Beyond the classroom walls: Students study Port Royal Sound through art, science lessons
Beaufort County School District students accepted the “River of Words” challenge last fall to extend learning beyond their classroom walls and into their own backyard in an ecology study of the Port Royal Sound.
Throughout the year, students in grades 1-12 have tested water quality, studied stormwater run-off, discussed the effects of pollution and population growth, kayaked in area rivers, toured the Port Royal Sound Foundation Maritime Center and explored the Lowcountry’s natural history and cultural heritage at Coastal Discovery Museum.
“We live in an extraordinary landscape,” said Heather Brabham, the project’s coordinator. “‘River of Words’ lets teachers and students become an active part of that environment, learn from it and be inspired by it. The creativity of our students is really amazing.”
The students’ work led to “River of Words: Musings on Port Royal Sound through Poetry and Art 2017,” a new collection of art and poetry awhich was unveiled at a reception Wednesday evening at the Port Royal Maritime Center. The book is the seventh in the program.
Fifth-grader Julianna Vega of Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts created this year’s cover art, a painting of a pelican.
“River of Words” is available online for $15 at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com. Type “River of Words” into the search engine.
Participating schools this year were: Battery Creek High, Beaufort Middle, Bluffton Middle, Hilton Head Island Elementary, Hilton Head Island School for the Creative Arts, H.E. McCracken Middle, Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary, Mossy Oaks Elementary, May River High, Okatie Elementary, Pritchardville Elementary, Red Cedar Elementary, Riverview Charter, River Ridge Academy, Robert Smalls International Academy, Michael C. Riley Elementary and Whale Branch Middle.
This story was originally published April 7, 2017 at 8:47 AM with the headline "Beyond the classroom walls: Students study Port Royal Sound through art, science lessons."