Pasadena Waldorf School Fourth Graders Live Their Geography & History Lessons During Overnight Field Trip

Pasadena Waldorf School’s fourth grade students recently participated in an overnight trip as “greenhands” during their geography block of studies. Evolving out of an exploration of local geography that included the campus and surrounding neighborhood, the lesson grew to include the native peoples of the area and the expansion of Spanish missions into Alta California. As a culmination of these lessons, on October 17th, the class visited the Mission at San Juan Capistrano. From there, the fourth graders headed over to Dana Point harbor and the chance to act as sailors on the Brig Pilgrim, part of the Before the Mast overnight program by the Ocean Institute. Students were able to participate in a reenactment of an 1834 voyage from Boston around Cape Horn, gathering 15,000 hides along the coast of Alta California.

The Pilgrim was the sailing ship on which Richard Henry Dana sailed in 1834, and the inspiration for his book, “Two Years Before the Mast,” which became a roadmap for travelers during the Gold Rush a decade later. To prepare for this trip, the class read the abridged version of Dana’s account, learned shipboard directions and terminology, drew knots, worked with ropes and sang sea shanties.

Students worked in five groups experiencing all aspects of life on board a ship in 1834. A selected student mate led each group under the direction of a Pilgrim crewmember: the galley crew, the hide-gatherers, the Boatswains, the line-handlers and the riggers. In order to combat scurvy, the crew ate raw onions. Later, they even had a lesson in mutiny when their teacher, Mr. Paull, was hoisted aloft (by four 10 year olds) in the bosun’s chair and was only let down after the crew bargained for a recess in exchange for a clay modeling period. Beginning at 10:00 pm, each group was responsible for a two-hour night watch shift on deck, with wakeup call at 6:00 am. Morning activities included swabbing the deck and polishing the brass fixtures.

Pasadena Waldorf School, founded in 1979, offers an inspired arts and science education from preschool through high school, as well as a thriving Parent-Child Program. With nearly 1,000 Waldorf schools worldwide and over 90 years of experience, Waldorf education is the among the fastest growing independent school movements in the world. For more information, visit www.pasadenawaldorf.org.