Click here to see my Tecolote Canyon Map in Google Earth Our class went to Tecolote Canyon. We explored nature and practiced being more aware of our surroundings. We were able to appreciate nature and saw the different ways that the environment was affected by human activity. There was urban drool, like trash, electrical poles/lines, and large pieces of concrete from when people wanted to build a road, but many people try hard to preserve the area, too. The park ranger told us about a lady who stopped a road from being built through the canyon. Throughout our walk, we used a GPS to track our progress and mark specific waypoints. It was good practice using the GPS. I was a little uncomfortable using the GPS; I was not sure how to do certain things. After the trip, I was a lot better and accustomed to using the GPS. We took samples of dirt and plants from the places that we took our waypoint. The dirt was taken from a core sampler. The core sampler is a cylinder that is put into the ground. It is twisted as it is pulled up to take dirt from different layers of the ground. Those layers were carefully taken from the core sample and put separately into little glass jars. That dirt would be tested later on. We would test pH, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels, etc. When we test these properties of the dirt, we can determine if the soil is adequate for wildlife or not. When we get this information, people can adjust what they do to the environment so the biodiversity can be preserved. The Tecolote Canyon field trip was nice because we were in the outdoors and were able to see local nature, but I enjoyed it very much. We saw lots of animals and plants, and we were more immersed in nature and wildlife. The nature made us want to preserve the canyon. Most people do not get a chance to go to a canyon, and when we went on the trip, we learned a lot. I also personally enjoyed being with my peers and friends.