After School Ice Fishing

Outdoor experiences highlight this year’s schedule -- Partnership between ISU Extension and Harlan Community Schools After School STEM program

  HARLAN – Hitting the outdoors has been the theme this past month for Iowa State University Extension’s after-school program, designed to get students to experience nature during the spring semester.
    On Thursday, Feb. 25, approximately nine kids in 3rd-5th grade took part in ice fishing at Prairie Rose Lake, and while the fish weren’t biting at the time, the youngsters enjoyed spending the late afternoon learning how to ice fish on a budget.
    The kids drilled their own fishing holes through about 14-inches-thick ice, with help from Curtis Schnack from Shelby County Conservation, and then forged fishing poles out of a plastic bottle, fishing line, some bobbers and lures.
    Also on hand to teach was Shelby County and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Naturalist Christina Roelofs, Paulette Madsen from ISU Extension, and Briana Martens from the DNR.
    Shelby County Extension Director Mary Taggs said the after-school program is a partnership between the extension and Harlan Community Schools STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)  program.
    “It was mutually decided that meeting face-to-face after school was not in the best interest (this year) considering COVID-19 restrictions,” Taggs explained.  “It wasn’t until late winter with relaxed COVID-19 restrictions that we were able to put together an after school program.”
    Extension partnered with conservation for the outdoor adventure series that has included snow shoeing and hiking.  Making birdhouses is planned soon.  And while not all youth are nature lovers, a series of STEAM adventures is planned in coming months.
    “We are just completing our robotics series, and will be doing kids in the kitchen and the arts in March and April, respectively,” Taggs said.  
    The adventure series is for 3rd-5th graders, and meets on Thursdays through April, culminating with tree planting on the final session as it falls on Earth Day April 22.

 

 
 

 

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