Ms Thormahlen’s Crabby Kids after spending at day at Treasure Island Sailing Center learning about SF Bay ecology, plotting new directions for Dungeness crabs, and sailing on Clipper Cove.
The bus with JYC students from Room 306 rolled in at 10am
As 33 John Yehall Chin Elementary School fourth graders departed TISC after their SSLearn Day, I asked for six words describing their feelings. I was blown away when one student excitedly exclaimed “I’m crabby, day had to end”!
Thanks to the San Francisco America’s Cup Organizing Committee and Mayor Lee’s ONESF:Celebrate the Cup program, every fourth grader in San Francisco will be able to spend a day on the bay learning about the ecology of the bay and Dungeness crabs, or San Francisco maritime history, or renewable energy. And go for a sail at Treasure Island Sailing Center on Clipper Cove!
What makes this experiential learning program unique is the curriculum and how it’s delivered. Each day is split into parts: outside activities sharing ideas, inside hands-on time discussing and learning about bay creatures and history, and time in a sailboat driving, touching the water, grabbing seaweed, and experiencing the effects of wind, tide, currents.
Talking while leading stretching excercises is a great way to burn energy while keeping kids’ attention.
Five minutes after the busload of JYC students from Ms. Thormahlen’s Room 306 class pulled into our parking lot last Wednesday at 10am they were running through exercises with our team, breaking into groups of six and getting right down to “work”.
Physical fitness was combined with an overview of TISC early in the day and content-related games as the day progressed. Busy kids are happy kids !
Small groups discuss their field guides in the Activity Center at TISC.
Inside our activity center the 4th graders shared ideas and learned through interaction with our instructor- who guided but did not lecture- and with each other. The Field Journal we provided in advance was their textbook for the day.
It’s no secret the time on the water in sailboats driving, touching the water, discovering seaweed and experiencing the tide, current and wind was the day’s favorite activity. And if a few of these kids show up next summer to take lessons at TISC even better !
TISC’s SSLearn program enables kids to drive an RS Venture sailboat, touch the water, and discover seaweed on Clipper Cove.
Happiness is sailing in an RS Venture on Clipper Cove
Seaweed !!!
When Mother Nature cranks up the breeze, smiles all around are sure to follow.
- Day’s end at 2pm
The pictures above are a few from the many “rolls” taken during the JYC field trip. If you’re a parent and would like to see more of the pictures, ask Ms. Thormahlen for a link to the picture folder. Or contact me directly if you have questions or would like to see additional photos.
Here are two more six-word quotes from Wednesday’s day on Clipper Cove: “So awesome I can’t explain it”; “Best field trip of my life”. To those quotes I would add “Many thanks to Americas Cup organizers”.
Regards from On Clipper Cove, Dave G
In the wake – Here are more pictures from JYC Elementary School’s SSLearn day-on-the-bay last Wednesday:
4th grade students from John Yehall Chin Elementary School arrive at Treasure Island Sailing Center Oct 9th under the new SS Learn experiential learning program
Chris Childers, Program Director at Treasure Island Sailing Center welcomes 22 JYC kids to SSLearn 2013
Yes, that’s West toward San Francisco
It’s not hard to love school when studying about the bay’s ecology and dungeness crabs during an SSLearn session at Treasure Island Sailing Center.
More games, this time used to create “crab stats”
So, what can we learn from this data on dungeness crab population?
The piling is dry on top – does that mean the tide is rising or dropping?
JYC 4th graders listen Phil as he describes the winds and currents on Clipper Cove
While the Oakland loading cranes were not the inspiration for the Star Wars BattleBots this myth sounds cool and lives on.
Meg learning names and introducing her small crew to TISC
An SSLearn RS Venture framed by the western end of Clipper Cove with San Francisco in the background.
On the water at TISC’s SSLearn program means REALLY “on the water”
Phil’s crew at Treasure Island Sailing Center on the way to check out life jackets – a mandatory accessory on the docks and of course in the boats.
Annie leads her crew down the ramp to board RS Ventures for their sail on Clipper Cove
Some day at least one of these kids from Wednesday’s SSLearn program will likely attend Berkelely, thanks to inspiration driven by ACOC and OneSF:Celebrate the Cup.
Construction cranes under the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge and container cranes in Oakland frame JYC Students during their October 9th SSLearn class at Treasure Island Sailing Center.
33 happy 4th grade John Yehall Chin Elementary School students depart TISC from their SS Learn class October 9th.
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