LEWISTON – Third-graders from Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls recently visited Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary for an environmental, educational field trip. Thorncrag is a 230-acre bird sanctuary that was established in the 1920s by the Stanton Bird Club.

The third-graders experienced many activities there that were part of a natural exploration hike orchestrated by local naturalist Susan Hayward.

Hayward led them through one activity called “The Unnature Trail,” where students discovered the importance of camouflage as a survival strategy. Another activity was called “The Blindfold Tree Identification.” The students were blindfolded and had to “examine” the details of a tree using senses other than sight.

Hayward also shared an activity called “Hooray for the Nonliving Elements,” in which students were able to identify the four nonliving elements that are required to support the forest plants and animals. They also did some “aerobic cheering” for each element.

Many of the science curriculum objectives and Maine Learning Results were met by the half-day learning experience at the sanctuary.