Knightly News

Episcopal is known for providing an experiential learning environment for students in all divisions. That focus on interactive learning was on full display this week as fifth grade students participated in a Survival Day.

The annual Survival Day lesson is inspired by a study of the novel “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen. Fifth grade teacher Nicole Engstrom says the book is common among fifth grade reading lists. “It’s a great novel about believing in yourself, growing in confidence, respecting nature and being able to adapt to the environment in order to survive,” she says. “It’s a story that captures the attention of both boys and girls and keeps them engaged throughout the story.”  

“Hatchet” follows the fictional story of Brian, who is stranded in the forest after the plane he is on crashes. With only the hatchet his mother gave him, he must survive the wilderness. Episcopal’s Survival Day seeks to simulate that experience and provide students an impression of what the main character endured. “By experiencing Survival Day, the students get a little taste of Brian’s experience and gain some appreciation for his struggle,” says Engstrom. “They end up loving the day!”

For Survival Day, students are divided into 10 tribes. Each tribe must build a shelter, gather water, throw a hatchet, “hunt,” capture the flag and create tools. Students spread out across campus to accomplish each task. While there is tremendous enthusiasm among students, Engstrom hopes they are learning valuable lessons as well. “I hope students take away a sense of teamwork and collaboration,” she says. “We talked about how ‘union is strength’ and tried to keep that as a theme for the day. I hope that in building the shelter and creating their hunting tool students noticed the connection with the limited resources they had. That the key to Brian’s success was his ability to adapt.”

As students tackled each task, they did adapt. Eager to lift a bucket of water and trek across campus, they immediately realized how heavy the bucket was and had to adjust their transportation strategy. When playing capture the flag on the Coach Dupe Trail, students tested different methods for getting closer to the flag and adjusted as the opposing team discovered them.  (Capture the flag was representative of Brian protecting his shelter and resources from nearby animals.) As they “hunted” for oranges, much like Brian speared fish, students had to work out the best way to corner the fruit as it floated in water.

Learning at Episcopal goes well beyond the classroom and takes on many forms. Engstrom says offering experiences like Survival Day is one thing that makes being a teacher so special. “It’s a great opportunity to see students in a different light, to actually get the opportunity to watch their minds think on the spot in order to figure out how to gather the water and build a strong shelter,” she says.

Many fifth graders reported that building the shelter was their favorite part of the day. No doubt, the entire experience will be one they won’t soon forget.

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