PCS 7th graders participate in pond ecology experiments and enjoy team building activities
during their recent overnight trip to W. Alton Jones Campus.
Funded in part by the Island Foundation, the trip to the University of Rhode Island’s Alton Jones Environmental Education Center is the highlight of the 7th grade experiential learning experience at the Middle School. This trip links directly to the overarching grade theme of “What makes a sustainable community?”
During their time at W. Alton Jones Campus, the students learn how to compost their meals, interact with nature, and learn how everything is connected. They engage with nature through a pond ecology program focusing on plants, habitats, and larval insects and a night hike that centers on animal adaptations to the night.
Also during this overnight trip, students engage in team building activities and challenge courses that align with Cuffee’s wellness curriculum – two of which are healthy relationships and conflict resolution. This 7th grade W. Alton Jones Campus “rite of passage” trip is important to the students. For many, this is the first overnight trip without their parents/guardians and brings out their best selves and offers lots of personal growth and new learning experiences.