Notes from the Field: New Canaan Country School Students Take Their Learning Off Campus

New Canaan Country School students in Pre-K through grade 9 have been taking their learning off campus this spring.

Students in the Beginners Pre-K program took a trip to Millstone Farm as part of their life cycle study. They learned about life on the farm and collected eggs to bring to their classrooms and observe. Once hatched, they returned the chicks to the farm. Fourth graders engaged in citizen science, observing and documenting salmon fry for months before taking a trip last week to release them into the Salmon River in East Hamden, CT, helping to repopulate the Atlantic salmon while learning firsthand about conservation efforts.

First graders visited the local police station as part of their study of self and community, while seventh graders spent two days in Washington D.C. concluding a year of American history. Third graders visited Ellis Island to complete their immigration study, while eighth graders took a trip to New York City as part of their study of world religions, stopping at The Met’s Asian and Islamic art collections and the Islamic Cultural Center of New York.

Fifth graders visited the Met Cloisters as part of their Medieval studies and the sixth grade visited the Met’s Renaissance collection, both trips bringing history and art to life. Finally, during “Trips week” ninth graders had the choice of visiting the Florida Keys as part of their Marine Biology Expanded Studies class; the Deep South from New Orleans to Alabama as part of their Civil Rights Expanded Studies class; or the Pacific Northwest to study ecology.

“We are truly fortunate to have access, both in proximity and in our resources, to incredible field trip opportunities which bring learning to life for students,” said Head of School Aaron Cooper. “The real gift for our students comes in the way teachers artfully use these experiences to connect with the curriculum.”

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New Canaan Country School seventh Tanvi DebNath of Stamford, Mackenzie Coffield of Stamford, Riley Johnson of New Canaan, Alina Harned of Rowayton and Lola Triay of New Canaan spent two days in Washington D.C. concluding a year of American history.

Maggie Newport of Rowayton and Rhett duPont of New Canaan released salmon fry into East Hamden’s Salmon River as part of New Canaan Country School’s fourth grade study of conservation.

New Canaan Country School ninth graders Connor Walsh of Wilton and Stanley Bright of New Canaan traveled to the Florida Keys as part of their Marine Biology Expanded Studies class.

New Canaan Country School ninth graders trekked in the Pacific Northwest as part of their Expanded Studies on ecology.