3rd and 4th Grade Adventures to Pinkham Notch

This school year, we are excited to bring back many of our overnight field trips for the first time since the 2019-2020 school year. Overnight field trips are an empowering part of the Breakwater School curriculum allowing students to not only dive deeper into topics learned in the classroom, but allow students to become more independent, challenge themselves, and grow their classroom community. One such trip is our 3rd and 4th grade overnight to Pinkham Notch in New Hampshire. 

Earlier this fall, Maddi Etman’s and Alicia Amy’s 3rd and 4th grade classrooms spent one night at Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch and hiked to both Tuckerman’s Ravine and Square Ledge! Before the trip, teachers emphasized the importance of involving students in the packing process allowing them to be familiar with what items they were bringing and where they were packed. For some students, this was their first overnight away from home! Maddi notes, “sleeping away from families was a big challenge, but with the help of friends, good books, stuffies, and kind teachers, everyone was able to sleep fairly well.” When students arrived at Joe Dodge Lodge, the adventure began with a late morning hike to Tuckerman’s Ravine where the fall foliage was on full display. During the overnight portion of the trip, they participated in team building challenges and quiet cabin activities allowing them to further connect with their classmates and teachers. The next day’s hike to Square Ledge proved to be the most challenging hike out of the two involving steep inclines and rock scrambling at times. One part of the hike involved what felt like a rock wall! With group encouragement and support, everyone was able to make it all the way to the ledge. Maddi shares, “It was so cool to watch the kids’ faces when they finally got to the top of Square Ledge and were able to look across the ravine to see where we had just hiked the day before on Mt. Washington. They were able to really see and understand the hard work that they had done together.”

Back at Breakwater, students are now able to reflect on their overnight journey and the physical challenges they were able to overcome. These trips provide children with a greater appreciation for the natural world, but they also help build a strong classroom community by being able to grow and learn from a shared experience. When reflecting on the trip, Maddi notes, “[students] grow their teambuilding skills by understanding that everyone moves at a different pace which helps them back in the classroom.” At Breakwater, the overnight field trips grow in length ultimately leading up to a week long overnight trip in 8th grade. For our 3rd and 4th graders, Maddi summarizes, “when things are feeling hard [back in the classroom], students are able to remember that they climbed part of Mount Washington, the tallest mountain in New England!” We can’t wait to see what adventures our students embark on next!