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        | Friday Squid Dissection Movie #1 Squid Dissection Photos Squid Dissection Movie #2 Challenge Course Photos As we begin to prepare to leave North Carolina, our group participated in their final classes at Trinity Center. The Trinity staff led culmination activities which provided opportunities for reflection of our learning experiences this week. Following lunch, our group will begin its trip home with a stop for students to purchase North Carolina souvenirs. Expected arrival in LaGrange will be between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Saturday. Thursday Squid Dissection Photos Pond Photos Parkside students and chaperones participated in classes at the beach, the sound/salt marsh, and the pond taught by Trinity Center staff. Students learned about each of these habitats as they were engaged in hands-on activities in each of these learning environments. Sound/Salt Marsh: Various forms of plant and animal life were collected by students as they waded in Bogue Sound. Students sorted and classified their findings as a part of this class.
Beach: Students learned about the water tables found on our beach. They learned about the intertidal, subtidal, and supratidal divisions of the beach and the life forms found in each. They learned about the effects of wind, rain, and weather on the dunes and the importance of preserving the dunes.
Pond: Studies at the pond included the plants and animals found in the pond as well as those found along the banks. They used nets to collect specimens and also gathered water samples.
Challenge Course: Trinity staff instructors challenged each of the habitat study groups to use critical thinking and problem solving in thoughtful and fun team-building activities. These collaborative lessons encouraged positive student interaction based on respect for others within the group.
Dissection: Pairs of students worked together throughout this lesson. They learned the levels on the taxonomy chart and were able to give examples for each level. Each pair worked together to dissect their squid. In doing so, they were able to identify the physical attributes of the squid.
This evening's class was a reenactment of the Underground Railroad. Students learned about the roles of the "conductors" or guides, the "bounty hunters," and Harriet Tubman. They learned the escape routes led mostly through the free states to Canada, the ultimate destination. Students also learned that Underground Railroad workers included Quakers, free Negroes, and other abolitionists. These brave people helped about 75,000 slaves to escape in the decade before the Civil War. Wednesday Dolphin Movie #1 Sail Movie #1 Dolphin Movie #2 Sail Movie #2 Sail Boat Photos #1 Lighthouse Photos #1 Sail Boat Photos #2 Lighthouse Photos #2 First in Flight Photos Crab Photos Today was another wonderful day in North Carolina. We began our day by heading to Beaufort, NC to take a trip on a 45-foot catamaran. Before we were out of the inlet, we were fortunate to see a pod of dolphins which included a pup swimming along side its mother. After we were out of the inlet, the captain turned off the motors and the mate hoisted the sail to the top of the mast. Powered by the wind, we traveled across part of the Atlantic Ocean to Cape Lookout National Seashore. While on an island, we all picked up several beautiful shells. Some of us even helped out the environment while we were there by picking up some debris that had washed up on shore. After boarding the catamaran, we ate a hot dog lunch before returning to the waters. We sailed a short ways to Cape Lookout Lighthouse. The light keepers quarters now houses a museum which we toured before returning to our boat. This evening we attended the course "First in Flight" which is about physics and aerodynamics. Students participated in four learning stations. Students learned about the parts of a bird and their function, migration and habitats, how the beak is designed to meet their eating and feeding habits, and how air pressure impacts flight. The culmination activity for this evening showed the students live birds of prey, including barn owl, screech owl, and red-tailed hawk, which are all federally protected. We completed our busy day by heading down to the beach to hunt for ghost crabs. We were all fortunate enough to see these marvelous creatures. Tuesday Whale Movie Maritime Museum Photos #1 Ocean Movie Maritime Museum Photos #2 Sea Life Photos #1 Student Photos #1 Sea Life Photos #2 Student Photos #2 Sea Life Photos #3 Student Photos #3 The following update was written by Parkside students. On Tuesday the 18th, we went to the old cemetery, we saw an old grave that was covered with toys. When we read about it, we figured out that when she died, her father put her in a barrel of rum to preserve her body. One guy got married, wrote his will, and died all in the same day. It was kind of spooky. We went to the Maritime Museum. We went on a scavenger hunt to find things. We went on the widows walk on top of their museum. There were different types of displayed fish from the ocean. We learned about different kinds of boats. There were collections of sea shells from all around the world displayed in cases. We went on the Susan Hudson. It is owned by Duke University. It is a dredge and trawl boat. We enjoyed seeing the small dog fish, a whale, dolphins, and other fish that we caught. We also enjoyed the waves. We used safety a lot on this trip. Some of us even got to drive the boat. Additional update for Tuesday Even class was entitled "Beach Walk, Turtle Talk." The program centered around several species of sea turtles that are present in the waters of North Carolina. All of the sea turtles of the world are either endangered or threatened. We did classroom activities with hands-on experiences right on the beach. Monday Fishing Photos #1 Evening Class Photos #1 Fishing Photos #2 Evening Class Photos #2 This morning we took a three hour boat trip aboard the Mystery Boat. We departed from the harbor in Beaufort, NC. Our group proved to be quite good at fishing. We caught a total of 112 fish which included black sea bass, hogfish, sheephead, ocean trout, and pinfish. We were fortunate to see a pod of dolphins off the bow of the boat. We began our afternoon classes at Trinity Center with Barrier Island Ecology. The student learned about the five habitats at Trinity Center which are maritime forest, pond, ocean, salt marsh, and dunes. We also had the opportunity to get a taste of the classes that are going to be taught this week. A small introduction to the definition of a barrier island was given. Tonight's program was titled "Survival on the Coast." The children learned how the Native Americans and early European settlers survived the unique atmosphere of the barrier islands. The children learned that several plants can be used as source of nutrition. Acorns can be ground into flour, cattail can be used to make pancakes, and certain pine needles can be made into tea. Students also learned how to make cordage, which is similar to rope but is made from two braids instead of three. Students used a simulated blowgun to stalk and kill "prey" for food. Students also played Native American games indigenous to the outer banks. Sunday We were first in line at the Golden Corral restaurant in Morehead City, NC. Our group received several compliments on their outstanding manners and good behavior from other patrons eating brunch. We were joined by Mr. and Mrs. Wagner during brunch. Our first study trip was to Fort Macon State Park where our group learned about the history of this important costal fort. This fort served our country during the Civil War, the Spanish American War, and World War II. Our next stop on today's journey was at Trinity Center's beach where we enjoyed a picnic lunch at the outdoor pavilion overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. After reviewing safety rules, we spread our towels, smeared on our sunscreen, and played in the waves. Approximately 50 percent of our students said this was the first time they had ever seen the ocean. This first day at the beach was the beginning of our wonderful week in North Carolina. This evening's program was titled "Whales and Whalers." The students had the wonderful opportunity to view a life sized whale made of plastic, learn how whales feed using parsley and water, used fake blubber to see how whales withstand the frigid cold of the ocean water, used an imitation spear to "hunt" whales, and used a piece of string to display the various lengths of different species of whales. Saturday Twenty-seven Parkside fifth grade students and their chaperones departed from LaGrange at 11:00 a.m. Our trip to North Carolina took us through the states of Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia. We arrived in Morehead City, NC at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 16. En route the students marveled at the mountains, were impressed with the golden dome of the Capitol Building in Charleston, WV, and were awestruck with their first glimpse of the ocean. |
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Make a Difference As
the old man walked the beach at dawn, Finally, catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was
that stranded starfish would die if
left until the morning sun.
“But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” countered the old man. “How can your effort make any difference?”
The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and carefully threw it to safety in the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said. -Anonymous
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