Field trip #6: Mirabal Sister's House
This was not the most exciting field trip we went on, but my mom said that not every field trip needs to have a zipline. :) I thought this was the most interesting field trip. I have been waiting to go to the Mirabal sister's house since June of last year when my professor gave me In the Time of the Butterflies for a graduation present.
We were given a tour of the house. We even got to see Maria Teresa's braid that Dede cut off her dead body. We also saw the bloody handkerchief that was found at the scene of the crime. It made what we were reading and watching so very real.
We took the big green striped van, and we ate our picnic lunch inside the van. The boys said it was too hot outside. It was a nice afternoon together.
Field trip #7: Jarbacoa
We stopped and got morir sonando (my favorite orange creamsicle drink) on our way to the waterfall. I made a chart with areas for the boys to write down how much erosion they saw, how much trash there was on the ground and in the water, signs of wildlife, and water velocity. We threw a tennis ball in the water and calculated how long it would take to go a certain distance. The faster the water, the healthier the river. The same chart would be used on field trip #8. They were comparing the two rivers, trying to figure out which one was healthier.
After doing the school part of the trip, we all swam in the river. It was REALLY cold, and not an especially hot day. The boys didn't care, however; they dove right in.
We stopped at a yummy place for lunch in the town of Jarbacoa, and then we headed back to Santiago.
Field trip #8: Aguas Calientes
The boys loved this field trip. The river is bigger, and there are more areas to play. The rocks are giant, and the boys said they looked fake because they were so big. I love the hot springs that warm the little pool. Last time I went, it was a Sunday and the place was packed with Dominicans. This time we went on a Wednesday, so there were hardly any people.
We started off by looking at the characteristics and health of the river. The boys did the tennis ball experiment, and calculated the water velocity. They noticed how there was much less trash, and the area was better taken care of.
Then the boys swam around, splashing and climbing on the rocks.
We packed a picnic lunch and relaxed for a bit. After lunch we went to the hot springs part. We practically had it to ourselves. It was neat for the boys to smell the sulfur in the water and understand where it came from.
It was a great field trip to end the year with. I have begun to think about field trips for next year. I really want to go to Haiti. I am going to some more Taino caves soon that I might do again with the boys. They really love the caves we have been to, and I could connect the caves to some science concepts for next year. I would love to go to manatee bay and go snorkeling as we learn about ocean environments. Lots of neat ideas and dreams for year #2 of The Reyes Academy.
