Our 7th graders and I set off for Mumlaukis (Svejanė) Lake — and returned full of wonderful experiences!
We walked all the way around the lake, and beneath our feet was a real-life nature textbook. Along the shoreline grow black alders (whose freshly cut trunks quickly turn reddish when exposed to air and which are among the most moisture-resistant trees), spruces, birches, rowans, and bird cherry shrubs. The students tasted nettles and dandelions and learned that wood sorrel (which should not be eaten in large quantities) is sour because of oxalic acid, which the plant uses as a defense mechanism. Interestingly, oxalic acid is about 10,000 times stronger than vinegar!
There was no shortage of wildlife around the lake either. We encountered grass snakes with yellow collars—not just one, but several in different places around the lake! A mallard swam by with her ducklings and a drake, while the muddy lakeshore was home to water lice, freshwater snails, and non-biting midge larvae waiting to be discovered by young explorers. Students also learned where to look for toad breeding sites in early spring. We even found signs of a beaver habitat!
We came across several species of fungi, including bracket fungi growing on decaying wood, and learned how they help break down timber. A damaged spruce tree demonstrated how trees heal their wounds with resin, which turns pale in the air like a natural bandage.
The reddish bottom of a small stream gave us an opportunity to talk about bog iron ore—the same source of iron that blacksmiths used centuries ago for smelting.
A lesson about poisonous plants was especially important: lily of the valley, herb-paris, and false lily of the valley may look beautiful, but that does not mean they are safe to touch or eat! Ferns reminded us that these ancient plants have been living on Earth since the time of the dinosaurs.
And of course, there were makeshift branch bridges across the wetlands. Those who dared crossed them. Those who preferred investigating found an alternative route instead.
These are the best kinds of lessons. The students thoroughly enjoyed this hands-on learning experience, and we are already planning our next field trip!
