Week 13

Every school year fifth grade goes on a field trip to Little Cranberry Island and today I get to go. Not because I have children in fifth grade but because the classroom teacher has planned it on an in service day and asked if I would like to chaperone. I had a choice either sits with other staff members in a training on blood born pathogens or take a trip to an island I had never heard of. Of course I picked the island.

Parents drop of children and as we wait for the bus the students talk excitedly about what they hope to see and everything they have learned about ocean life in science. They talk about the boat ride we will take to reach the island and how they wish we had to go by boat to reach our island. Students are standing in groups with their lunches and backpacks at their feet and just by looking you can tell the girls packed to many extra jackets and the boys to few. As they continue talking we take a head count as they board the bus. Once on the bus the kids either sit in groups with a few moving further away hopping to catch a nap. As I knit and the classroom teacher reads we make our way to Little Cranberry.

As the bus pulls up to the dock and the mail boat that is waiting for us we see other people waiting and some loading boats with supplies. We make sure the kids all use the bathroom because even in fifth grade there is always one that will say they don’t need to but when we get out on the water will ask if there is a bathroom. Our tickets are bought and we move down the walkway to the dock and pile our things next to the boat that will take us on our adventure. Most of the people waiting smile as we all trump down but a few look as if they wish they had picked another day. As the Captain goes over rules and tells up how long the trip will take and the one stop we will be taking the students sit a listen like they never would in a classroom. The boat moves out and we are on our way.

Reaching Little Cranberry the students thanked the driver and moved up the walkway to a field where we would leave our things and eat before exploring the island. Students eat quickly and quickly got into their two groups for to begin their scavenge hunt. In the past each group had bags to collect their finds but not wanting to disturb nature each of us adults had digital cameras and slips of papers for the kids to lay beside their item where the name will be written.

We notice that most of the houses are old on the front of the island and are weathered. There is one church that we pass and a store and we stop to go inside and find that there are very few things other then milk and bread and some candy. The kids are amazed that they don’t have more. The storekeeper at first looks like she had never seen so many people in the store at one time but smiles and answers all the students’ questions. Once on the road again we hear children playing and see the small schoolhouse where there is about six or seven children playing. The students are amazed when we tell them that it is likely all the students in the school. Moving along even though we all wanted to stop and see the school we continue down the road where houses are further apart and look newer. We see lobster traps in front yards and most of the houses have three or four wheelers parked out side. We see very few people and notice that we don’t hear cars. Leaving the road we follow a path to a beach where we begin our scavenge hunt. Students are able to walk out on rocks because of low tide and look in tide pools for items on their lists. I am running one way and then another taking pictures having a great time. We make our way down the shore taking pictures but always mindful of the time, because we have to meet the boat. There is time for the students to explore and ask questions.

Leaving the shore we move back to a path that takes up to where we left our bags and when we pass by a house the students start laughing and pointing because there in the front yard is a wooden carving of a mermaid. Well this is quite something for the students because the mermaid is naked and as the boys stare, the girls try looking anywhere else while their faces turn red.

Collecting our things we have just enough time to use the bathroom before boarding the boat to take us back to the bus.