Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Baker Lake (Oct 05/05) - Students from across the Kivalliq converged on Blueberry Hill near Baker Lake this past month to participate in the annual Kivalliq Regional Science Culture Camp.

The annual event is sponsored by the non-profit Kivalliq Science Educator's Community.

Participants earn an academic credit for attending the camp, which focuses on science and traditional knowledge. The youth also pick up a few camping skills along the way.

Kivalliq School Operations program consultant Jim Kreuger said 2005 marked the second year the camp theme was rocks and minerals.

He said the students split their time between learning science and being exposed to traditional skills such as the proper way to butcher, cook and prepare caribou, bannock making and Inukshuk building.

"The students received an overview of the rock cycle and the types of rocks and minerals found in the region," said Kreuger.

"We did a lot of hands on mineral testing, so they learned how to test for streak, magnetic and electrical properties and colour.

"They no longer look and just see rocks. Now they can now differentiate between the various types."

The students also learn how to use the Global Positioning System (GPS) before heading out onto the land in groups of three for a scientific scavenger hunt.

There are 12 stations along the way, each containing a mineral and a question inside a plastic bag.

Armed with a testing kit, students must answer the 12 questions by either performing a test on the mineral or identifying a certain quality about it.

"It's also a good practical test to show us if any of the knowledge we've tried to teach them has paid off because if they can't read the GPS, they don't come back and we have to go look for them."

Strong support

Kreuger said the camp wouldn't be possible without the continued support of Cumberland Resources, Kivalliq Partners in Development, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Department of Education.

He said one of the more interesting aspects of the camp is looking at traditional uses of rocks and minerals.

"One of our projects was learning how to make a traditional Inuit sling.

"The students practised shooting at rocks for awhile, but it's a pretty tough weapon to master.

"We also added to the large Inukshuk we built at the camp last year and constructed a smaller one to mark this year's site.

"We had 28 students at the camp and every one left with a smile on their face."