Sailing On Clearwater- Learning More About The Hudson River
My students need to take an educational journey on the great Hudson River aboard the Sloop Clearwater. Please take them onto the "classroom of the waves."
$1,534 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
SOS...Do you remember what it was like sailing on the great Hudson River hearing the river sounds, learning on a discovery vessel, being able to sketch and bring your guitar to compose a song if you felt it? It's transformative - help my students get aboard the Clearwater - they will never forget this journey.
I work in a public primary school in a mainly Hispanic community in NYC.
The school has a large ELL population, with many students coming from areas where Spanish is the primary language. As a result, many students are isolated by the language barrier. In addition, my students struggle economically, almost all living at and well below the poverty level. Crime, domestic violence and substance abuse are rampant throughout the neighborhood, leaving many of the children with threatening and unsafe home and community environments. For many, school is a last sanctuary of calm and comfort. Unfortunately, NYC does not consider art to be a high priority subject. As a result, I teach over 450 students per week with very few supplies. The true tragedy is that for many of my students, art is one of the few releases and avenues of expression open to them. Given the intense pressure and sense of powerlessness under which they live their day-to-day lives, having no art often means having no voice.
My Project
My students will sail on the mighty Hudson River aboard the Clearwater sloop. After walking the banks of our majestic river, experiencing its smells and touch and feeling its power, they will sail upon its waters. They will embark on an incredible multisensory 3 hour educational journey. While aboard, they will work in a variety of scientific inquiry stations. They will have "hands on" experiences in lifting a sail, seining, water quality sampling and much more. In addition, My Little Kids Rock students will be able to sing, play the guitar upon on our river.
We will also use our one school camera to capture their views and upon return to our room, render their impressions with pastels & watercolors making their unique Hudson River landscapes.
This field trip will also be a journey about the importance of the river throughout history and into the present. They will learn more about environmental stewardship and advocacy.
For most of my students who live within the crowded banks along our great Hudson River, it is an abstraction.
They are not connected to one of our most majestic natural resources. Sailing aboard the Clearwater sloop will give them experiential scientific inquiry based learning. This project connects Science, Literacy, History, Music and Art within an environmental awareness, stewardship and advocacy program. Help them get aboard Clearwater - where they will learn so much on the "classroom of the waves."
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Edwards and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
