5th Grade students at Smith STEM traveled to Mystic Seaport to study the history of maritime exploration and the era of colonial settlement in the Americas.

Students engaged in hands-on learning that combines these topics in an authentic environment, experiencing a custom-made tour connecting their study of science, social studies, and English-language arts.

While exploring Buckingham-Hall house, they learned about how people preserved food in absence of refrigeration. They watched a cooking demonstration in the wood-burning fireplace, learned about churning butter, and passed around a fish that had been preserved in salt six years earlier. The students were amazed by the lack of a microwave! They then participated in a spelling bee in a colonial school house. After that, they then toured Plymouth Cordage Company Ropewalk, where students got to participate in the ropemaking process before seeing those ropes in action on a whale ship. Students rounded out their trip to Mystic with a visit to the planetarium, learning about how sailors relied on the stars to navigate.

Students at Aiken Elementary School had the pleasure of hosting author Josh Funk at their school. Josh Funk is a celebrated children's author, known for his engaging series Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast and How to Code a Sandcastle! These entertaining books captivate young readers while teaching valuable lessons in creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving. By leveraging his expertise in storytelling, Funk introduced students to the world of computer science in a fun and accessible way.

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