Thank you TRIAGE students for an amazing start to our year together. It is hard for me to believe that it is time for spring recess already. The weeks have flown by and you have created a positive energy and a keen interest in learning how to do authentic science research. The Calvin student coaches have commented on how sophisticated your skills of; observation, hypotheses generating, and testing have become. We look forward to each new day and the buzz of young scientists hard at work investigating how the world works.

Please enjoy this break from the routine. I hope that you will find time to be outside and put your scientific skills to work.

I look forward to seeing you the week of April 14 - 17.
Coach Eriks

Spring has come to the preserve and we are going to spend extended time outside this week. Please come prepared to walk the trails and make observations. Looking ahead at the weather forecast, depending on the day, we can expect almost any kind of precipitation. The only thing that will keep us in doors is lightening.

Coach Eriks

TRIAGE students, thank you for last week. I was impressed with your dedication to improving your observations skills and the work investigating the factors that effect Painted Lady caterpillar movement. The number of observations recorded and the amount of data amassed was truly remarkable. Scientists need to be able to make detailed observations. We are on our way!

The study of caterpillars was a great way to prepare us for TRIAGE this week at Meijer Gardens. While we are waiting for our caterpillars to transform into Painted Lady butterflies, we will catch a preview of what’s to come by viewing the Foremost’s Butterfly exhibit.

A reminder to meet at 3:30, instead of 3:45, at Meijer Garden, instead of the Bunker Center and that pick up time is at 5:00, instead of 6:00.

Please meet me at the entrance to the Garden building where I will review museum manners as described by the personnel at the Gardens:

Please stay with your group at all times.
Please use quiet voices, and be good listeners.
For your safety as well as that of the plants, please stay on the garden paths.
Observe the sculptures as closely as you like, but please refrain from touching unless you are in the Children’s Garden.
Please move about carefully. Running indoors is not allowed.
Please be considerate of our other visitors, and respectful of our property.

We will be ambassadors of TRIAGE, NSF and Calvin College. That is a big responsibility but I am convinced we are up to the challenge.

I am looking forward to seeing you and sharing this experience with all of you.

Coach Eriks

TRIAGE students

I have been so impressed with your enthusiasm and I have already learned so much from you. From our of problem solving to our investigation of termites, students have been asking great questions, conceptualizing hypotheses and devising tests for those hypotheses. The energy of minds in motion is a sight to see.

A reminder this week to dress for the weather as we head outside to start the first week of a two week squirrel count on the ecosystem preserve and Calvin’s campus. Hats, gloves, boots, scarves and snow pants are all on the list of recommended items. Dressing in layers will help trap the heat given off by your body.

See you this week,
Coach Eriks

TRIAGE OST at the Bunker Center is canceled today. Grand Rapids Public Schools have canceled school today due to severe weather so OST is also canceled today. If you are able to come on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, you are welcome.

Coach Eriks

TRIAGE OST at the Bunker Center is canceled today. Grand Rapids Public Schools have canceled all after school activities today due to severe weather so OST is also canceled today. I look forward to seeing you at the Bunker Center next week.

Coach Eriks

There are four individuals standing in a straight line. Two of them (nr.1 & 3) wear a black hat and two of them (nr.2 & 4) wear a white hat. They are all facing the same direction and between nr.3 and nr.4 stands a brick wall (see picture). So nr.1 can see nr.2 & 3, nr.2 sees nr.3, nr.3 sees only the wall and nr.4 doesn’t see a thing. The men know that there are two white and two black hats.
The individuals are allowed to leave if one of them can say what color hat he is wearing. The men are not allowed to talk. The only thing they may say is “I’m wearing a white/black hat”. If one of the individuals knows which hat he/she is wearing he/she must tell it and all will be free to leave.
Which individual knows 100% sure what color hat he/she is wearing?

=> 1 2 3 l l 4

TRIAGE OST at the Bunker Center is canceled today. Grand Rapids Public Schools have closed due to severe weather so OST is also canceled today. I look forward to seeing you at the Bunker Center next week.

Coach Eriks

Please remember to let Coach Eriks know, this week if possible, if you are planning on attending the Kick -off event to Kellogg Biological Field Station.

We will leave the Bunker Center after dinning on pizza at 4:30 / 5:00 on Friday, February 29. We will be returning on Saturday, March 1 at a similar time. We are thinking one chaperone per 10 - 12 students.

For more information about this amazing preserve check out their web site:
http://www.kbs.msu.edu/

I’m looking forward to sharing this field research time together.
Coach Martin

Thank you for attending orientation on Saturday and making the commitment to spend a year growing as a scientist.

Saturday was a beautiful day. Michigan weather cooperated and gave us a light snowfall that turned the preserve into a winter wonderland. Thank you to Coach Sam, Coach Erin and Coach Vermerris for their guidance to the TRIAGE students and parents as they learned about the “green” features of the Bunker Center and got a first glimpse of the beautiful preserve.

Thank you for your patience in filling out the paper work necessary to meet the legal and logistical needs of the program. Thank you to Dr. Reed, Mrs Silvey and Coach Allyson for their instruction about and organization of the forms.

Please remember, if you took forms home, to send them to TRIAGE this week.

Thank you for attending the welcome and information session. Thank you to Coach Switek for helping during the check in procedure. I am grateful for your interest in science and in the opportunity to experience how scientists go about investigating this fascinating world that we live in. TRIAGE is a big commitment but I will be working to make it worth your time and effort. I am looking forward to growing with you throughout the year and learning from your research and what you discover.

If you had any questions or concerns not addressed during orientation, please contact me at my Calvin College email, lde3@calvin.edu.

I can’t wait for the week to begin.
Coach Eriks