POMEROY — When Pat Quackenbush arrived at the Meigs Intermediate School recently carrying a live owl, there was plenty of excitement among the third, fourth and fifth graders.

Quackenbush, an Ohio Department of Natural Resources senior naturalist at Old Man’s Cave State Park, was there as part of a program offered by the science teachers geared toward expanding outdoor science knowledge.

The naturalist took the students on an “Owl Prowl” where they learned about the biology of owls by looking at live ones, played a game explaining the food chain, dissected owl pellets, and explored some prime owl habitat in search of wild owls.

More science camps will follow along with a week-long summer science camp at Meigs Intermediate, according to Science Teacher Heike Perko.

“We work hard on expanding such activities into the everyday lesson. Teachers and students have access to a three mile hiking trail behind the school, thanks to local volunteers who built it. This offers opportunity to spend time outside exploring science through hands on activities. A small garden was planted to teach concepts such as life cycles, interdependence, decomposition and soil sciences,” said Perko.

The first “Super Science Saturday” was held in October at which time the students participated in activities such as archery, making mosaic stepping stones, creating an edible landfill and learning about recycling. They played the water cycle game where they learned about water and its importance to the existence of life.

Perko expressed her enthusiasm about outdoor science programming and her hope that community members will become volunteer participants. Local boy scouts recently installed blue bird and screech owl boxes along the trail at the rear of the school, further enhancing the naturalist’s “Owl Prowl” program.