Photos: Campbell Creek Science Center's 40th annual outdoor week

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Students from Clark Middle School learn about the fish that inhabit Campbell Creek during the 40th annual Outdoor Week, held during the past week at the Campbell Creek Science Center. Over 1500 Anchorage-area sixth-graders attended the week-long event. May 16, 2014

Over 1500 Anchorage-area sixth-graders spent the week learning about gold panning, fly tying, bird watching and atlatl hunting, during the 40th annual Outdoor Week, organized by the BLM, and held in the woods near the Campbell Creek Science Center.

"It's amazing to think that we've been bringing Ourdoor Week to the youth in Anchorage for four decades, said Jeff Brune, Campbell Creek Science Center director. "Over the years, close to 80,000 students have attended this event."

On Friday, students from Clark Middle School, Chinook Elementary and Spring Hill Elementary got to pan for gold, tie flies and cast a fly rod, and throw an atlatl, a prehistoric hunting tool that helped the first Alaskans kill game with spears.

Various agencies, from BLM to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, staffed stations set up around Campbell Creek. Fish traps, set out in the creek the night before, held tiny trout and sculpin.