5th Grade Camp Out

The 5th Grade Camp Out is an end-of-year tradition at Green Lake - a chance for students to celebrate their final year together, build independence, and experience the outdoors with classmates and friends. Each spring, the PTA helps send our 5th graders on an overnight adventure in the woods.

Event Details

Date: June 2026, exact date TBD
Location: To be announced

Duration: Overnight
Chaperones: Parent and staff volunteers

Who It’s For

All Green Lake 5th grade students are invited to participate. The Camp Out is designed to be inclusive, memorable, and accessible to every student in the grade.

How to Attend

Teachers will share permission forms, packing lists, and trip details in the spring.

No prior outdoor experience is needed; the trip is structured, supported, and designed for all comfort levels.

What to Expect

In past years, students have visited IslandWood, an environmental learning center on Bainbridge Island known for its forested trails, hands‑on science experiences, and immersive outdoor education. Future locations may rotate, but the spirit of the trip remains the same: connection, exploration, and a shared milestone for the entire grade.

Students typically:

  • explore nature
  • participate in team‑building activities
  • learn about local ecosystems
  • hike, observe wildlife, and engage in hands‑on science
  • spend meaningful time with classmates before moving on to middle school

Volunteer Opportunities

The Camp Out relies on a team of volunteer chaperones who help:

  • supervise cabins or sleeping areas
  • support student groups during activities
  • assist with meals and transitions
  • ensure safety throughout the trip

Contact: For questions or to express interest in chaperoning: ptaboard@greenlakedragons.org

A Look Back

Our librarian, Andrea Bernasconi (Ms. Pickle), shared photos from her own child’s 5th Grade Camp Out at IslandWood — a glimpse into the memories that make this trip so special.

 

three kids standing near the railing of a ferry watching the coastline go by
Ferry Ride
a line of kids wheeling carts full of suitcases through the woods
Wheelbarrows for your stuff
a projector displaying the daily schedule. Projector is under an outdoor shelter, and small glimpses of nature can me seen in the background
Schedule of your day
A chalkboard sign framed by reclaimed branches. There is a multi-colored decorative chalk message on the sign reading "Welcome Suquamish and Green Lake Elementary Schools"
Welcome sign
A rustic dining room with large glass windows, doors, and skylights built with large, heavy wooden beams. There are several long tables with tall backed dining chairs, all made with wood.
Dining Hall
A kid is walking across a small bridge or suspended walkway through some trees and underbrush that leads to the entrance to what appears to be a medium wooden hut
Activity Hut
A grown up leading a line of kids on a trail through tall grassy plants
Adventure Hike
A small cabin interior with a rustic lamp and two wooden bunk beds made of logs
Chaperone Cabin
A minimal bathroom
Chaperone bathroom
A cozy common room with soaring ceilings, and a central fireplace surrounded by beautiful stonework arranged in a gradient that reaches all the way up to the top of the vaulted ceiling. There are windows with sunlight streaming in with greenery visible outside. Except the gorgeous stone fireplace, the room is mostly empty, with a few chairs and tables around the perimeter weather it's giving ski lodge vibes
Common Area
A child in a blue jacket standing at the edge of a body of water. Lily pads and ducks are visible on the surface of the water and the reflection of the trees on the far bank are contrasted with the sky, so pale it looks white. The heavy blue coat and desaturated lighting implies the photo may have been taken in the very early morning.
Lake
A small cabin interior with log bunk beds, kids sleeping bags, and string lights strung between the beds
Kids Cabin
A bed with a green sleeping bag spread out on it, and a stuffed animal that looks like a deer propped up near the pillow
Cozy up your bunk!
A view of the common area that appears to be taken from the second floor. Looking down on the stone fireplace whose striated stonework extends to the top of the vaulted ceiling, is surrounded by several children who are standing and sitting around the common area.
Another view of the Common Area
A close-up of a banana slug on the ground
Watch out for Banana Slugs!
A low rope tied between two trees with two kids balancing on it and an adult chaperone standing by to help.
Low ropes course
A small group of kids wearing colorful backpacks, walking across a raised metal walkway that cuts through a forest.
Nature hike
A close-up of a tiny grab being held gently between someone's thumb and forefinger. Blurred in the background the sandy, rocky beach and a bit of water is visible.
Someone's crabby
A couple kids are walking through the woods on a wide dirt path surrounded by large ferns and tall trees whose branches are reaching over the path.
More adventure hikes!
A small tree house with a steeple roof, and a staircase leading up to the front door. A line of kids are climbing the stairs up to the treehouse.
Activity Treehouse
Several kids sitting or leaning against the wall of the interior of the treehouse, looking over a tall railing through an open-air window at the trees.
Relaxing with a view
A couple kids with backpacks walking through a forest trail
You're going to do lots of this :D
A close-up of a small creature, probably a salamander, who is crawling over a large piece of bark and next to a green stem
Hello there!
A close-up of a stinging nettle plant with its serrated leaves
Beware the Stinging Nettle!!!
Ms. Pickle at the edge of a fire pit under a shelter with a large smoke-hole in the center. She is striking a playful pose with one arm in the air and her knee bent, holding a travel mug in the other hand.
Ms. Pickle being awesome at the fire pit