Overnight Trips
Our first overnight field trip of the year will be to the Clem Miller Environmental Education Center located in the Point Reyes National Seashore. This facility is tucked in a beautiful valley about three miles from Limantour beach. Students will take part in several amazing experiences, including a guided nature hike with Mr. Science, a ranger led beach clean-up, Mole Crab study, whale watching, animal/habitat presentations, storytelling, bow-drill fire-making, poetry, skits, hiking, and much more! This trip is four days/three nights long and is a truly wonderful experience for all involved!
One of my favorite field trips involves bringing the fourth grade classes to my hometown (located in the Sierra Nevada Foothills) as part of our Tour Through Gold Country three day overnight. We start our journey in Coloma where gold was first discovered. Students tour the site and even load a covered wagon as if they were pioneers from the 1800's. Later that day, we travel to and camp along the American river, where students partake in many activities, including skipping rocks, roasting marshmallows, and more!
The following day, we visit the historic Empire Mine in Grass Valley where students learn all about blacksmithing and underground mining. Students even get to visit an old ghost town and explore the original 1800's buildings by participating in a scavenger hunt! They pan for gold in Humbug creek and visit the town of Grass Valley for dinner.
The last day, students "travel back in time" in Old Town Sacramento where they visit the Sacramento History Museum, to learn all about Gold Rush History (and pan for gold again)!
It is such a wonderful feeling to get to share with students my love of the foothills and all the history that goes along with the area!
The following day, we visit the historic Empire Mine in Grass Valley where students learn all about blacksmithing and underground mining. Students even get to visit an old ghost town and explore the original 1800's buildings by participating in a scavenger hunt! They pan for gold in Humbug creek and visit the town of Grass Valley for dinner.
The last day, students "travel back in time" in Old Town Sacramento where they visit the Sacramento History Museum, to learn all about Gold Rush History (and pan for gold again)!
It is such a wonderful feeling to get to share with students my love of the foothills and all the history that goes along with the area!
Day Trips
The first Bike Trip of the year is our annual ride along the Joe Rodota Trail. We will meet at the trailhead in Forestville and ride as a group to Graton and back. Here, we have a restful lunch with time for play. Prior to the trip, we review bike safety rules with students. We have also been fortunate enough to have the local fire department help with street crossings when they are available. This is a wonderful trip and a great way to promote health within our schools!
One unit of study in 4th Grade Social Studies is Early California, with a specific emphasis on the California Native Americans. We learn how the regions in which they live impact their way of life. Native Americans living in a coastal climate, for example, gather shells, eat abalone, catch fish, etc. This differs greatly from Native Americans living in the desert as the resources available to them vary significantly. We learn about trade, traditions, and perhaps most importantly, the respect the Native Americans have for the land. Students gain an appreciate for Native American culture and also learn about present day life at the Marin Museum of the American Indian.
Sonoma Mission and General Vallejo's Home is another invaluable field trip taken in the 4th grade.. This trip aligns with our Social Studies units that focus on the Spanish and Mexican influence on California. We begin our day at the mission in Sonoma. From here, we visit the Sonoma Barracks, where students participate in a historical scavenger hunt. After lunch at the park, we go on a nice mile hike to General Vallejo's home where students learn all about General Vallejo and his family. We tour the grounds, including the Vallejo's old family home and learn about what life would have been like in the 1800's.
Petaluma Adobe provides an opportunity for students to learn about General Vallejo's local rancho and how it operated in the 1800's. This trip ties in with our trip to Sonoma Mission and supports the history of California that we study in class. These trips also allow for much discussion about the negative impact colonization had on Native Californians and their traditional ways of life.
Fort Ross is one of the highlights of the fourth grade year. In April, our class lives and breathes Fort Ross history! This amazing trip brings the past alive for students through role play. Students learn Russian in class, dance the Troika, work on a month long homework project, and make many traditional handmade crafts.
While at the fort, students have unique and varying experiences depending on their role group they are a part of. Some members of our class will garden at the fort while others fish in the ocean. The artisans paint beautiful landscapes and build lanterns while the cooks prepare traditional foods for all to enjoy. This trip is amazing and not only makes history real, but it leaves an indelible imprint on the minds of all who participate. It has impacted me greatly as an educator and has truly influenced my teaching philosophy.
While at the fort, students have unique and varying experiences depending on their role group they are a part of. Some members of our class will garden at the fort while others fish in the ocean. The artisans paint beautiful landscapes and build lanterns while the cooks prepare traditional foods for all to enjoy. This trip is amazing and not only makes history real, but it leaves an indelible imprint on the minds of all who participate. It has impacted me greatly as an educator and has truly influenced my teaching philosophy.