Our Little School students recently enjoyed a variety of field trip learning experiences to enrich their in-school education. Each trip provided students with a more personal connection to history and community, fostering a meaningful exploration of learning and connection.
First-Grade Apple Picking: A 4 C’s Adventure
Our first-grade students explored the 4 C’s through a memorable apple-picking field trip to Dr. Davies Farm in Congers, N.Y. They learned about cooperation and consideration as they collected apples in groups, treating the apple trees with care. Back in the classroom, students, parents, and teachers organized our annual Apple Bake Sale, raising an impressive $1,045 for the Center for Food Action’s Snack Pack Program. Lori Olliff, a CFA representative, guided the students in understanding compassion, leading to the assembly of snack packs and handwritten notes — teaching courtesy and fostering empathy.
First-grade teacher Annie Hur says, “The children learned that the snack packs will fill a child’s tummy and the notes would fill their hearts.”
Third-Grade Lenape Trip to Waterloo Village: Learning from the Past
Our third-grade students recently ventured to Waterloo Village, N.J., stepping into the world of the Lenape people who lived and cared for the land around our school for hundreds of years. From hands-on experiences like grinding corn with wooden tools to learning how to start a fire for cooking, they gained an understanding of how the Lenape lived. After returning from the trip, students collaborated on themed projects, such as hunting and trapping and Lenape clothing, developing research skills, and crafting presentations that showcased their newfound knowledge of Lenape life.
The children enjoyed the project, as Janis Wein, one of the third-grade teachers, recounts, “One of the students said, ‘This is so much fun. Can we keep on doing this?’”
Fourth-Grade Ellis Island Expedition: Bridging Past and Present
In October, our fourth-grade students embarked on a poignant journey to Ellis Island. They traveled by ferry and passed the Statue of Liberty, seeking to understand immigration history and relate it to their present experiences. Students delved into the immigrant journey from arrival to processing at the Ellis Island Museum. They experienced a medical examination using an “eye-hook” and how clothing was marked to differentiate immigrants. They also saw the places where they would have needed to say “goodbye” to family members who were not allowed to enter the country.
Now, they’re engaged in a personal project — interviewing immigrants from their present-day communities. Creative presentations, which may include Lego models and dioramas, are in the works to vividly share these immigrant stories with their class.
Fourth-grade teacher Puja Kothari says the field trip was a great way to “put into perspective the history of immigration while looking at our own current immigration experiences.”
These rich experiential learning opportunities allow students to grow their historical knowledge, develop empathy for others, and deepen their connection with their community.
In the new year, our second-grade students will be going to Carnegie Hall and the Whitney Museum for their field trips.
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