Week 1 of Adventure Calling Oasis was titled "Reviving the Oasis". For grades TK/K-6, the student curriculum focused on pollinators, native vs non-plants, adaptations, decomposers and working hand-on at the school oasis to begin its revival.

NGSS included:

K-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

1-LS3-1 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.

2-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.

3-LS4-3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

4-LS1-1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

5-LS2-1 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

MS-LS2-5 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Activities that were used to meet these objectives included:

1) Development of eggs to ladybugs that were then released into the oasis, plus the importance of ladybugs in the food chain.

2) Development of caterpillars to monarch butterflies, plus what the butterfly's relationship is to rush milkweed. Butterflies were also released into the oasis.

3) Planting of native seeds, learning how light and water affect plant growth.

4) Study of the adaptations of a desert willow and a desert tortoise. Planting of a desert willow in the oasis.

5) Creating and feeding red worm compost. Students have learned what the redworms need as they create the compost, plus how it will be used in the oasis at a later time.

6) Students identified the current plants in the oasis and determined what they needed to be revived. With the oasis suffering lack of maintenance, the main issue was lack of water and need of pruning. Students planted some new native plants to replace those that were no longer alive. They will continue to hand water to get them established. Student learned about the importance of these plants as food, shelter and pollination.

7) The school district maintenance team tested and repaired the irrigation system, trimmed/removed trees and larger shrubs.

In November, 6th grade students had a field trip into Joshua Tree National Park. Common Core and ELD Standards addressed were in the area of speaking and listening, constructing arguments, and participating in effective discussion.

Additionally the following NGSS: MS-LS2-4 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics - Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

Students visited the rocky Indian Cove area where there is also a variety of native plants and animals. Students engaged in and has discussion about the following:

1) What are 3 requirements for any species to survive?

2) What is competition like in the desert and how do species out-compete others in the desert?

3) What are signs of human impact? Is the desert ecosystem worth protecting, and how do we protect it?

During hikes students were presented with opportunities to explore Leave No Trace principles, adaptations of native and non-native species using specific plants to show the biodiversity in the area, and the adaptations of a jackrabbit and desert tortoise. Students identified areas where they saw human impact such as social trails that have destroyed the plants, dogs on trails leaving feces and how it affects the native wildlife. Students used science journals to draw a jackrabbit and list all the features that show its adaptations to the desert. Lastly, students made a list of critical components of the field trip that they, as mentors, will teach to a 3rd grade class on an upcoming joint field trip.

The program fostered environmental awareness by teaching conservation principles and encouraging participants to become stewards of natural spaces. Youth and families developed practical skills like hiking, navigation, and safety, boosting confidence in outdoor activities. Immersive experiences at Emerald Bay allowed participants to explore natural history through plant identification, animal tracking, and ecosystem studies, fostering a connection to nature and biodiversity. Group activities and challenges strengthened community bonds, enhanced teamwork, and fostered social connections. Families shared outdoor adventures, creating lasting memories and reinforcing unity. Outdoor activities promoted physical fitness and mental well-being, encouraging healthier lifestyles. Youth participants gained confidence and leadership skills by taking on roles during group activities, empowering them to make decisions, share knowledge, and inspire stewardship within their communities.

Joshua Tree National Park: Provided Field Trip location at Indian Cove Amphitheater, provided Park Ranger to attend program activity at Oasis Elementary,

Morongo Unified School District/Oasis Elementary School provided storage space for program materials and supplies and transporation.

There are no new partnerships to report. We continue to have an excellent relationship with our CHB, the VFW Post 3834 in San Fernando. Not only do they allow our Scouts to meet here weekly at no cost, but they also support them in various ways from Eagle Scout Projects, Flag Collection, Flag Retirement, and honor a "Scout of the Year", a National VFW program.

Activities and education performed at the school site was outdoors, nonetheless it was on the school property. It was found that students were engaged and focused on the activities in this environment. Structure was clearly a factor in the management of the group. On the field trips, students were introduced to landscapes with no boundaries and other intriguing things like boulders and huge rock formations that tend to be a distraction. Students instincts were screaming "let's run and climb rocks." A rather brisk hike was planned first thing in the morning to exert some of this energy. Games, drawing and journaling were used as fun activities to keep students focused as they learned. One such game is called "What do you see?" Students were given boundaries for this exercise during which they explored the area for 1 thing (rock, plant, stick, etc.) that they found interesting.

One of the major lessons we have learned with this group is that we need to hold routine meetings with the volunteers and program staff to ensure we are all on the same page. We have since adopted monthly meetings and there are much less miscommunications and misunderstandings of the grant parameters. The fact of the matter is that volunteers are not going to have the same level of understanding and oversight when it comes to grant administration and as such, the onus is on our staff to ensure we are taking the time to provide them the level of support needed to properly execute and track programming.