On June 1st, 2023, 4th- and 5th-graders from St. Peter School walked to Salter Grove accompanied by three teachers and five 8th-grade honor students. 

During the 90-minute visit, information from the Guide to Salter Grove was accessed by smartphone to to explore and learn about the ecological assets of the park. 

Science topics discussed in the classroom came to life for students and teachers alike. 

Organized into small groups, they walked along nature trails to observation stations that featured examples of: glacial history and geology of Rhode Island; native versus introduced plants; impact of invasive plants; different kinds of aquatic and terrestrial habitats; tolerance of marsh plants to brackish water; and human impact on the environment. 

And all this, from just six of 23 observation stations! 

Dr. Susan Unger, the science teacher who organized this field trip, would like to continue using Salter Grove as an outdoor classroom. Future field trips would focus on fewer topics so students can dive more deeply into the subject matter. Instead of simply noting down observations, they could collect data to answer specific questions formulated during classroom discussion. 

See more photos from the St. Peter School field trip below:

(Photos by FoSG member Jason Major)