Some water quality review!

We got a break from teaching today, and got to learn/re-learn some water quality parameters! Very similar to research methods last year, so that was fun. We also got a first look at Wyoming Stream Team, which educates teachers and schools about water quality and how to test it. So we got to play around in Ditch Creek for a bit, and play some fun macro invertebrate games!

I also played photographer for the day.

Measuring DO

One of the macro invertebrate crews

The other macro crew

Conductivity!

Hard at work identifying macros

Look how happy Kendall is to be doing science!

Our totally candid "science" picture

Tracy looks ready to work!

Tomorrow we're planning for our first week of actual teaching! I finally get to know my schedule for the next month or so. Yayyyy!

~Meghan

A day full of Bison and Elk

This week we have been observing our fall coaches teaching a full field day. It has been both educational and exhausting!

Last night we got to teach the Murie program again, and it went so well! We changed some things up, and tried out a new focus, and had a lot of success. I hope I get a chance to teach it again!

Today we got to see how the students go about their research projects at Kelly warm springs, and while there we were surrounded by bison. We had to keep an eye on them, and move a couple times to stay a safe distance away from them. But it was so much fun seeing the kids collecting data by measuring the fish we had caught.

Bison blocking the road

Definitely less than 100 yards away from us

Then tonight I tagged along with the Evening Program crew to go elk bugling. I saw my first elk, and heard by first bugle! It was pretty exciting, and the students loved it! I also got to practice my van driving skills, which is much needed!

~Meghan

Making it to the top of Jackson Peak!

Today we hiked up to the top of Jackson Peak! While not the tallest or most impressive mountain around here, it is the first mountain I have summited, and probably the last! It was definitely a challenge for my knees, especially since we got a little lost and went straight up the side of the mountain! Definitely not the easiest route, but it was fun! On the way back down we found the trail, which was much less of an incline.

Goodwin Lake

Stopping for a snack at the lake

Almost to the peak!

Quick photo op before the peak

Orange hat club! We got our official TSS hats this week!

Made it! Nice knee braces...

Scramblin'!

Handstands at the top as per the usual. Photo credit to Katherine.

And more handstands

Accidental picture while trying to set a timer!

This past week we spent mostly inside learning about brain based learning, some psychology based stuff (those that know me can guess how that went), and leadership. This next week we get to observe a couple full teaching days with our fall coaches.

I have also spent two Mondays observing and teaching 5th graders about the Murie Museum here on campus. It has been a blast, and I cannot wait to do so again this week!

On Thursday a few of us went to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar for dancing lessons. It was so much fun! We learned the 4 step, and a little bit of the 2 step. Definitely a fan of the 4 step, and had a blast dancing with some locals! We're looking to make this a weekly thing.

We also have free time to play games with the rest of our classmates and faculty on Friday, and we learned how to play Kubb (or viking chess). It is officially one of my favorite games ever, although I got super competitive at it.

The other team throwing the "femurs"

Our team waiting for our turn

Off to finish up some work for this weekend and get to work organizing the museum!

~Meghan

Well our first week of community ecology is done. I sincerely enjoyed relearning some plant species, and was oddly excited to take a plant ID quiz on Friday! On Thursday we saw a momma moose and her baby while we were learning about riparian ecosystems, so we stopped class for about 15 minute to simply watch them (and take tons of pictures).

Picture credit to Kayd!

Friday night some of us went to the Wyoming Outdoor Council event in town, where there was free beer and food. We even got student memberships! That was followed by some food at Thai Me Up, where of course I did NOT have thai food. But I did have french fries!

On the picky eater note, last night I agreed to let my fellow classmates start introducing me to new foods! What have I done?! There was a BBQ with some TSS alumni last night, where we got to do some mingling with past grads and learn a little bit about what they're doing now.

It's been a pretty lazy weekend, but I am A-okay with that!

We have a species account due on Monday and I did mine on Aspen. My drawings are mediocre, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. And now it's done so I can relax today!

~Meghan

Community Ecology week

After getting back from the backcountry, I have slept so well! It's nice to be able to sleep in a bed again.

Saturday morning we volunteered at Old Bill's Fun Run, a fundraiser to support non-profit organizations in the Jackson area. Grad students and Americorp interns acted as traffic controllers, to make sure everyone was safe. People were dressed up in crazy outfits, which made the whole day really fun!

The rest of the weekend was spent finishing up geology projects and starting our reading for Community Ecology this week. Ashley and I explored an art fair in Jackson on Sunday, and did some errands around town. Then we went to Stagecoach bar with a couple other people as well! That was such a fun experience. We met about half the town of Wilson, and had fun dancing/watching dancing!

On Monday we started our Community Ecology class, which I am loving! This I understand way better than geology. We even have a plant ID quiz at the end of the week, yay! It's been both some review and some new info. Today we came across an elk carcass that has been around for a couple years.

Elk carcass!

This week we also get to observe our first morning or evening program for the Teton 5th program. In the next month or so, every 5th grader in the county will come to TSS to participate in the Teton 5th program. As of right now we are observing the programs, but next week we get to start teaching! I observed our Murie Museum program last night, and had a blast! I can't wait to try it out next week.

We're all a little swamped this week, what with class as well as observations, but we finally feel like we're in grad school!

~Meghan

Backcountry trip

Today we got back from our 4 day backcountry trip! It was an experience I'll never forget, but also may never repeat!

I had a great time getting to know my fellow teammates (the Fire-snorting Bisonte Serenos) and our two faculty leaders, Aaron and Kate. We got to spend 4 days and 3 nights together bonding and learning about each others lives and teaching each other about our areas of "expertise".

Each of us prepared a 10 minute lesson on a topic related to the area. Mine was on the relationship between Clark's Nutcracker and Whitebark Pine. It was a great opportunity for us to learn about how we go about teaching, as well as get some feedback about those styles.

The Bisonte Serenos started out hiking Death Canyon to our first campsite. This day was challenging for me, working with altitude and my knees giving me trouble. But after some breaks and talking to our faculty leaders, and support from my teammates, I figured out a pace that worked for me, and the following days were much better!

Making dinner our first night 

Death Canyon

Just because I think dead trees look cool

The first night I slept for maybe 20 minutes, which made me a little nervous for the next day, but I pushed through and you could hardly tell I didn't sleep! Our second day we hiked to the Alaska Basin where we learned even more geology (my head is going to explode if we talk about any more geology this week!) and saw some amazing views!

Lunchtime!

That second night I slept a little longer, but it was so cold! We woke up to frost and a really cold morning. We headed over Hurricane Pass, which was supposed to be really windy, but it wasn't! Again, some amazing views!

Just a little windy!

Our last night in camp there was a black bear roaming around, although we never saw it. But we were on the lookout! I was a bit terrified, and therefore only slept a little bit! Our last and final day was primarily a downhill walk, and I led our group out the entire time, because they thought it would be good for me, as it was my first backcountry trip. And I guess it probably was.

An almost empty bear box!

I made it!

This was an amazing experience, and I owe a lot to my teammates who helped me out along the way. I learned a lot about myself and everyone else, and I can't wait for the rest of the year!

Group pictures to come as they are on Kate's camera!

~Meghan

Skynyrd and Rocks

So Sunday night we got to see Lynyrd Skynyrd (for free) in Jackson Hole! That was pretty cool, seeing pretty much the entire town there and running into tons of people we know already.

Then yesterday I learned how to rock climb! It was so much fun, and everyone was really patient while teaching me the basics. Didn't climb anything difficult, but I will work up to it! Here are some pictures of us climbing.

Katherine

Me

Ben

Just a cool view

Kayd

Wyatt

Martha

Today we're off on our back country trip! 4 days and 3 nights in the Teton back country, yikes! I'm nervous but also incredibly excited to try something new. As long as I can carry my pack!

See you in a few days!

~Meghan