During this summer, I embarked on adventures after adventures, exploring every corner of the Pacific Northwest. This last summer, the curriculum involved ecology. Why simply read a book about the ecoregions when you can see them in person? One of the reasons I had agreed to homeschool was the possibility of learning in the field. When the summer started, we began traveling to all the ecoregions. The first one was the local Puget Sound Lowlands. After completing the nearby regions,…

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Short and simple, the Alvord Desert is a place like nowhere else. I can guarantee that everyone who walks out onto the vast desert playa will be awestruck at the mesmerizing emptiness. I certainly was. For someone who lives in Seattle, vast forests full of tall trees are commonplace. As stereotype portrays, Seattleites are unable to see 30 feet away when in one of the region’s lush forests. This is somewhat true. Yes, the range of visibility in our forests…

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Over the summer, I learned about predator and prey cycles through the ecology unit. For the first assignment in this quarter’s science unit, I performed an experiment which simulated the relationship between predators and prey. This experiment does not require any lab equipment and is both fun and easy to accomplish. What Was the Purpose of the Experiment: The purpose of this experiment was to create a simulation of the relationship between predators and prey in a closed ecosystem. What…

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On top of a sand dune, the vast vista of the Columbia Plateau encircled the horizon with the mighty Columbia River itself slashing through the landscape. The sun was out and there was a gentle breeze to keep us cool. This being my first desert hike, the excitement of discovering new places was ever present during the day. This was my first day of school. Unlike the first day in previous school years, this year was different. This year’s first…

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By: Zachary Lundgren This summer, eager for a break from the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, we decided to spend a few days in the neighboring city of Portland, Oregon. This was our first vacation since a camping trip to Yellowstone in 2019, so the art of vacationing was somewhat new to us again. My mother and I are both are fully vaccinated and we would make sure to wear masks both indoors and out. This being our first vacation in two…

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By: Zachary In the early morning we set out for the Olympic Peninsula. The plan was to drive down to Olympia, across the base of the peninsula on Highway 101, explore the Quinault Rainforest, drive up the coast, through the towns of Forks and Port Angeles, and finally catching the ferry back home at the small town of Kingston. It was going to be a long but fun day. That morning, we left around 6, giving us time to bypass…

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By: Zachary Known as the “American Alps” by climbers and hikers, the North Cascades are a collection of dramatic snow-capped peaks, deep valleys, lush forests, and a biosphere of life rivaled nowhere else. Always associating it with home, I can never get enough of the North Cascades. It’s steep and sharp peaks piercing the rolling forested valleys is a sight to behold. The North Cascades is a place compared to nowhere else. One of the most biodiverse regions on Earth,…

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The Cascade Mountain Range is incredibly unique. As a local and frequent visitor, I can confirm this statement. The Cascade Mountains are a place like no other. The Cascade Mountain Range is a range of glacially eroded Cenozoic volcanic rock peaks divided by dramatic river valleys and blanketed by diverse evergreen forests. The range spans all the way from Seattle to the southernmost tip of Oregon. Each level of elevation is incredibly different. You can drive 5 minutes up a…

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