TUCSON TRIP FOR EDG

Henry Miller, an American writer and painter, once commented about travel that, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” When the Education Girlz went to Tucson last month, we learned about history, nature, geology, environmentalism, and indigenous Sonoran desert flora and fauna. We now have a new way of seeing things.

My favorite learning experience was a tour of the Biosphere 2. This facility’s first public tour was in 1990. I think it is great that environmental scientists give tours of the Biosphere II, so others can learn about a miniature world inside a building. If there are not tours, then people will not be able to imagine what an enclosed world would look like. Environmentalists decided to put scientists in Biosphere 2 to see if they could live two years in a minute world with all of Earth’s biomes. If I were one of the scientists, I would be nervous and excited at the same time. Nervous because I would not know if I would run out of food or get severely injured, and I would be excited because I would be one of the few that got chosen to live in a scientific experiment that no one knows if it would sustain life for two years. I learned that the ocean in Biosphere 2 needed constant cleaning because of the growing algae. I feel that the marine biologists had a plethora of work to accomplish keeping this biome in balance. When I stood on the beach, I really wanted to jump in and swim with the tropical fish. I hope to visit Biosphere 2 again, and next time I would want to see the living quarters of the original Biospherians.

My next favorite stop was Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch, which has many animals: prairie dogs, donkeys, deer, lorikeets, goats, and ducks. The rainbow lorikeets are in a closed lorikeet forest, so they can fly freely. Feeding the lorikeets was somewhat scary because I was constantly worried that they would peck me. I also felt astonished that they could open the nectar containers with their beaks, and they knew when I had no nectar left.  I learned that ostrich eggs are equal to twenty-four chicken eggs, and they take an hour to boil. Samantha and I wanted to cook one, but we ended up not doing it because we felt that we would get tired of eating eggs for days and days in a row. Even though I like eggs, I think that would be too much over time. If you think ostriches are large cuddly animals, well they are the total opposite! Ostriches are aggressive and territorial, so that is why I have feel fearful of them. I used to think ostriches were cuddly until I heard one growling at a man. I hope to visit the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch again, so I can have the lorikeets sitting on my head.

         

      Titan Missile Museum, a national historic landmark, was another one of my favorite destinations. Titan II was the largest and most powerful missile ever built. This makes me feel angry because we were prepared to launch a missile to another country to determine who is the most powerful national, and if we did it we would hurt our world. Even though I would be angry if the former Soviet Union launched a nuclear bomb to America, I would still retaliate if I were one of the people working to launch the missile. If the former Soviet Union launched a nuclear bomb, and we launched one too, I would only have ten days to live underground before I ran out of air. I would feel scared that my life was about to end, but I would discover what our world looks like after bombs have been launched. Even though I would feel scared, I would also feel proud because I helped my country by retaliating with another bomb. In 1987, the last of the Titan II missiles were retired. I think that is beneficial that we can have others learn about the Cold War, and that people can see a real nuclear bomb missile! Not only do I think it is necessary to show others a nuclear bomb, but I think it somewhat scary to see how titanic that missile is. I hope to visit Titan II again, and I hope I can have a sleepover in the crew’s quarters.

            We took an hour and a half tour in Colossal Cave, located in Vail just south of Tucson. Colossal Cave is a dormant cave. I am happy that it is not dead, just sleeping, because I know it will continue to grow sometime in the future. I previously learned about dormant geological areas when I hiked Diamond Head in Hawaii, which is a dormant volcano. There are often long-nosed bats in the cave, which are only found in southeastern Arizona. I wish I would have seen one because I enjoy looking at their face, even though it is so little. I would also probably give a screech of fright because bats always scare me, and I fear that they are going to suck humans’ blood. There is evidence of people who have lived in this cave like Native Americans. I would enjoy living in a cave because it would have kept me warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Even though living in a cave sounds exciting, I do not know what creatures will be living in the cave. I hope to take the wild cave tour when I am old enough.

            We visited Catalina State Park, a nature area full of trails. We learned that saguaro cacti can live up to two hundred years. I wish that humans could live that long. Even though living to two hundred years old sounds incredible, I am not sure if I would want to because I might be feeble. Catalina State Park was a working cattle ranch until 1980. I am glad that now cattle do not work at the park because I do not like to see animals working; however, that is what they are made for. I also wonder what Catalina State Park would look like as a cattle ranch. Another fact I learned is that packrats borrow our trinkets at night to line their nests, so do not leave anything outside. Packrats seem cuddly because of their size. Even though I want to squeeze them, I know that they are wild animals. I saw many wildlife, but I hope to see a rattlesnake next time I visit Catalina State Park.

         

     We also visited Mission San Xavier founded by Francisco Kino. One fact that I admire about Father Kino is that he opposed slavery. I am also vehemently against slavery. I have read many books both fact and fiction that describe this despicable time in American history. This church was built between 1783 and 1797. I am fascinated that these buildings can stand for hundreds of years. Even though I know that they have been renovated many times, I am still surprised that buildings do not fall apart after so many years. As we were leaving the church, we noticed that people were selling devotional candles for a church donation. All three of us shared a candle and lit it in front of the statue of Mary. I was interested in the statues’ clothes because it reflects history, and it shows their time period. Entering an original Catholic mission so far out in the desert makes me feel closer to history.

Our first stop was Picacho Peak, where a Civil War battle was fought. One thing we learned about nature is that predators’ eyes are located in the front of the head, and preys’ eyes are located on each side. Now I envision that humans are predators. Even though I eat animals every day, I still feel sad because we are killing innocent animals. I also learned that jackrabbits lower their body heat with their large ears. I would enjoy having gargantuan ears, even though our body is always the same temperature and does not need regulation from outside sources. Even though I would like to have sizeable, fluffy ears, I enjoy having our body heat the same temperature in the sun and in the winter. The products in nature help humans figure out how to build new inventions like Velcro, zippers, trash containers, doctor’s syringes, water jugs, parachutes, and barbed wire. Personally I am happy that water jugs were invented because humans need water, especially in the desert. I am thankful that mosquitoes have helped doctors invent needles for shots because we need our immunization, so we do not get sick. Even though I enjoyed filling out the Junior Ranger program, this was not my favorite destination.

This trip was educational and adventurous at the same time. I love exploring our state, and I am so happy that we have had an adventurous road trip in Northern Arizona last year and Southern Arizona this year. Staying with Tisha, Mrs. Davis’s sister-in-law; Bonita, the dog; and Tinker, the parrot made the trip even more enjoyable.

Lauren's Writing

I never realized how many educational opportunities are available in Tucson. The Education Girlz stopped at seven places in two days which is pretty impressive, but this is not unusual for The Education Girlz. I hope you enjoy learning about seven fascinating sights.

My first stop on the adventure to Tucson was Picacho Peak. The initial activity was the Junior Ranger booklet about the peak.  I thought that Picacho Peak had a fascinating and educational learning booklet for kids. As soon as I completed the booklet, I turned it in for a Junior Ranger pin, and I felt proud of my achievement. Next I looked through a telescope, and I picked a spot where I would relax. I picked a tight spot that I like to call a “Hole in the Cliff”. I named this place a hole in a cliff because it is literally a hole in a cliff. I took a picture with an actual State Park Ranger after I earned my ranger pin. The picture was under a tent that had an unusual shape. The picture turned out to be phenomenal. I enjoyed observing Picacho Peak and learning about its geology and historical significance.

The next stop was the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. My sister and I rushed into the gift shop to obtain food for the animals: pellets, peanuts, a coin for duck food, and a cup of rainbow lorikeet nectar. I was surprised that the prairie dogs ate different food than the deer. I was also surprised that the ducks did not eat the same food as the ostriches because they are both birds. We headed out to the donkey cage to feed these bleating mammals. The donkeys were calm with humans because they are probably always seeing people with some delicious treats in their hands. The donkeys would stroll to the end of their territory, and they would casually chomp up food out of my hand which I enjoyed. We visited the rainbow lorikeets after all the other animals. The rainbow lorikeets had exquisite colors on their bodies. I loved feeling the rainbow lorikeets on my head as they drank nectar out of my cup. I saw a plethora of animals, but my all time favorite were the rainbow lorikeets!

In our fascinating trip to Tucson, I stopped at the adventurous Colossal Cave in Vail, Arizona. When we first arrived, I obtained a sheet that encouraged kids to search for stamps within the park. I enjoyed hunting for little stamps that were located at various educational sights. When I completed the whole sheet I could grab a cute little prize, but I never stamped the entire sheet because the cave tour guide was ready to guide my tour. In the cave there were glossy rocks. My tour guide told me that those glossy rocks meant that humans were rubbing the rock which I thought that was harmful for the cave. I thought that the glossy look was exquisite. Next I learned that humans use their imagination to see objects in the rocks in the cave, like cloud shapes. I thought that this is a fascinating way to learn how to navigate the cave because if I see something I saw with my imagination at the beginning, I might remember the way to the entrance of the cave. I loved using my imagination in the cave. I had an amazing time in Colossal Cave and hope to come again.

When we visited the Titan Missile Museum, I learned a copious amount of interesting facts. The first educational fact I learned was that the Cold War was with the former Soviet Union and the United States of America. Personally, I always envisioned that this war was an argument with Cuba and the United States of America. I thought this because the former Soviet Union had permission from Cuba to install the missiles onto their territory.  When I observed the missile, I realized that the missile was gargantuan. In my head, I thought that this missile would not nearly be as titanic. I also realized that this missile is going to be on display because the Minuteman missiles have more powerful effects and have replaced the Titan Missile II. I am so glad that the former Soviet Union never launched their weapons. I am also ecstatic that the United States of America’s missiles were only retaliatory. In my imagination, if these missiles were not retaliatory this world could have vanished. I am glad that our country is safe and powerful, and that the Titan Missile II is only for display and education.

Mission San Xavier is a Catholic Mission located just south of Tucson on the Tohono O'odham San Xavier Indian Reservation. Father Eusebio Kino envisioned the exquisite church in 1692. When I learned about Father Kino, I realized that he was not able to finish his structure before he passed away. In a way it was not all of Father Kino’s idea of the architecture. When I was in the fascinating church, I noticed a statue Mary. I thought Mary was dressed in a gorgeous outfit. The robes looked so velvety. My teacher thought that it would be a great memory if we bought a candle and all share it. I hope that my prayer will come true. My teacher also showed us a clever trick of pinching out a candle’s flame instead of blowing it out. I loved the picturesque church, and I hope to speak to God again the next time I visit this church.

Right next to Oro Valley, there is a beautiful state park called Catalina State Park. As soon as I settled down, I strolled around the mountain trails. I started to leap from rock to rock over a dry creek which I thought was a fascinating demonstration of my body’s center of gravity. I also tried to lengthen my stride, so I would have to challenge myself. Next I obtained my Junior Ranger Packet. I started to relax while I filled out the questions. On the packet, they even had an interesting game that I could play with sticks and rocks as markers! As soon as my packet was completed, I went over to the Ranger, and I asked him for a pin. Unfortunately, I had to have my packet checked before I could have the ranger sign it. The ranger even asked me to name two animals that live in a saguaro cactus; I eventually learned that it was a bat and a bird. I hope to come to the picturesque Catalina State Park again.

The most fascinating building I visited is the Biosphere 2. The Biosphere 2 has five biomes: an ocean with a coral reef, a mangrove wetlands, a tropical rainforest, a savannah grassland, and a fog dessert. Out of these exquisite sites, my absolute favorite biome was the ocean. The ocean had a plethora of algae which killed the reef. One of the most educational facts I learned is that if a scientist works for many hours a day, the biomes could not provide enough calories. I always thought that a body could make calories, but now I know that calories come from food. Now that I think about it, since all of the scientists did not eat enough calories, it was because of the combination of over working and under eating. Another reason the Biosphere 2 experiment did not go as planned is because the oxygen became depleted. I realized that people need a copious amount of plants to survive. One clever idea that the designers thought of was to have an artificial lung in its own room to expand and contract helping the cycle of carbon dioxide and oxygen. I thought that the Biosphere 2 was an educational plan, and even though we did not learn how to survive within a small earth, tourists and students obtain education. 

Were you lethargic after reading about all seven sights? Well, I enjoyed the Biosphere 2 paragraph the most. Did you fall asleep before you finished it? I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for learning along with me.

Samantha's Writing