In my last post
I briefly mentioned my genius hour project but I want to take the time to
really explain it. Over the next few weeks I will be hiking different trails in
the Niagara Region in order to discover my own preferences in trails and see
what the area has to offer. This may seem obvious but I love hiking. During the
summers I work in Tobermory Ontario, which is the other end of the escarpment.
I spend most of my summers hiking the many trails up there, particularly parts
of the Bruce Trail. However, I have not hiked many trails in this area. There
could be many different reasons for this such as the need to focus on school or
simply because I live here during the winter months. In any case, I am excited
to explore the different trails in the Niagara Region.
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Close, Jackie. (2017, January 22). Decew
Falls [Image].
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Kicked off this
genius hour at Decew Falls. I wanted to start off relatively easy to warm up to
this experience as well as figure out exactly what some of my criteria are for
a good hiking trail. This first hike taught me a lot about myself already. First,
it was not at all what I expected. The views were great but the actual trail
was much easier than I anticipated. The trail was nicely groomed and accessible
for many people. However, I was hoping for more of a challenge. In addition to
this, it was very short. With a limited time frame this hike is great to just get
outside. Moving forward, I now know a little bit more about what I am looking
for in a good trail.
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Close, Jackie. (2017, January 22). Decew
Falls [Image].
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Something I had
not really considered before beginning this genius hour was the weather. When
we got to Decew Falls that trail was very muddy. This affected our hike because
we were unable to get all the way to the falls. Instead, we went as far as we
could and had to turn around at different points. This did not completely get
in the way of the total experience but it taught me to consider the weather as
a major factor in this genius hour. The different conditions from week to week
will affect the experience of the trails, some positively and some negatively.
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Close, Jackie. (2017, January 22). Decew
Falls [Image].
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Lastly, an
unexpected surprise for me was that Decew Falls is part of the Laura Secord
Legacy Trail. Just as hiking is a passion of mine, so is history. This bit of
information definitely boosted the experience of this hike. I was transported
to another lifetime in seconds. Imagining what it would have been like for
Laura Secord to hike the area without the trails laid out for her.
Additionally, this caused me to research more into Laura Secord and the War of
1812. One inquiry led into another. This is what makes genius hour so unique. Students
have the opportunity to let interests guide them towards learning that is
meaningful for them.
Overall I
learned a lot from this first hike and cannot wait for more!
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Close, Jackie. (2017, January 22). Decew
Falls [Image].
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