Central Fall HS at Block Island
The CFHS SMILE club had the privilege of traveling to Block Island for an overnight trip sponsored by the Block Island Maritime Institute. Students traveled to the Block Island ferry in Narragansett, where they took the quick trip over to the island. They quickly got to learning about Block Island and its ecosystem. The first stop was the Historical Society, where they learned about the history of Block Island. They then traveled over to Rodman’s Hollow to explore how the reintroduction of trees to Block Island changed the ecosystem. Finally, they had a chance to explore the bluffs on the South side of the island, and see first hand how erosion changes the landscape. The day ended with pizza on the beach and stargazing!
The next morning they woke up bright and early to see the sunrise, and then hopped right into a lesson on conservation over breakfast. They had the chance to go kayaking in the great salt lake, where they learned about the importance of filter feeders in this environment. As their time on the island was coming to a close, they made a quick stop at the north end of the island to observe the seal colony that lives there, and then made their way back to town to catch the return ferry.
The trip was such a great experience for everyone, despite sleeping on the floor. The students learned so much about the incredible ecosystem of Block Island, and they all came up with action steps they can take to protect the environment from back home. They are looking forward to heading back next year!
Pell Elementary East Farm & Norman Bird Sanctuary
Norman Bird Sanctuary
On the 22nd of September, students from Claiborne Pell Elementary made their way to the Norman Bird Sanctuary out in Middletown. Norman Bird Sanctuary is a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and environmental education center with more than 300 acres of diverse habitats as well as 7 miles of hiking trails. There is a variety of wildlife, including both local and migratory birds, although this is dependent on the season. There, students got to learn about the different habitats they saw, and the plants and animals present in each one. They also learned about rock formations and the different types of rocks, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary.
Apple Picking and Demonstration Garden at East Farm
On the 27th they then traveled to URI’s East Farm. Located just a mile away from the URI campus, East Farm is about 85 acres of orchads, forests, meadows, and more. There students, professors, and scientists alike study horticulture, fish, plants, birds, bees and pollen, and so much more. Students participated in apple picking, where they first filled boxes that go to the Food Bank to be later distributed to those who need it. Once that was done, they got to pick their own apples to take home with them. Students also got to go to the demonstration farm and learned about interactions between herbivores and the vegetation. The demonstration garden is a 7000 sq. ft. garden with a diverse group of vegetables. This garden is maintained by URI volunteers and has a variety of demos to learn more about plants and how to grow and take care of them.
Broadrock Middle East Farm
Broad Rock Middle School students had a blast at the URI East Farm picking apples and learning about pollinators. Two graduate students, Jesse and Emma, taught them about their master projects. Jesse is trying to cure the honey bees from a nasty mite that has been linked to hive collapse, and Emma is getting a certified in digital global navigation systems.
Students hiked through the grounds and observed different types of bees and wasps, as well as some snails. They learned what pollinators to avoid being stung and which ones don’t sting at all. They also learned to respect insects, as well as the fact that that global aerial insects have gone down by 60% in recent years, which is a big problem. At the end the students picked so many apples that their bags were almost bursting on the bus back home. They were able to give students and teachers who didn’t attend the trip many apples to take home because of this.