Nederland Elementary School (NES) has partnered with Wild Bear Nature Center to bring Snow Science days to NES students. The NES PTA sponsored the days so that each class, kindergarten through fifth grade, could have this opportunity.

As the days started Wild Bear instructors acknowledged the land that they were all on was once Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute land. Native tribes were the original stewards of this land and had great respect for the land. We, along with Native Americans, need to have respect for nature. The folks at Wild Bear stressed the importance of respect to the students. This included respect for self, each other, plants, rocks, and wildlife.

Everyone then put on a pair of snowshoes. It was explained that snowshoes were likely modeled after the large back feet of the snowshoe hare.

Every class, kindergarten through fifth grade, had slightly different lessons. This depended on the age of the students, the weather and snow conditions of the day.

The students learned about the winter mountain ecosystem and the importance of the snowpack as a water source. The students observed snow and learned about a snowflake’s journey. Some classes were able to use shovels and measure the snow. They also learned about the subnivean zone.

Some classes spent more time focused on the animals in the area. They found tracks in snow and who they belonged to. The Mountain Chickadee stays in this area all year round, so a third grader informed The Mountain-Ear.

Students from NES learned many reasons why snow is so important in our lives, from the basics of water to why it is important for animals to reducing fire danger. The third graders learned that just down the road from their school there is a University of Colorado Mountain Research Station that has been studying mountain ecology since 1952. Maybe the Snow Science Days have inspired a future mountain ecologist.