<p>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Matt Small.jpg" style="float: right; width: 200px; height: 150px; " />Throughout the spring internship, I have had direct contact with elementary school students, teaching them about the environment in which they live. Au Sable provides a unique learning experience for these children in just the few short hours they spend with us. In most cases, the curriculum material taught at Au Sable complements their traditional classroom learning, making it possible for us to transform abstract concepts students learn in the&nbsp;classroom into tangible, experiential learning opportunities.</p>
<p>
	One of the programs we lead is on Michigan History, an exploration of what it was like to live in Michigan in the early 1800s and 1900s. Michigan has a rich history of french explorers, which allowed me to utilize my background in the French language to capture a small piece of our students&#39; imaginations. Speaking french made them believe that they were actually at a French Rendezvous for fur trading in the 1800s. It was as simple as greeting our student &quot;travelers&quot; with a simple &ldquo;Bonjour, comment &ccedil;a va?&rdquo; meaning &ldquo;Good-day, how are you?&rdquo; As a French minor in college, I enjoyed enhancing their francophone vocabulary when lining up the candles they had made with me by counting, &quot;Un, deux, trois,&hellip;&quot; One of my most meaningful moments was when a third grader turned to me as she was leaving and said &ldquo;Merci, Salut,&rdquo; meaning &quot;thanks, good-bye.&quot; &nbsp;These were words I never said during our time together and demonstrated her prior knowledge of french. Her willingness to venture into french with me meant we&#39;d made a personal connection with her. I knew that this girl was truly experiencing being at a French trading post and would remember her experience making candles and speaking French.</p>
<p>
	I have been amazed by students&#39; curiosity in other ways too. During our latest Plant unit day, I taught a group of inquisitive second graders about the world of plants through a full array of sensory learning. When I informed them about the plant hike that we were going to go on after lunch, they beamed with excitement. &nbsp;It was not but a short time later, when we adventured out on our journey through nature, that I noticed their curiosity at everything living: &ldquo;What is this?&rdquo; and &quot;Ohhh, look at that!&quot; Their curiosity invited exploration and, of course, tangential questioning of everything around them! By the conclusion of the day, I was astounded by the amount that these second-graders retained and most likely transform into memories that will serve them far into the future.</p>
<p>
	The internship also helps me to learn and grow. I am grateful to be working with such knowledgeable fellow interns as Sadie and Nick. &nbsp;Through their help and input in debriefing, I gain incite into better ways to help students learn and discover nature. I am extremely fortunate to be a small, but integral, part of the environmental education program at Au Sable.&nbsp;</p>
