Aiken Prep students explore coastal habitats 11/1/2009 11:16 PM
By DONNA DETROYE Contributor
On Oct. 16, Aiken Preparatory School's second- and ninth-grade teachers Darya McMurtrie and Joann Morton collaborated to create a unique learning experience for their classes on a field trip to Hunting Island.
"Cooperative learning was the goal," said Morton. "The older students provide an example for the younger, and the younger students bring the joy and excitement of learning back for the older ones."
The day began with a picnic lunch and the 150th celebration tour of the lighthouse. Students met with the park ranger and studied the coastal habitats of the area - the beaches, dunes, salt marshes and maritime forest.
"We got down in the mud and collected specimens of the animals that live there, such as periwinkle snails and different types of small crabs," McMurtrie said. "We observed the critters, noticed their adaptations and released them back into their homes before we left."
Second-grader Chris Fleury added, "I liked the salt marshes. I caught the biggest crab."
In preparation for the trip, each second-grader was matched with a ninth-grader, and they spent time in class getting to know each other.
The pairing of these groups has been a tradition at Aiken Prep for years. Some of the ninth-graders remembered taking similar trips when they were in the second grade.
Photo: The second- and ninth-grade classes at Aiken Prep with their teachers and chaperones.
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