JohnMichael Williams

Science Educator, Enthusiastic Learner.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

On April 19th, we headed out to the Southeastern Minnesota Regional Public Safety Training Center for rappelling! Pictured here is the concrete 5-story model re-burnable building.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

Going in a straight line in a canoe takes practice. Here Mariah and Trevor are working their way back near the end of the course.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

The next day (April 16th) it was off to Silver Lake for our first canoe experience...a flat water canoe relay course.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

We also learned how to load and unload the canoe trailer that day. Not bad for just two class periods.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

On April 15th we learned the ‘C’ and ‘J’ stroke in preparation for canoeing. Eli demonstrates good paddling technique, despite the stormy seas!

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

On April 12th the EA crew was introduced to rappelling, starting out with some gradual slope practicing.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

It’s probably worth repeating that this was APRIL 10th. We had a snow day the next day.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

...winter had returned!

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

But when we came out of the cave a couple hours later...

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

When we went to the cave on April 10th, this is what it looked like before we went into the cave...

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

Day 2 in the cave called for an upgraded camera setup...

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

When we were done caving, we took a nature hike to see the river and find above-ground formations that indicate a possible cave system underground (e.g.: sinkholes) it was a beautiful 65 degrees and sunny. The weather would turn on us later in the week.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

These are the folks from Block 1 that conquered the belly crawl! Note the fashionable clay accents on all their clothing.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

The students who made it through the belly-crawl were treated to a mud slide opportunity...

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

Sydney shows us one of the fun experiences of caving: the belly crawl- a passage just large enough for a person to army-crawl through. Not for the claustrophobic.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

Looking around inside the cavern where slightly acidic water eroded away the soft limestone.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

Everyone got caving helmets with lights and gloves as we prepared to go down. Thanks Jackson for modeling the safety equipment.

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

Last Monday marked the first day of a great event in EA...

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

Mariah shows off the awesome finished product. From tree to jar in 3 weeks!

[JohnMichael Williams @JMWJR_Learn]

In some cases we used a filter (not shown) to prevent the formation of sugar sand, a mineral precipitate that forms in syrup due to the loss of water (the solvent for the minerals).