELL, STEP-BY-
STEP, WHAT YOU
WILL DO.)

Satellite Page
Pointer page basics

Each student will get a page explaining how to use the GPS and will be
able to take it with them outside.

Let the students work with their unit for a few minutes to get used to it.
Then take them outside where the course has already been set up.

(1) Cross-Country Orienteering. This is the most

common type of orienteering competitions. It is sometimes
called free or point orienteering and is considered to be the
most competitive and intriguing of all events (Figure F-2).
In this event, all competitors must visit the same controls in
the same order. With the normal one-minute starting
interval, it becomes a contest of route choice and physical
skill. The winner is the contestant with the fastest time
around the course.

(a) After selecting the control points for the course,

determine the start and finish locations. The last
control should be near the finish. In describing each
control's location, an eight-digit grid coordinate and
a combination of two letters identifying the point
(control code) should be included in each
descriptive clue list that is normally given to each
competitor at least two minutes before his start time.

(b) There are usually 6 to 12 control markers on

the course in varying degrees of difficulty and
distances apart so that there are no easy, direct
routes. Instead, each competitor is faced with many
choices of direct but difficult routes, or of indirect but
easier routes. Each control's location is circled, and
the order in which each is to be visited is clearly
marked on the master map. The course may be a
closed transverse with start and finish collocated, or
the start and finish may be at different locations. The
length of the course and difficulty of control
 placement varies with the competitors' degree of
expertise. Regardless of the class of event, all
competitors must indicate on their event cards proof
of visiting the control markers. Inked stamps, coded
letters, or punches are usually used to do this
procedure.

NOTE: The same orienteering range may serve in both

cross-country and score events. However, a
separate set of competitor maps, master maps,
and event cards are necessary.

(2) Score orienteering. In this event, the area chosen for

the competition is blanketed with many control points
(Figure F-3). The controls near the start/finish point
(usually identical in this event) have a low point value,
while those more distant or more difficult to locate have a
high point value. (See Figure F-6 for a sample card.) This
event requires the competitor to locate as many control
markers as he can within the specified time (usually 90
minutes). Points are awarded for each control visited and
deducted for exceeding the specified time. The competitor
with the highest point score is the winner.
 Figure F-3. A score orienteering map.

(a) Conducting a score event at the start is

basically the same as the cross-country event.
The competitor is given a map and an event
card. The event card lists all the controls with
their different point values. When released to
the master map, the competitor finds the circles and
numbers indicating the location of all the controls
listed on his event card. He copies all the red circles
on his map. Then he chooses any route he wishes
to take in amassing the highest possible point score
in the time available. The course is designed to
ensure that there are more control points than can
possibly be visited in the allotted time. Again, each
control marker visited must be indicated on the
event card.

(b) It is important for the competitor to take time

initially to plot the most productive route. A good
competitor may spend up to 6 minutes in the master
map area while plotting the ideal route.

(c) There is no reward for returning early with time

still available to find more points, so the good
competitor must be able to coordinate time and
distance with his ability in land navigation in running
the course.

The students will have cards and the GPS units, they will need to follow
the course and get the card stamped in the correct stop. At every other
checkpoint on the map, the students will have a small challenge.

At the starting point, have two balloons with a piece of paper on the
inside with directions for the first checkpoint. The students will have to
pop the balloon in order to get the directions (make sure the students
pick up the trash).

(Puzzles come from The Treasure Hunt

http://www.theproblemsite.com/treasure_hunt/default.asp)

Puzzle #1: Races And Wild Rides

Turtles are fascinating creatures. Do you remember that old story about the turtle and
the rabbit having a race? The rabbit is sure he'll win, because the turtle is such a
tediously slow and monotonous creature. But the turtle wins because slow and steady
is better than fast yet unreliable. And that is certainly true; if you had a choice between
someone you knew was going to be slow, but was sure to get the job done, wouldn't
 you choose that person
over the one who starts out
going leaps and bounds but
then gets distracted and
never finishes whatever it was
he was supposed to be doing in
the first place?
Speaking of
monotonous yet
reliable, I was just
thinking recently that,
although everyone seems so excited about the best and latest
and greatest cars on the market, I just can't seem to get myself
excited about cars. I mean, I
drive a Mercury Tracer. Not the
most thrilling and exciting vehicle
on the market, but it certainly
gets me where I need to go, and
gives me great gas mileage. And
these days, gas mileage is a
pretty important feature in a car.
So I'll take my tediously
monotonous little Tracer over
any wild ride that's out there
today.

Speaking of wild rides, can you imagine what it would have been like to be on Apollo
13? You know, the moon mission that was supposed to do a lunar landing in April of
1970, but had to cancel their landing and return home because of a malfunction?
Everyone always wonders what it must have been like to be one of those astronauts up
there desperate to get home...but you know what I wonder?

I wonder...what was it like for the wives and the children of those astronauts, wondering
if they would ever make it home again? Being able to do nothing but sit and listen to
every news broadcast, every report coming in, but not able to do anything else. They
say listening is better than talking, and that's why God gave us two ears and just one
mouth. But I think I'd scream if I was in that situation and had nothing I could do to to
help, but had to just sit, and wait, and listen!

Anyway, that's what I wonder. But probably you're wondering something completely
different. You're probably wondering what in the world do a turtle, a car, the moon, and
an ear have in common?

And that, my friend, is a wonderful question. I shall leave you with that question now.
The answer, believe it or not, is just one single word...

Puzzle #2: Vowels And Consonants

Have you ever stopped to think about the structure of words, the combinations of
vowels and consonants that make up these odd things that we call "words"? Some
words have more consonants than vowels, others have more vowels than consonants.
Some words have two or more vowels in a row, while others have multiple consonants
 in a row. Here are some interesting statistics:

If you're looking at just six letter words, the most common

word structure is CVCCVC (a consonant, followed by a vowel,
followed by two consonants, a vowel, and ending with another
consonant). In fact, slightly over a quarter of all six letter words
are of this format!

Here's an interesting word: cadeau. It's a French word which

means "gift". It's interesting because I couldn't find any English words in the form
'CVCVVV'. Not that cadeau has anything to do with this puzzle...you can think of that as
a "freebie"...a gift.

Then there's ectype, cygnet, cystic and outcry, four words which have four consonants
in a row. But that's not really fair, because the letter Y is really taking on the job of a
vowel in those words.

The second most common structure for six letter words is 'CVCVCC', which makes up
about 11% of all six letter words. In third place is 'CVCVCV', a very nice, evenly spaced
word structure.

Which reminds me. Your clue for this page is:

CVCVCV.

Puzzle #3: Lightning and Lightning Bugs

Mark Twain once said: The difference between the right word and the almost right word
is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.

Very true, and probably never truer than in the field of poetry where "the almost right
word" can kill the tone, the rhyme, or the meter of the poem.

Take this, one of my most favorite "limericks" as an example...

There once was a poet from Japan

Whose limericks never did scan
When asked why this was,
He said, "It's because...
"I like to fit as many syllables in the last line as I possibly can!"

Clearly, that was a poet who had a hard time finding the right word, and so settled not
just for the almost right word, but for a whole string of almost right words!

On a different note, here's a poem by Oliver Goldsmith, who seemed to do a little better
at picking the right words. The poem is a teensy bit more depressing than the limerick,
but at least it flows well!

When lovely woman stoops to folly

When lovely woman stoops to folly,
And finds too late that men betray,
What charm can soothe her melancholy,
What art can wash her guilt away?
The only art her guilt to cover,
To hide her shame from every eye,
To give her vengeance to her lover
And wring his bosom, is—to die.

And by the way, the answer to this puzzle is lightning, not a lightning bug!

At the end, I will have a master copy and will be able to tell if the
students used the GPS correctly.
The students will then have a chance to create their own course and see
if others can follow it in the path they made. This is the sheet each group
will have http://sciencespot.net/Media/GPSHideSeek.pdf. Once they
have completed making their map, they will had it to the other pair of
students to see if they are able to follow the map.
 Puzzle #1: Races And Wild Rides
Turtles are fascinating creatures. Do you remember that old story about the turtle and the
rabbit having a race? The rabbit is sure he'll win, because the turtle is such a
tediously slow and monotonous creature. But the turtle wins
because slow and steady is better than fast yet unreliable. And
that is certainly true; if you had a choice between someone you
knew was going to be slow, but was sure to get the job done,
wouldn't you choose that person over the one who starts out going
leaps and bounds but then gets distracted and never finishes
whatever it was he was supposed to be doing in the first place?

Speaking of monotonous yet reliable, I was just thinking recently

that, although everyone seems so excited about the best and
latest and greatest cars on the market, I just can't seem to get
myself excited about cars. I mean, I drive a Mercury Tracer. Not
the most thrilling and exciting vehicle on the market, but it certainly
gets me where I need to go, and gives me great gas mileage. And
these days, gas mileage is a pretty important feature in a car. So I'll take my tediously monotonous little
Tracer over any wild ride that's out there today.

Speaking of wild rides, can you imagine what it would have been like to be on Apollo 13? You know, the
moon mission that was supposed to do a lunar landing in April of 1970, but had to cancel their landing
and return home because of a malfunction? Everyone always wonders what it must have been like to be
one of those astronauts up there desperate to get home...but you know what I wonder?

I wonder...what was it like for the wives and the children of those astronauts, wondering if they would ever
make it home again? Being able to do nothing but sit and listen to every news broadcast, every report
coming in, but not able to do anything else. They say listening is better than talking, and that's why God
gave us two ears and just one mouth. But I think I'd scream if I was in that situation and had nothing I
could do to to help, but had to just sit, and wait, and listen!

Anyway, that's what I wonder. But probably you're wondering something completely different. You're
probably wondering what in the world do a turtle, a car, the moon, and an ear have in common?

And that, my friend, is a wonderful question. I shall leave you with that question now. The answer, believe
it or not, is just one single word...

Puzzle #2: Vowels And Consonants

Have you ever stopped to think about the structure of words, the combinations of vowels and consonants
that make up these odd things that we call "words"? Some words have more consonants than vowels,
others have more vowels than consonants. Some words have two or more vowels in a row, while others
have multiple consonants in a row. Here are some interesting statistics:

If you're looking at just six letter words, the most common word structure is CVCCVC (a consonant,
followed by a vowel, followed by two consonants, a vowel, and ending with another consonant). In fact,
slightly over a quarter of all six letter words are of this format!

Here's an interesting word: cadeau. It's a French word which means "gift". It's interesting because I
 couldn't find any English words in the form 'CVCVVV'. Not that cadeau has anything to do with
this puzzle...you can think of that as a "freebie"...a gift.

Then there's ectype, cygnet, cystic and outcry, four words which have four consonants in a row. But that's
not really fair, because the letter Y is really taking on the job of a vowel in those words.

The second most common structure for six letter words is 'CVCVCC', which makes up about 11% of all
six letter words. In third place is 'CVCVCV', a very nice, evenly spaced word structure.

Which reminds me. Your clue for this page is:

CVCVCV.

Puzzle #3: Lightning and Lightning Bugs

Mark Twain once said: The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference
between lightning and a lightning bug.

Very true, and probably never truer than in the field of poetry where "the almost right word" can kill the
tone, the rhyme, or the meter of the poem.

Take this, one of my most favorite "limericks" as an example...

There once was a poet from Japan

Whose limericks never did scan
When asked why this was,
He said, "It's because...
"I like to fit as many syllables in the last line as I possibly can!"

Clearly, that was a poet who had a hard time finding the right word, and so settled not just for the almost
right word, but for a whole string of almost right words!

On a different note, here's a poem by Oliver Goldsmith, who seemed to do a little better at picking the
right words. The poem is a teensy bit more depressing than the limerick, but at least it flows well!

When lovely woman stoops to folly

When lovely woman stoops to folly,
And finds too late that men betray,
What charm can soothe her melancholy,
What art can wash her guilt away?

The only art her guilt to cover,

To hide her shame from every eye,
To give her vengeance to her lover
And wring his bosom, is—to die.

And by the way, the answer to this puzzle is lightning, not a lightning bug!
Grading Rubric
One point for each section.

Project Rubric
 Student went through the course in the correct path.
 Student worked well with partner by teacher observation.
 Created a course that others could follow
 Total __________

3=Satisfactory effort
1-2= Little attempt
0 = Did not attempt
 DIARY OF A STRANDED KID- LESSON 4
THE DAY OF RESCUE

I. DEFINE THE CONTENT

LESSON OBJECTIVE: By the end of the lesson, the students will learn the differences between the
landforms and how weather and other natural disasters affect their survival rate.

The weather has no affect on someone’s survival. If the person has good survival skills, they can survive
anything.

II. PREPLANNING: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

AFTER THE LESSON,

A. WHAT 3 ITEMS ARE WORTH
KNOWING?
(THINK ABOUT THE CONTENT
YOU HAVE SELECTED. WHAT IS
IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO
KNOW?)
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- weather can help with survival or decrease
one’s chance of survival.
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- weather will affect the type of shelter built.
STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT- You must have adequate clothing, food, water
and shelter to survive in cold weather should you be stranded

AFTER THE LESSON,

B. WHAT 3 ITEMS ARE
IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO
BE ABLE TO DO?
(DEFINE WHAT STUDENTS
SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AS A
RESULT OF YOUR LESSON.)
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… identify and comprehend the five basic
survival skills.
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… understand that in warm weather there is
a greater chance for heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps.
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… demonstrate basic first aid skills. .

AFTER THE LESSON,

C. WHAT ARE THE ENDURING
UNDERSTANDINGS THAT
STUDENTS SHOULD TAKE
AWAY FROM THE LESSON?
(DEFINE THE BIG IDEAS.)
STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… the application of survival skills help
ensure a greater chance of survival given a stranded situation.
STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… weather can escalate or deescalate a
situation.
STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT… every decision they make will have an
effect on their survival.

III. PLANNING
D. ESSENTIAL QUESTION: HOW WILL THE WEATHER HAVE AN EFFECT ON MY SURVIVAL?
(ONE OVERARCHING LESSON
QUESTION )
E. ASSESSMENT: The students will be assessed on how well they work
(PERFORMANCE TASK) WHAT together during the stimulation. They will also be assessed on
WILL THE STUDENTS DO TO
their sub webpage page.
SHOW YOU THAT THEY
MASTERED THE CONTENT?
XI. Survival Skills

M. Stick to a trail if possible

a. Pay attention to geographical land marks to
be able to find the way back to the original
area
b. Rescue team will most likely follow the trail
N. Be able to build a fire
a. A fire will help cook food
b. stay warm
c. Used for a signal for long distances
O. Use a log or build a shelter from natural resources.

e. Make sure that something is visible

F. CONTENT
LIST THE CONTENT FOR THIS
LESSON ONLY.
(OUTLINE THE CONTENT YOU
WILL TEACH TODAY-T HIS MAY
COME FROM YOUR CONTENT
OUTLINE)
for searchers to find
f. Make sure it can keep wild animals
out
P. Stop and stay put wherever you find yourself
a. Moving too far could slow down a rescue
team
b. Become familiar with the area to find food
and water
Q. Ration food and water
a. Make it last as long as possible
b. Look for a fresh water source and boil the
water to get any bacteria out
R. Send a signal
a. Mirrors can be used as a reflection
b. Smoke from a fire
c. Whistles or loud noises

XII. Weather
A. Warm weather-
a. heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and heat
cramps.
b. wearing less clothing, if sweating a lot need
to replace lost salts and minerals as well as
water, eat lightly
 B. Cold weather
a. frostbite and hypothermia.
b. do not make a shelter of metal, never fall
asleep without turning out your stove or
lamp, never sleep directly on the ground.

G. HOOK:
(DESCRIBE HOW YOU WILL The students will see a clip on being able to survive the
GRAB STUDENTS’ ATTENTION
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
Amazon.
LESSON. BE CREATIVE.)

Play the video of the victim surviving the Amazon, but pause
the video before it tells the students how the victim survived.
Then ask the students to think about how they would survive
the Amazon. Have the students come up with a plan. We will
then have a class discussion on what we would do differently
than the people in the clip. We will also discuss what steps
the survivors took that were beneficial to their survival.

Talk about the effects weather has on survival.

Which type of weather would be most ideal? Why?

Have the boy scout guest speaker talk with the students
about the five basic survival skills. He will explain what steps
are the most logical and explain the effects of temperature.
H. INSTRUCTION:
The students will be given strips of cloth that can be used as
(TELL, STEP-BY-STEP, WHAT
YOU WILL DO.)
gauze. First they will have a chance to practice wrapping their
partner’s ankle and wrist before we show the correct way.
Once they have taken a few minutes to try and figure it out on
their own it will be shown to them the correct way to secure
their wrist or foot if for some reason it gets injured.

How to apply a compression wrap

To help control swelling, some doctors recommend wrapping your

ankle with an elastic bandage, also called an ACE wrap. This
product can be purchased at most drugstores. To apply a
compression wrap:

 Cut several horseshoe-shaped pieces of cloth felt to form a

0.5 in. (1.3 cm) thick pad. The pad will be placed (open end
up) around the outside anklebone for cushioning.
 Roll up the elastic bandage if it isn't already. Hold your
 ankle at about a 90-degree angle. Start where your toes
meet the body of your foot. Hold the loose end of the
bandage at the side of your foot. Wrap the bandage around
the ball of your foot once, keeping it somewhat taut with a
light pull.
 After this first wrap, slowly start circling your way around the
arch of the foot. Pull the bandage diagonally from the
bottom of the toes across the foot's top and circle it around
the ankle. Now bring the bandage diagonally across the top
of the foot and under the arch in a figure-eight pattern.
 When you get to the anklebone, wrap the bandage around
the felt piece so it stays in place at the outside anklebone.
Continue around the ankle and foot in a figure eight, moving
toward the heel on the bottom and toward the calf at the top
of the eight. The wrap should cover the entire foot except
for the heel and end several inches above the ankle. Most
compression wraps are self-fastening or come with clip
fasteners. If not, use tape to secure the end.
 The wrap should be snug but should not cut off circulation
to the foot. Check your toes. If they become purplish or
blue, cool to the touch, or numb or tingly, the wrap is too
tight and should be loosened. Also, loosen the wrap at night
before bedtime.

Have stations set up for the students to decide what would be

the most logical step to take for survival. The students will
need to identify what is at the station and whether or not it is
useful in survival (there will be small hints at the stations).
The students will be split into pairs and will have to write their
decisions on an index card.

Station 1- A sleeping bag and pillow lying on the floor. Have

the students answer these questions: Would this be practical
for someone stranded in the cold weather? In warm weather?
What is one way to solve this problem if this situation causes
problems?

Station 2- A big meal. Does this present any problems? Why?

What would be the most logical thing to do? What would you
do in this situation? Does weather have an effect on this
situation?

Station 3- A metal shelter. Does this pose a problem for warm

or cold weather? What could be done to fix this problem?

Station 4- A scene of a person in snow sleeping with a

lamp/stove still turned on. How does this pose a potential
problem? What should the person have done?
Station 5- Tell the students to draw or write out one plan to
replace salts and minerals. Where would they find the
minerals? What would not be a good idea?

Have time for the students to complete their sub webpage

page.

The students will be graded on how well they participate in

the discussion.

The last few minutes, show the ending of the surviving the
Amazon clip and how that victim survived. Compare their
ideas with the victims.
Grading Rubric
Two points for each section.
 Sub webpage/Discussion
Project Rubric
 Student's project includes survival skills
 Student's project includes information about landform
 Student’s project includes the plan for survival
 Student’s project includes voice message
 Student’s project includes pictures
 Students worked well as a team
 Students project is organized
 Student's project shows effort with neatness
 Student's project shows creativity in project
 Student participated in discussion

 Total __________
15-20=Wonderful effort
11-14-4=Satisfactory effort
5-10=Little attempt
0-4 = Did not attempt