Chris Potter welcomes students to the Rainforest Visitor's Center.

Students and families at Lansdowne Elementary School recently found an easy escape from the winter weather; trips to the school gymnasium on Rainforest Adventure Nights warmed their bodies and minds.

The events were held on January 20, 21, and 22 and hosted by physical education teacher Chris Potter. On each of the evenings, families were invited to visit and experience the Whittle equipment that filled the school’s entire gym. Similar to a large jungle gym, this equipment rotates among Baltimore County Public Schools elementary schools and is used to teach students climbing skills. In keeping with the rainforest theme, artificial monkeys, frogs, snakes, and birds were perched throughout each station. The only thing missing during this experience was the rain. 

A team climbs together to collect specimens.

For the six weeks leading up to Rainforest Adventure Nights, students were gradually introduced to the equipment and practiced the skills needed to navigate the rainforest experience correctly and safely. Throughout the lessons, Potter emphasized exploring movement, solving problems, and building confidence.

The real magic happened when Potter added all of the elements that made the project an integrated unit. Parachutes and nets created the canopy, the lights were dimmed to create the mood, and a recording of rainforest animal sounds added to the impression of entering another world. Children created a mural and posters to highlight the importance of the rainforest. Colorful bird artwork made by students decorated the wall.

Swinging on the rope swing is loads of fun.

At the event’s “Visitor’s Center,” students and their families received instructions about their task, which involved working in small groups to collect specimens. Vocabulary skills, geography, and environmental awareness lessons were reinforced as students crossed the Amazon River, visited Poison Frog Pond, fed mangoes to spider monkeys, and labeled carnivorous and poisonous plants and animals. The activity allowed parents to see their children put new knowledge and skills to use.

A father and daughter meet at the top of the equipment.

Despite the many hours spent setting up and taking down the Whittle equipment, Potter knows that for many students this unit is the highlight of their year. One fourth grader said he brought his older brother to the Rainforest Night, and he helped his brother “face his fear of heights” as they worked together. Another fourth grader remembers that as a kindergarten student she wondered how high she would have to climb. One visitor wrote that the event “provides both a physically active and mentally challenging climate for students.”

 

Written by Barbara Sharrer, reading and technology teacher and Good News Ambassador, Lansdowne Elementary School. Photos courtesy of Lansdowne Elementary School.

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