Day 2: Great Smoky Mountains

"Wonder begins when we stop looking for answers and start asking better questions."

We started the morning with our ambassadors leading some wonderful SEL activities. There was a lot of laughter, a few meaningful conversations, and plenty of opportunities to get to know the people who will be sharing this week together. One of my favorite things about STEAM in the PARK is watching a group of strangers slowly become a community.

We spent much of the day learning alongside Annie and Grayson from Tremont. They challenged us to observe closely, ask questions, and let curiosity lead the way. There weren't many easy answers today, and that was exactly the point. Good science starts with wondering.

One of our favorite investigations focused on salamanders. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known as the Salamander Capital of the World, and it didn't take long to understand why. We talked about the important role salamanders play in the forest ecosystem and how their presence can tell us a lot about the health of the environment around us. Plus, let's be honest, finding salamanders never gets old.

This afternoon we tried something different with our Sound Map and Soundscape activity. Instead of focusing on what we could see, we focused on what we could hear. The sound of rushing water. Birds calling from the trees. Wind moving through the forest. Insects buzzing nearby. It was a simple activity, but it reminded us just how much we miss when we're always in a hurry.

We also traveled back to 1935 for our CCC LEGO Challenge. Working in crews, campers tackled engineering and conservation challenges inspired by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC played a huge role in shaping the Smokies, building trails, bridges, roads, and structures that are still being used today. Using LEGO bricks, each crew designed and built solutions to their assigned challenge, combining history, creativity, engineering, problem-solving, and teamwork into one project.

Tonight we introduced our Gathering Wall. Throughout the week it will become a place for notes, sketches, observations, questions, quotes, and moments that matter. Right now it's mostly blank, but that's the beauty of it. By Thursday it will tell the story of our week together.

We wrapped up the evening with a Firefly Walk. There is something magical about standing quietly in the dark woods with a group of people who are willing to slow down and simply notice. Although many of the synchronous fireflies had their show last week, we did see synchronous and blue ghost fireflies, and for a little while nobody was worried about schedules, emails, or what comes next.
Just a group of educators gathered in the Smokies, watching fireflies.
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Not a bad way to spend a day.