Pinecrest Trip Supports Science Curriculum

Our seventh grade Stars and Suns ventured off campus last week for the second annual trip to Pinecrest Camp and Retreat Center in Moscow, TN. In addition to building leadership and teamwork skills, this trip supports our Junior High science curriculum by focusing on various outdoor STEM activities. 

Research consistently shows that outdoor learning complements indoor learning by improving student performance and increasing student participation and enjoyment in science learning activities. While at Pinecrest the 7^th graders actively participated in scientific thinking and engagement with nature through a program that encouraged observation and inquiry-based learning. 

“The 7th-grade class trip to Pinecrest aligns with our science curriculum by providing hands-on experience with ecosystems and adaptation,” said science teacher Chuck Henry. “During the trip, students built shelters from forest floor resources, reinforcing their understanding of how organisms utilize natural materials for survival. This practical activity bridges classroom knowledge with real-world applications, enhancing their ecological understanding.”

Our Dominican Sisters promote the “care of creation” through their mission of operating four Ecology Centers. In line with this teaching, SAA and SDS provides opportunities for our students to discover and explore, and to love and protect the natural world around them.  

While at Pinecrest students took an Aquifer Tour where they were fully immersed in what Pinecrest program director Charity Siebert describes as “the real-world geologic view of where the Memphis Sands aquifer reaches the surface.” Through this activity, students grow to understand how our drinking water is vital and naturally protected. 

Seventh grade Sun Griffin Kenney shared, “In class we learned about a recent study done on the Aquifer. It has some of the cleanest water in the world, but it contains gaps that could allow it to become infected. Also, in Geography, we talk about the importance of access to clean water in other countries.” 

During another activity, Walk in the Watershed, program leaders bring that understanding to the surface level as they discuss the meaning of a watershed. Charity explained, “We teach the students to read the landscape for the micro-watershed and to use maps to understand how a watershed is delineated.  The students then take that knowledge and visit our sandy creek to create a watershed in small groups.” 

Programs such as the Pinecrest trip enhance student achievement by increasing their abilities to problem-solve and think critically. Through this multidimensional approach to learning, they engage with nature, foster concern for our environment, and ultimately connect with each other. “On the trip I found that getting away with my St. Dominic brothers is a great way to get to know them better and get to know my new classmates even better,” added Griffin.