Desert Outdoor Center Field Trip

Join The Inspiration Academy’s fun filled day trip to the Desert Outdoor Center at Lake Pleasant. Students will participate in hands-on interactive activities ranging from hiking, desert survival skills, and obstacle team challenges to a study of cacti and an investigation of aquatic micro-organisms using microscopes. Purchase Tickets Below.

• DATE: Monday, December 19^th, 2022
• TIME: Arrive Desert Outdoor Center 9:30am – Depart Desert Outdoor Center 4:00pm
• CARPOOL INSTRUCTIONS: We will meet at the Shepard of the Hills church parking lot at 8:00 am. Depart church at 8:15 am sharp! We will need some parents to drive.
• LOCATION: Desert Outdoor Center Address: 41402 N 87th Ave, Peoria, AZ 85383
• FOOD: Everyone will need to pack their own lunch, snacks, and drinks.
• DRESS CODE: Students must wear their TIA shirts. No sandals allowed! You must wear a closed toe shoe. There will be some hiking involved.
• COST: $15 per student or parent. Everyone attending must purchase a ticket on our website from the link below.

OUTLINE OF ACTIVITIES

1. Depart Fountain Hills 8:00 am – 8:15 am
   We will meet at Shepherd of the Hills at 8:00 am to organize carpool. We will leave at 8:15 am. It will take a little over an hour to drive to The Desert Outdoor Center.
2. Arrival/Check-in/Intro/Rules 9:30 am – 10:00 am
3. Nature Hike (Grades K-12) 10:00 am – 10:50 am
   This class is designed as an interpretive and recreational hike. Students will learn geology, animal signs, plant names, history, and ecology along a designated trail.
4. Desert Survival I and II Combo (Grades K-12) 11:00 am – 11:50 am
   Desert Survival I – students will learn the basic skills of constructing a fire, building a shelter, and signaling for help.
   Desert Survival II – consists of group participation in a simulated exercise to apply skills learned in Desert Survival I.
5. Lunch  11:50 am – 12:30 pm
6. Mind Boggle (Grades 3-12 Team Building) 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm
   In this class students will experience group dynamics and develop team-building skills such as communication, leadership, cooperation, and trust. Students will work together in fun group activities to overcome challenging obstacles.
7. Cactimendous (Grades K-12) 1:30 pm – 2:20 pm
   Students will study various species of cactus, examine them closely, and learn how to use a taxonomic key. Students
8. Break  2:20 pm – 2:40 pm
9. Aquatic Life (Grades 2-12) 2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
   In this course students will play the role of microbiologists. Students will discover aquatic communities and animals, and learn the difference between lakes and ponds as they examine living specimens under a microscope.
10. Closing Meeting/Restroom Break/Departure 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
    We will debrief and reflect on the field trip activities during our closing meeting, then prepare for departure.
11. Drive to Fountain Hills  4:00 pm  – 5:15 pm
    We will carpool back to Fountain Hills.