Fun on the Erie Canal

We had a fantastic field trip to the Waterford Visitor's Center this week!  Students participated in a variety of activities while there. First we got on our life jackets and boarded the boat for a trip through the lock. Next we walked along the Old Champlain Canal because it is the most similar to the original Erie Canal we have been learning about in school. Kids followed the original towpath where mules and hoagees once walked. Each student was able to tow a wagon full of 40lb weights along the gravel towpath.  Then, they each had the chance to pull a 400lb model of a barge boat in the canal. Ask your 4th grader to fill you in on which they preferred to tow along!  After a snack by the canal and a few canal games, we moved to the famous tugboat Urger. Students were able to meet the crew of this 100+year old tugboat. We even got a chance to board the tugboat and check out the living quarters, the captain's wheel and the diesel engine that now powers it. Thank you to our chaperones for your help!

Measures for Measuring

Fourth graders were treated to a special presentation by the Scotia-Glenville Children's Museum called "Measures for Measuring." Students worked in small groups on a series of tasks where they were asked to use both the metric and US Customary systems of measurement. Students had to measure their foot and ring size, how high they could jump and their arm span. New tools were introduced that some had never used before: food scale, postal scale, balance scale, beakers, and even a trundle wheel. Students loved the special time machine that kept track of the time of day using marbles. Ask your fourth grader to fill you in on some of the fun we had!