Teaching in an urban school presents challenges to teaching natural sciences. Luckily we were about 4 blocks from Bluff Natural Preserve. It was easy to take them those few blocks without a bus or any other transportation issues. There was one unique touch to our walk to Bluff Lake. We walked along Moline street and walked along the far eastern end of the runways for Stapleton Airport. It is really cool to have students sit on the side of the road and watch planes takeoff and land. They enjoyed that as much as the work we did in the nature center. I also had the opportunity to teach the students how to identify animals by their prints and their scat. I was talking through it and hoping that no student asked for more details about the scat. I had one young man who was always talking out of turn and would blurt out whatever came to him. I could see him ask a question to the girls next to him. I heard her whisper “poop” to him. I was nervous but I was worried about the wrong kid. He quietly asked her again. This time she gave her answer loudly he was sure to hear her,”SH@T!” Luckily none of the students made a big deal of it. I was worried and told the principal what happened in case a parent called. Every time I saw her for the next week, she would bust out laughing. I was proud that I could make her week!
