Embedded Files
CO Survival Skills Camp Curriculum
Intro: The following outlines our five day Survival Skills Program. Campers will spend 4 days on land and 1 day on water…surviving. Campers in this program are hungry for knowledge—make that tangible with a “take home” artifact each day. Survival Skills Camp is structured to follow the priorities of a survival situation, with each day having a central topic of survival. Remember that this is only a guide; as in any survival situation, improvisation is the key to success.
Goals:
Campers will learn general principles of survival
Campers will learn about the 4 priorities of survival
Campers will leave each day with a tangible take home item that they made or they can make with their things.
Campers will learn basic canoe skills
Special Considerations: This curriculum has many items that require close supervision i.e.- fire, edible plants, knife safety, etc. Please note all Policy sections in order to keep kids safe and run a program Avid is proud of.
Note- This curriculum is comprehensive of both Adventure Team and Skills Camp. It is intentionally NOT split as the determining factor for how far along the curriculum a group or individual gets is based on the ability of that group/individual camper. However this curriculum is based on reasonable expectations for a high performing group of Adventure Team campers.
A Day in the Life of Survival Skills Camp:
9:00am Drop Off, Morning Circle, Name game
9:15am Bathroom break, load in van
9:30am Depart for site
10:00am Unload van/equipment, set up for the day, snack, orient group to the site.
10:30am Learning and skill practice
12:00pm Lunch
12:30pm Learning and skill practice
2:30pm Depart rec area for camp.
3:00pm Arrive at camp/sign out for the day.
Monday
Overview: This day is an intro to survival skills with the afternoon being focused on the first priority of survival which is Shelter.
Skills for the Day:
Helpful and Harmful plants
Tree ID
Rule of 3
Modern Shelters
Natural Shelters
Materials for the Day:
Paper
Pens/pencils
Whiteboard & pen
Short lengths of rope/p-cord
Tarp
Daily Outline: Shelter
10:00am-12:00pm- Introduction to Survival Skills
What are survival skills?
What are primitive skills? From whom did we learn primitive skills?
Discuss Native People of the land you’re on, depending on location. The information below may not be accurate for your camp location, do some research beforehand!
CO Training: Native People of the area include the Arapaho and Cheyenne people.
When gold was discovered in the area in the late 1850s, white settlers arrived in large numbers and many indigenous people were forced out by 1861.
The Cheyenne were originally farmers and raised crops like corn, beans and squash as their main food source. Eventually they were forced out of their ancestral land near the Mississippi River and moved West, where they became hunters and gatherers.
The Arapaho people were also forced to move into the West and as the horse and buffalo populations flourished, they became self-sustaining by hunting, making weapons and raising ponies.
The Cheyenne and Arapaho people became allies and often camped, hunted and lived together in the same areas.
Recognize that many of our skills today are derived from hundreds of years of learning from native people
Continuing to practice native skills, and recognizing the groups from which they came, is a way to honor past cultures. If we learn these skills without recognizing where they come from, we miss the opportunity to honor people that were here before us.
What are your goals for the week?
Awareness
LNT
Introduce the 7 rules of LNT
Challenge campers to know all 7 by end of week
Highlight which principles apply each day
Using the resources around you
Identify helpful/harmful plants: yucca, poison ivy, berries, etc.
Identify environmental advantages and hazards: water, shelter, etc.
Know Your Tree activity
Pair campers; blindfolded camper led by the other to a tree; investigate tree with all senses but sight; led back; blindfold removed; find your tree; switch and repeat.
Field Guide Activity
Now that we have experience focusing on details of our surroundings, let’s begin building our resources.
Hand out 4 sheets of paper, have campers fold into a booklet
If you know how, you can also give campers 1 sheet of paper and fold/cut into an 8 page mini-booklet. https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Booklet-from-Paper
Hand out writing utensil (pencil is best)
A Field Guide is a useful tool
Helps identify plants in an area
Helps us focus on the details and differentiators between plants
Can be used as reference when entering new environments
For the next 20 minutes, spread out and record at least 3 different plans/animals. Things to include
What habitat is it growing/living in?
What size/shape is it?
What color is it?
What adaptations does it have for its environment?
Draw a picture, if you can
As we continue through the week, add to your Field Guide. We will provide opportunities. Your goal is to fill all of your pages with as much information as you can. Additional pages may be available upon request.
Rule of 3:
Common Sense: You have 3 seconds to make a survival decision in a common sense situation
Oxygen: You can survive for 3 minutes without air.
Water: You can survive for 3 days without water.
Food: You can survive for 3 weeks without food.
Hope: You can survive for roughly 3 months without hope or a sign or rescue.
Segue to Team Building
Teambuilding Activity
Your group has just survived a major plane crash at the top of a mountain in the Rock Mountains/Sierras. Luckly, you have all learned some survival basics and are prepared to assess your situation. The plan is destroyed and leaking fuel, and you have 10 minutes to grab necessary materials before it explodes. Unfortunately, as a team, you can only carry 10 items from the list. Once it explodes, you can’t go back for more.
Individually, take 1 minute to figure out which items you would like to take, give your knowledge of survival and the rule of 3. Write down the ones you would want.
Join your teammates and discuss, see what you can agree upon easily and what requires a bigger debate. Remember, you have just 9 minutes left!!!
List of available materials (write on whiteboard or have printed)
Pack of 6 boxes x 50 matches
Tarp 6’ x 4’
1 bottle of orange juice
1 crate of bottled spring water (twelve gallons in total)
Small toolbox containing hammer, screwdriver set, adjustable wrench, hacksaw, large pen-knife
Box of distress signal flares
Small basic first-aid kit containing plasters, bandages, antiseptic ointment, small pair of scissors and pain-killer tablets
Tri-band mobile phone with infrared port and battery half-charged
Clockwork transistor radio
Gallon container full of fresh water
Box of 36 chocolate bars
Shovel
Short hand-held axe
Hand-gun with magazine of 20 rounds
60’ of nylon rope
Box of 24 bags of peanuts
Box of tissues
Laptop computer with infrared port, modem, unknown software and data, and unknown battery life
Inflatable 4-person life-raft
Compass.
Large full Aerosol can of insect killer spray
Small half-full aerosol can of air freshener spray
Notebook and pencil
Travelling games containing chess, backgammon & cards
Sewing kit
Whistle
Flashlight with a set of spare batteries
Box of 50 night-light 6hr candles
Bag of 6 large blankets
Debrief: who took charge? What was hard to decide vs. easy to decide? How do other people factor into survival situations? How are other people related to the final ‘3’ in the Rule of 3?
Survival Equipment/Tools
Duct tape around water bottles: “Take Home”
12:00-12:30pm- Lunch
12:30-2:30pm- Modern Wilderness Shelters
Tent Setup
Tarp Setup
Knots: Introduce when applicable throughout course
Give every camper length of p-chord to practice
Teach 3 knots & when they can be used. Options include:
Trucker’s Hitch
Half Hitch
Clove Hitch
Bowline
Slip Knot
Natural Shelters: **PROVIDES BEST GROUP PICTURE OF THE WEEK**
Elements of a quality natural shelter
Leave No Trace: principles and reasons
When Collecting: 4 D’s of LNT
Dead: is not living, not green at its core, dry
Down: on the ground
Detached: not attached to a larger dead object, i.e. does not require further breaking
Diameter: no larger around than an adult-sized wrist
Collect materials, Build Shelter, Dismantle Shelter
2:30-2:45 Return to Camp
2:45-3:00 Closing Circle
Review Passports
Collect Field Guides (double check names)
Have each camper share their rope, tangle and knot for the day
Rope: a piece of knowledge that you brought into the day
Tangle: a challenge from the day
Knot: something that came together for you today (i.e. something you learned)
Tuesday
Overview: This days focus is on survival priority 2 which is Fire. It also includes activities for knife safety and pooping in the woods.
Policies: Fire: Fire day is a camper favorite; unfortunately, dry summers in mountain climates sometimes prohibit the use of open flame. Be creative in demonstrating fire during these times. Always adhere to current fire bans and regulations. DO NOT JEOPARDIZE AVID4’s PERMITS OR ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY.
Hold yourself & your campers to the rule of always squating near fire, never sitting and have a water source nearby.
Knives: campers are not allowed to bring knives to camp or to use knives while at camp. Instructors may use knives to assist campers when necessary. Teach about ‘blood circle’ and knife safety in THEORY.
Skills for the Day:
How to make different types of fire
Pooping in the woods
Knife safety
Materials for the day:
Extra Poop Kit (should have 2 total)
Bow Drills
Hand Drills
Flint and Steel
Cotton Balls
Lint
Egg Carton (s)
Wax
Camp Stove (if available)
Small pot (if available)
Lighter
Bucket/container for water
Daily Outline: Fire
10:00am-12:00pm- Introduction to Fire
Environmental Briefing: Considerations around a fire
What are the risks associated with fire? How can we keep ourselves safe?
Best practice for outdoor people: Squat don’t kneel (so you can escape if necessary); always have a water source nearby; don’t pee on a fire.
Components of a fire: Tinder, Kindling, Fuel
Ask campers for their input: what have they used to make fires before? What natural resources have they used? What store-bought resources? What is the benefit/detriment of each one?
Types of Fires: Log Cabin, Tipi, Lean-To
Review LNT 4 D’s
Collect items to make ‘mini’ fire examples
Demonstrate each style of structure
Have campers build their own mini structures
Take a ‘tour’ of fire builds: what did campers find interesting, difficult, easy? When would they use each kind of structure?
Making fire
Modern Methods: Lighters, Matches, Batteries/Steel Wool
Primitive Methods: Flint/Steel, Magnifying Glass, Bow Drill, Hand Drill
Fire Demonstration
Have the materials for these demonstrations prepared prior to setting out this day.
Flint/Steel, Magnifying Glass
Bow Drill: Campers know about this. 9 out of 10 times they will have extreme difficulty producing a viable coal with the bow drill. You can assist by holding the opposite end of the bow and the top of the spindle with the campers hand on top. This method works well.
As an introduction, ask: How old do you think bow drills are? Any idea where they came from?
Bow drills have been around since the 4th century
Anthropologists (people who study cultures) note that bow drills have been found in present-day Pakistan and India. In North America, it is believed the fire drills first originated with Eskimo in Alaska and Northern Canada.
Southern tribes, like the Pueblo Natives, likely used hand drills first and then developed/learned fire bow methods.
Tips for campers (and staff) success:
Practice: this takes time
Anchor your hand holding the top rock by pressing your wrist against your shin: reducing wrist wobble is key to creating adequate pressing on the spindle. Use instructor support if necessary, place your hand on top of the camper’s hand and pressing toward the shin.
Keep the cord tight: loose cord leads to a non-rotating spindle. The spindle should be difficult to get in place before beginning to bow-drill.
Ensure their is air-flow to the base of the spindle: if Oxygen is FUEL, we need to ensure there is adequate air flow on the fire board. Carve a pac-man shape into the board, with the tip of the ‘mouth’ centered on the spot where you’ll place base of the spindle.
Be gentle with the ember: when you do create an ember, treat it very carefully. It is easy to snuff it out while moving.
Don’t waste your ash: as you create black ash that does not become an ember, add it to your nest. It can help ignite your ember once you have it
Create a stellar nest: use small kindling and fine pieces of fiber in the center of your nest. Ensure it’s not too tightly wound, again, you need oxygen as fuel.
Hand Drill: This method is extremely difficult.
Tips of success:
Have two people sharing the work of drilling: trade off turns. As the first person reaches the base of the spindle, the second person starts at the top. This helps keep continuous motion and reduces the lag time between rotations. It also helps with stamina.
Ensure that you have enough oxygen flow for the base of the spindle: if Oxygen is FUEL, we need to ensure there is adequate air flow on the fire board. Carve a pac-man shape into the board, with the tip of the ‘mouth’ centered on the spot where you’ll place base of the spindle.
Have the right spindle: you will need a longer and less-dense spindle to have success when hand-drilling. Dried Yucca stalks are ideal, as long as they are reasonably sturdy and are not hollow. You are very unlikely to have success using your bow drill spindle for hand drilling.
Knife Safety: Introduce IF instructors are using their own knives to help with fire kits. Campers should not be using knives during camp.
Considerations
Blood circle, sitting with elbows on knees, cut away from yourself
Sharpening a knife
Pocket sharpeners: proper technique
Using a whetstone: proper technique (discuss river stone as alternative)
12:00-12:30pm- Lunch
12:30-2:30pm- Make a Fire-Starter: “Take Home”
Option #1 – waxed lint
Materials:
Dryer Lint
Cardboard Egg Cartons
Melted Wax (Melt over flame you built, or camping stove)
How-to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LF46fTV9TY
Take full or pre-cut egg carton
Put small ball of dryer lint in each cup, enough to fill the cup
Melt wax over camping stove
Pour melted wax into each cavity, over the lint
Allow wax to dry
Cut each cup apart to create individual fire starter
Option #2 – petroleum cotton balls
Materials
Cotton Balls
Petroleum Jelly
Holding container
Rub petroleum jelly on cotton balls, place in holding container
Pooping in the Woods
***Mix up fire day with fun lessons, like how to properly poop in the woods***
LNT guidelines:
200 ft. from water
Inconspicuous area (away from trail, far from campground, etc.)
6-8” deep, 4-6” diameter
Covered with natural surrounding materials after using
Teach the 7 D’s of Dumping
Desire
Destination
Devices
Dig
Do
Disguise
Disinfect
Cathole race:
Divide campers into 2 teams
Do a quick review of pertinent LNT principles
Walk on durable surfaces
Respect nature and wildlife
Dispose of waste properly
When you so GO, each team has 10 minutes to:
select an appropriate cat-hole site & get it checked off with an instructor
work together as a team to dig a cat-hole & get it checked off with an instructor
Each person must use the trowel
Hole must be 6-8” deep, 4-6” in diameter
cover their cathole
Must use the dirt the excavated
Must cover with natural materials
When complete, each team must try to find the other’s cathole. If they cannot find the cathole, the team was successful!!
Field Guide Time
If time allows, give campers their Field Guides and writing utensils
On hike back to van, campers should try to find 2-3 new things to add to their guides
can be plant, animal, insect, lichen, fungus, etc.
2:30-2:45 Return to Camp
2:45-3:00 Closing Circle
Review Passports
Debrief the day via ‘talking spindle’
Use one of the bow drill spindles as the talking stick
Campers pass around, can only speak when holding the spindle
Ask campers to share their ash, ember, and flame:
Ash = something they tried that didn’t work, and what helped them stay positive afterward
Ember = something they want to practice and improve upon
Flame = something that they had fun with
Wednesday
Overview: This day will focus on all things water. Campers will learn techniques to purify water as well as have a chance to go canoeing.
Skills for the Day:
Purifying water
Building a solar still
Canoeing
Materials for the Day:
Plastic sheet
Stick (can be collected following the 4 Ds)
Trowel (can be used from poop kit)
Daily Outline: Water
10:00am-12:00pm- Importance of Water to Survival (and life)
Finding water in the wilderness: Reading terrain to lead to water
Introduction to Purifying Water
Discuss methods
Boiling, chemical, filter, etc.
Build solar still: model #1
have campers dig a hole (size depends on how much plastic sheeting/tarp you have
Line the hole with the plastic/tarp and fill with water
Erect a stick/stake in the middle of the pool. This will need to be held in place...can be done with pressure from the top sheet of plastic OR with a prop stick.
Dig a second, smaller, hole adjacent to the first. Line with plastic.
Take the second sheet of plastic (preferably clear) and tent it over the pool and the hole. The tent needs to be an isosceles triangle, with the long hypotenuse terminating in the smaller, empty hole.
When complete the still should resemble this (plastic not shown):
Place in sunny area early in the day to provide fresh water by lunch
Build solar still: model #2:
In the diagram below, replace vegetation with ‘contaminated’ water (can be salt water). You will need to line the hole with plastic before adding the contaminated water, and have an empty vessel ready to catch the distilled water!
If campers wish to taste the water, YOU (INSTRUCTOR) MUST DO SO FIRST. Dip just one finger into the water and let it drop onto your tongue to try. Campers SHOULD NOT consume large volumes of the still water.
Time permitting: Fishing
In habitats with abundant water, fish can be an available food resource. Using our aquatic environments can be advantageous. While we will speak more about food/hunting on Thursday, let’s take this opportunity to dive deep (so to speak) into this technique that requires substantial water to be useful.
Fishing net weaving: Consider playing video for campers using a cell phone: YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEGjwjrfzGE
Diagram:
12:00-12:30pm- Lunch
Suggested discussion: Native representation in media
How many of you have seen a survival based show? Which ones?
Open answers, no guiding needed.
What have you learned from these shows?
Open answers, no guiding needed.
By a show of hands, have you learned about the origins of some of the survival based skills during the show? For example, did the show discuss how a contestant/host knew how to track animals or start a fire?
If yes: ask what they learned, what they remembered, and why they think it’s important.
If not: ask where they think a lot of these skills came from? How does information get passed generationally? Why is it important to give credit and/or teach people about the origins of these skills?
Historically, white Americans and/or people of European descent took knowledge and did not attribute the knowledge to the people from whom they took it. In doing so, they did not honor the source of the knowledge and devalued the people from whom it came.
For example, consider this: imagine that you created a brand new way of driving a car (or any other skill you think would resonate with your group of campers). You told your community about this and everyone started doing it. Then a new group of people moved into your town, took over your home, and started driving cars the same way you invented….but they never even told people that you were there first! How do you think that would feel?
Teaching about the native people and/or the first people that learned about plants of an area or who developed an important skill that we can still practice today is a valuable way to pass on knowledge and share appreciation for others.
Representation in sports, media, and adventure advertising is an important way to ensure that people feel included and able to participate in everything we love to do. Especially since it often happens on land that is the ancestral land of native people.
12:30-2:30pm- Canoeing
Take a breather from Survival Skills; teach canoeing
Strokes; Exit/Entry; T-Rescue
**See canoe curriculum for activities for this afternoon. **
Thursday
Overview: This day is focused on finding food for survival. If it is appropriate campers may have a chance to sample edible plants and will learn how to make tools for hunting and trapping.
Policies: Foraging is NOT a part of Avid4 Adventure curriculum. Campers should not consume any item found in the environment while at camp. Doing so puts kids at risk of experiencing an unknown allergen, leading to a potential emergency medical situation. This applies to fruits, roots, fungus, leaves, etc. If camper eats something without permission, instructors should call Camp Director immediately.
Skills for the Day:
Identifying edible plants in our region
Techniques for gathering food
Tracking, Trapping, Hunting
Making tools for hunting
Materials for the Day:
Field guides (flora and fauna)
Track/scat guides
Rope (100’)
Bear Bag
Daily Outline: Food
Utilizing the natural resources around you is key to survival; identify and take advantage of these this day, particularly the plant life that can serve as nourishment and food energy.
10:00am-12:00pm- Wild Edibles & Hike
Identifying local edible plants
Currant (red/golden), Holly Grape, Wild Plum, Cattail, Squaw Bush, Blue/Rasp/Salmon Berries, Prickly Pear (better to purchase), etc.
To adhere to Avid policy, please do not pick and/or consume any of the wild edible plants. When fragrant plants are present, campers can rub the plants and smell the scent, identifying things that smell familiar (i.e. mint, bay, fir needles). Not only are we keeping campers safe during this activity, but we are practicing good Leave No Trace!
Field Guide Time:
As you encounter food sources, campers take time to add information/pictures to their field guide.
Goal for the day: add 5 new plants to their Field Guide
Hike
As you hike, encourage campers to call out plants that they think humans could eat
Why do they think those might be edible (for humans)?
Which plants definitely do NOT look edible?
What are common signs that a plant is poisonous?
Difficult to tell, as roots, leaves, flowers on a plant may all have different properties. Animals/insects with bright coloring often indicate poison. This does not carry over to the plant world.
Some plants require specific preparation in order to eliminate their poisonous qualities: i.e. eat them raw and you’ll be sick, cook them properly and you’ll be fine. Because these cannot be easily identified, it is best to practice caution and extreme safety when foraging on your own/with your family.
Begin drawing the connection to animals
As you hike, encourage campers to call out things they think animals could eat/evidence of animals being present
Scat
Eaten leaves
Eaten berries
Prints
Feathers on the ground, kill sites
Tree cavities or woodpecker holes
Ask campers to share how people and animals interact in the environment
How might we use our knowledge of animals to help us in a survival situation?
Why is it helpful to know which animals are in a habitat that we’re visiting?
12:00-12:30pm- Lunch
12:30-2:30pm- Hunting
NEED OPEN AREA: Play food chain tag (examples are provided for full group of 13)
Every environment has a food chain. Before giving roles, ask for campers to volunteer into small groups:
7 campers = plants. They will stand in one spot, swaying with hands overhead.
They cannot tag anyone.
They can be tagged by herbivores which will turn them into herbivores.
3 campers = herbivores. They will walk around with ears on their head.
They can only tag (eat) plants to turn them into other herbivores.
They can be tagged by predators which will turn them into predators.
2 campers = predator. They will run around with their hands in claw shapes.
They can only tag herbivores to become other predators.
They can be tagged by Death and Decay which will turn them into plants.
1 camper = Death and Decay. They will run around with their hands crossed over their chest in an X.
They can only tag predators to kill them, turning them back into plants.
They cannot be tagged by anyone.
As campers play with a balanced group, they should re-set over and over again, being able to play forever.
Change the balance. All actions remain the same. Scenarios as follows, end with humans scenario.
6 plants, 5 herbivores, 1 predator, 1 death and decay: everyone should end up as a plant. Reducing number of predators throws things out of balance.
6 plants, 3 herbivores, 3 predators, 1 death and decay: predators should easily ‘eat’ all herbivores, death and decay can’t keep up. Predators eventually dominate.
HUMAN SCENARIO: add two additional characters
Human: run around as self. Doctor: run around making ambulance sound
Humans: They can tag predators and herbivores to turn them into other humans. They can only be tagged by death and decay to turn them into plants
Doctor: they can tag death and decay to turn them into a plant. They cannot be tagged by anything.
4 plants, 3 herbivores, 4 humans, 1 doctor, 1 death and decay
Humans should almost immediately dominate the environment. Doctor should tag death and decay, humans (and maybe plants) are all that’s left.
Debrief: How can humans affect a natural environment? As we begin to learn about hunting, why is it important to review this balance?
Tracking
Individual tracks
Recognizing gait, stride, weight, etc.
Identifying pets vs. wild animals (human tracks present?)
Running vs. walking (close or far, paw placement)
Healthy vs. underweight (depth of impression)
Identify tracks throughout the day
Best body position for tracking: position yourself so that tracks are between you and sun. Accentuates shadows and shows tracks best.
Casting tracks with plaster
Other Identifiers: skat, tree markings, bedding areas, fur, etc.
Trapping
Ethics and the Law
Building and setting traps
Paiute Deadfall, Snare, Fish Traps
Has anyone heard of the Paiute before? Any ideas of where the name Paiute derives from?
Paiute is a collective term for three distinct groups from the Great Basic
Northern Paiute: of northeastern California, northwestern Nevada, eastern Oregon, and southern Idaho
Southern Paiute: of northern Arizona, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah
Mono People: of east central California, divided into Owens Valley Paiute (Eastern Mono) and Western Mono (Monache)
These groups were nomadic and relied on hunting and gathering for their food sources.
Hunting
Fishing: makeshift line and hook
Other techniques: slingshot, stones, bow/arrow, etc.
Bear Bag
How to protect food once you have it
Techniques of hanging a bear bag
Practice hanging a bear bag with the group
2:30-2:45 Return to Camp
2:45-3:00 Closing Circle
Review Passports
Daily Debrief
Planet Gratitude
In learning about survival skills, we learn a lot about how the environment and the natural work can be our tools. Nature has inherent value, so let’s take a moment to each share gratitude for the world around us.
Share one thing in nature that you’re grateful for
Share on thing you can give back to the planet/environment
**BACK AT CAMP: NOTE FOR INSTRUCTORS: before leaving for the day, begin soaking materials for basket weaving that you will need for Friday activities**
Friday
Overview: Survival week is full of A LOT of skills therefore Friday can be a day to practice skills already learned or give more time on a task that was cut short/you didn’t get to previously. Below are ideas for Friday activities.
Policies: All the above policies apply for higher risk activities.
Skills for the Day:
Practice previous skills
Increase knowledge on advanced skills
Materials for the Day:
Bow drills
basket weaving material (pre-soaked)
basket weaving diagram (optional)
Daily Outline: Skills Practice Day
10:00am-12:00pm- Short activities to allow practice of skills on day 5
Yucca (or other fibrous plants)
Harvesting, Processing, Spinning (reverse-wrap)
Make bracelets/mini ropes: “Take Home”
Braid 3 strands of yucca or rush
Twist one long strand of yucca fiber or rush
with one long fiber/rush, fold in half. Hold the fold (crease) in your non-dominant hand. Have working ends pointing down toward the ground.
Twist the strand on the right hand side away from your body, then cross it over the top of the left hand strand. Move your non-dominant hand down to grasp the crossover point.
Twist the strand that is now on the right hand side away from your body, then cross it over the top of the left hand strand. Move your non-dominant hand down to grasp the crossover point.
Repeat down the length of the fiber/rush. Tie a knot at the end
To fasten on your wrist, gently untwist the crease and thread the knot through the space created.
Short Hike
Identify good resources for survival: shelter, water, food
Field Guide Time: pass out field guides and support campers in completing their remaining pages
Navigation
Map and Compass: bearings, triangulation
Map and Compass: bearings, triangulation
Teach about parts of a compass:
Needle
Housing
Directional Arrows
Sight line
Plate
What does a compass do and why is it important?
Points to magnetic north
Can help you orient when lost or when you’re hiking in the backcountry without trails
Bearings practice:
Quiz campers on different bearings
Set up a scavenger hunt for campers to find things as particular bearings. Option: make it team-based and have different teams looking for different ‘treasure’ or ‘survival resource’
What if you don’t have a compass?
Non-compassed ways of orienting:
observe moss growth: though this is unreliable, moss most often grows on the NORTH side of a tree in the Northern Hemisphere. Why? North side = shady side and moss needs cool, damp environments to thrive
Metal, wool, and water:
If you have materials, you can demonstrate (and have campers try it out) how to magnetize a piece of straight metal (like a paperclip or a needle) with wool
Place the magnetized metal on a cup of water (in the well of a leaf is especially cool)
Ask campers for their observations. What happens to the needle? Use your compasses to figure out what’s happening!
Maps: a simple demo to topography
If topographic map (or local map with topography lines) is available, show campers. Ask about their knowledge with topo lines? What do they represent?
To solidify the concept, have each camper make a fist. Their knuckles now represent a mountain range.
With washable, non-toxic marker, draw topo lines on one (or more) of their knuckles and the wells in between.
Be sure to draw tighter lines near the peak
Getting Lost: what NOT to do
12:00-12:30pm- Lunch
12:30-2:30pm- Bow Drill Practice or Basket Weaving
Basket Making
Weave baskets out of wicker or rattan using pre-soaked materials. Example provided sourced from Of Baskets: a Simple Wicker Basket by Susan Brown http://www2.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/articles/mw_07_08-1
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2:30-2:45pm Return to Camp
2:45-3:00pm Closing Ceremony
Appendix: Video Resources
Tarp knots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3dqLD_RR6M
Pitching a ridgeline tarp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEpagec4fQI
Paiute Deadfall Trap **video at bottom of page**: http://www.instructables.com/id/Paiute-Deadfall/
Rabbit Stick Throwing Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUAiTxqBRqE
Bear Bagging: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izsczsMCf_o
Basket Weaving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLkj73F4fP8
Solar Still: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTW7BS7tV8k
Yucca Cordage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdlNpZOx2D8
Flint Knapping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyzNIa-U5Nc
Fish net making: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEGjwjrfzGE
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