We thought this presentation was nothing more than climbing down a hill. Boy, were we wrong! Most of us trekked back up that hill full of new knowledge in the area of geology. Here we learned about geologic units, contacts and even how to correctly pronounce the word Loess (lus - with a deep German accent). We sure had fun using that word over and over with just the right accent. Discovering what Loess actually is can be fun too. It is a very fine soil, the texture of powder. One toss into the air and you'll know you've found it.

We pulled our geologic and vegetation maps back out to study the geologic units found in Nebraska. We also looked at the changes in vegetation and different soil textures in the area to help us determine where contacts (the place where two geologic units meet) are located. Learning this was easy, it was when they made us climb straight up that "hill" searching for the contacts that got tough. But, this is where the real learning took place.

This activity lends itself well to middle and high school geology study. However, there are ways to adapt and introduce the concept of layers with younger children.

We enjoyed a visit to Dancing Leaf Pawnee Earth Lodge near Wellfleet. Here we were served a delicious Native American lunch of buffalo stew and blue cornbread after which we toured the grounds. A hands-on presentation of authentic Native American tools and clothing was given. We then walked to the earth lodge which overlooked a barren valley. The surroundings made it obvious why their homes were made of mud instead of trees.

Inside the earth lodge our guide shared what his views of what life was like for the Native Americans. Just outside the lodge were replicas of the where cooking took place and animal hides were dried and treated. Once again, we were encouraged to touch and use the tools as Native Americans did.

This entire experience is offered and adapted to groups of all ages. This would be a fantastic field trip for anyone in the Wellfleet vicinity.

We visited the North Platte Research and Extension Center where they study and research crops. We saw several test fields where researchers were growing corn. The focus was on developing techniques to lower water usage without hindering production. Each test field was grown under different conditions, such as seed type, irrigation method, and water amounts used. It was amazing to see how each test field varied depending on the techniques.

This was another stop to help build background knowledge for the teachers. An activity that may lend itself to plant production would be grow several of the same plants under different conditions. Try to see how little water can be used without destroying your "crop".

Another great experience that many of us had not been aware of was the humpyards in North Platte. This is an area where engines pick up and drop off cars. Each car is scanned by a computer and routed to the correct track to be connected to the train which will take it to its destination. Many of us teach transportation when studying Nebraska, and this experience provided us with the knowledge needed to explain train systems. This process could easily be diagramed by the teacher to help the class visualize.

Day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Return to Travel Nebraska Main Page