Today I chaperoned Ronan's 5th grade class field trip on the Merrimack river. Things get so busy that it wasn't until I was on the bus that another mom told me we were going on a boat. I mean I knew we were going to Lowell, but I guess I didn't actually read what I was signing up for! LOL. I could have used a hat and a bottle of water, but otherwise it was a great trip.
We sailed past old mill buildings, some of which are now living spaces right on the river. Our wonderful Park Ranger William educated the kids about the river, it's history and how the recent Hurricane Irene affected the river all the way from New Hampshire to Lowell and beyond. He talked about pollutants and the kids did experiments on the boat testing ph and dissolved oxygen levels. Mom even learned something!
It was beautifully serene on the water. The kids all had to wear life vests for safety and they were pretty uncomfortable and hot but we were only in the boat for 90 minutes so it wasn't too bad. Safety first, the Captain stressed.
Back in the Boathouse, more experiments were conducted. In all of my years of field trips, I would say that this was the most interactive I had been on and really kept the kids' interest. And finding myself on a boat in the middle of the day? Unexpectedly great.
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