Virtual Field Trip: South Hamilton, MA Brick Ends Farm

Change is Simple is excited to present our second virtual field trip! We will be taking you to Brick Ends Farm in South Hamilton, Massachusetts! Dom and Eric headed over to the farm this winter to learn all about compost, soil health, and how our food waste can help the environment!

This 40 minute virtual field trip will include activity throughout and after the video that builds off of knowledge introduced in the field trip and statewide curriculum frameworks. These activities will be tied to vocabulary words and numbers that will show up on screen throughout the video. Students will be asked to keep track of these numbers and vocabulary words so that they can complete the grade level appropriate worksheet after they “return” from the field trip!

Wait! Before you begin……

Click below to download/print this sheet of paper, or watch the instructions at the beginning of the video to make your own…

Done watching the field trip?

It’s time to complete our worksheets that go along with the numbers and vocabulary words you wrote down during the field trip. They all can be found below. Please click on the buttons to find the PDF to download for your students.

Virtual Field Trip: Wellfleet, MA Oyster Farm

We at Change is Simple are so excited to introduce our first of many Virtual Field Trips!! We will be taking you to Wellfleet, MA to learn about the history of the area, the diverse ecosystems, and about Andrew Jacob's amazing oyster farm- Old Wharf Oyster Company.

This 35 minute virtual field trip will include activity throughout and after the video that builds off of knowledge introduced in the field trip and statewide curriculum frameworks. These activities will be tied to vocabulary words and numbers that will show up on screen throughout the video. Students will be asked to keep track of these numbers and vocabulary words so that they can complete the grade level appropriate worksheet after they “return” from the field trip!

Wait! Before you begin……

Download/print this sheet of paper, or watch the instructions at the beginning of the video to make your own…

Click on the video below and skip ahead to 20:00 to view the live recording of the premiere, followed by a Q/A with Change is Simple team members + Andrew Jacob!

Done watching the field trip?

It’s time to complete our worksheets that go along with the numbers and vocabulary words you wrote down during the field trip. They all can be found below. Please click on the buttons to find the PDF to download for your students.

Virtual Field Trip: Paddleboarding The Ipswich River

Welcome to Change is Simple’s Online Learning Platform!

Overview: Welcome to another Virtual Field Trip with Change is Simple! Today we will be exploring the Ipswich River in Ipswich, Massachusetts. If you tuned in to our Watershed Virtual Field Trip, we learned about the watershed on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In this Virtual Field Trip we explore where it all starts! The Ipswich River feeds Wenham Lake, which is a large source of water for a few towns. We are going to be taking a look to see how this affects the river. We also are going to see how much life is on the river. The river is a huge ecosystem that provides life to so many different species of plants and animals. Let’s see what we can find!!

Grade Level: K-6

Theme: Earth Systems, Natural Resources

Supervision needed? Yes

Essential Questions: 

• Name some animals that were seen. Did their life style impact the river?

• What can impact the speed that the water flows in the river?

• Why is it beneficial to have trees along each side of the river?

• Why does the water level in the river get lower as the summer passes by?

Materials Needed:

Standards:

Welcome to Change is Simple’s Virtual Field Trip!

Welcome to another Virtual Field Trip with Change is Simple! Today we will be exploring the Ipswich River in Ipswich, Massachusetts. If you tuned in on Wednesday, we learned about the watershed on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In this Virtual Field Trip we explore where it all starts! The Ipswich River feeds Wenham Lake, which is a large source of water for a few towns. We are going to be taking a look to see how this affects the river. We also are going to see how much life is on the river. The river is a huge ecosystem that provides life to so many different species of plants and animals. Let’s see what we can find!!

This Virtual Field Trip takes place on two CiS paddle boards. If you’re interested in renting one of these inflatable boards to go on your own adventure, stay tuned for information on our website next week!

Throughout our trip, we identify a ton of different aspects of this river ecosystem. See if you can answer these question on a separate piece of paper.

1. Can you name 5 animals that Ethan and Dom talked about?

2. What are a few challenges that Ethan and Dom faced while paddling up the river?

3. When is the river at its highest point? What is the main cause of the low water levels?

4. What helps keep the banks of the river from eroding away?

5. There was a ton of evidence of this animal along our paddle. What was the animal and how does it effect the flow of the river?
   
   

Your turn!!!!!

Now that you have watched Ethan and Dom explore this new ecosystem it’s your turn to get out there! After you answer the refection questions get outside! With permission from a parent head out to explore a new ecosystem. No need to be paddle boarding down a river, as we learned this week there are so many different ecosystems right around us. Skye started the week off exploring a coastal ecosystem and Patrick and Lauren were exploring the forest ecosystem. No matter where you are there will be cool places to find and exciting things to see.

So let’s get out there!!

Reflection

1. What did you learn from today’s field trip?

2. How does the river change throughout the seasons?

3. What impact do humans have on the river?

4. How do you think we can conserve the Ipswich River ecosystem? (Think about its water levels, the higher the water level the more life the river can sustain)

5. Do you think that this river will look the same in 10 year? What do you think will change the most?
   
   
   

If you are looking to rent our paddle boards check out our website next week for details!

Send us a photo of yourself doing today's activity and if you would like, please share your name(s) and where you are from with cisonline@changeissimple.org!

Virtual Field Trip: Beverly Woods and Watershed!

Welcome to Change is Simple’s Online Learning Platform!

Overview: Welcome to a Virtual Field Trip with Change is Simple! Today we will be exploring the Norwood Pond area in North Beverly, learning about aspects of the Beverly watershed, the water system, and how we get clean water inside our homes! So join us today for an educational walk through the woods to learn about how our water system works here in Beverly, Massachusetts (and to learn how to explore and research how yours works, no matter where you live)!

Grade Level: K-6

Theme: Earth Systems, Natural Resources

Supervision needed? Yes

Essential Questions: 

• How does the Beverly Salem drinking water system work?

• How much water does the Beverly water tower hold? How long would that last for Beverly and Salem?

• List 4 animals that are commonly found in thee woods near Norwood Pond.

• How does the pump house at Longham Reservoir help feed and support our water system?

Materials Needed:

• Paper

• 2 Markers

Standards:

Activity one:

On our hike today you will learn some new words. Define or explain each of the words below by writing your answers down on a sheet of paper, or by describing each to your teacher or to an adult in your life.

• Water Tower:

• Valve:

• Gravity-Fed Pipe:

• Water Treatment Facility:

• Reservoir:

• Peninsula:

• Ferns:

Watch the video and follow along!

ACTIVITY two:

Now, we want you to get out and explore! That was our fun virtual field trip! Find a wooded area near your home where you and an adult in your life can safely walk (you can look up Norwood Pond and visit there if you are nearby). Look for one that has a river, stream, lake, pond or reservoir nearby. Be sure to be prepared for a hike in the woods (wear appropriate shoes and clothing for the conditions, always have a trail map, plenty of water and a cell phone or emergency radio with charged batteries. And be mindful of hazards to you, for example; poison ivy, ticks, other biting insects or animals, etc.)

We also have a motto on every hike at Change is Simple: Leave It Better Than You Found It. We want to pick up any trash we see (if it’s safe and if you have gloves or can wash/sanitize your hands), stay on the designated paths to avoid disturbing wild life, and be sure to carry out all the trash we brought with us!

When you return from your hike:

• Try to identify some of the plants and animals you observed. You might even want to take some pictures while on your hike, so you can remember everything that you saw.

• Next, use a map to locate the forest and the body of water where you hiked. Conduct a little research to find out how this area may connect to your community’s water supply.

• Create a diagram, like the one we just drew in the video, of the proper connections in your water system. If you have a well at your home, draw the watershed/bodies of water that feed the water in your well.

Reflection:

1. What did you learn today? / What are some things that you did not know about the process of how we get clean water to our houses?

2. List 3 ways in which humans can negatively impact the water in a water system.

3. List 3 ways in which humans can help protect and conserve water.

4. BONUS: we only explored a portion of the water supply system for Beverly and Salem in our Virtual Field Trip. Can you identify other bodies of water that also connect to this water system? Hint: consider the areas north and west of Wenham Lake.

Below is a diagram of the flow for drinking water in Beverly and Salem. This is another visual of what we talked about in our Virtual Field Trip Today!

Source: check out the link below for the 2016 Water Quality Report for Salem, MA!

Did you enjoy today’s activity? Stay tuned for more, and in the meantime…

Send us a photo of yourself doing today's activity and if you would like, please share your name(s) and where you are from with cisonline@changeissimple.org!

Today's Topic: Virtual Field Trip with Change is Simple!

Welcome to Change is Simple’s Online Learning Platform!

Overview: This is a virtual field trip with an ecosystem scavenger hunt to go along with it! This field trip will showcase a part of the North Shore that YOU can actually explore on your own! During this field trip, we will be participating in an Ecosystem Scavenger Hunt.

Grade Level: K-6

Theme: Earth Systems, Natural Resources, Climate Change

Supervision needed? Yes

Essential Questions: 

• What are 4 different types of living things in an ecosystem?

• What is important about sand dune grasses? What do they help protect?

• What is one example of how we made some changes to help protect an animal on the beach?

• Define commensalism.

• How do microplastics impact the ocean ecosystem?

Materials Needed:

• Pencil

• Paper

• Markers, Crayons or Colored Pencils

• Camera (if desired)

Standards:

Ecosystem Scavenger Hunt

During the Ecosystem Scavenger Hunt, we will be searching for a few things in our Ecosystem:

There are 6 main aspects to an ecosystem: let’s try and find an example of each, take a picture or draw each one you find.

• Plants: Try to find a unique plant or tree

• Animals: See if you can spot a creature that live there. It can be a bird, fish, small mammal or big!

• Nonliving: What is there an abundance (a lot) of in the area? Examples of non-living are, rocks, sand, water dirt.

• Threatened/near threatened/endangered plant or an animal

• Human impacts on the ecosystem: Look around, do you see anything that shows how humans have effected the area?

• Ways we can help protect that ecosystem: What do you think you can do to protect the area that you are in?

This morning, head onto the beach with one of our lead educators. Skye will be exploring the coastal ecosystem of Good Harbor Beach, in Gloucester Massachusetts!

Did you enjoy today’s activity? Stay tuned for more, and in the meantime…

Send us a photo of yourself doing today's activity and if you would like, please share your name(s) and where you are from with cisonline@changeissimple.org

Virtual Field Trip: Paddleboarding The Ipswich River

Welcome to Change is Simple’s Online Learning!

Overview: Welcome to another Virtual Field Trip with Change is Simple! Today we will be exploring the Ipswich River in Ipswich, Massachusetts. If you tuned in to our Watershed Virtual Field Trip, we learned about the watershed on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In this Virtual Field Trip we explore where it all starts! The Ipswich River feeds Wenham Lake, which is a large source of water for a few towns. We are going to be taking a look to see how this affects the river. We also are going to see how much life is on the river. The river is a huge ecosystem that provides life to so many different species of plants and animals. Let’s see what we can find!!

Grade Level: K-6

Theme: Earth Systems, Natural Resources

Supervision needed? Yes

Essential Questions: 

• Name some animals that were seen. Did their life style impact the river?

• What can impact the speed that the water flows in the river?

• Why is it beneficial to have trees along each side of the river?

• Why does the water level in the river get lower as the summer passes by?

Materials Needed:

Standards:

Welcome to Change is Simple’s Virtual Field Trip!

Welcome to another Virtual Field Trip with Change is Simple! Today we will be exploring the Ipswich River in Ipswich, Massachusetts. If you tuned in on Wednesday, we learned about the watershed on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In this Virtual Field Trip we explore where it all starts! The Ipswich River feeds Wenham Lake, which is a large source of water for a few towns. We are going to be taking a look to see how this affects the river. We also are going to see how much life is on the river. The river is a huge ecosystem that provides life to so many different species of plants and animals. Let’s see what we can find!!

This Virtual Field Trip takes place on two CiS paddle boards. If you’re interested in renting one of these inflatable boards to go on your own adventure, stay tuned for information on our website next week!

Throughout our trip, we identify a ton of different aspects of this river ecosystem. See if you can answer these question on a separate piece of paper.

1. Can you name 5 animals that Ethan and Dom talked about?

2. What are a few challenges that Ethan and Dom faced while paddling up the river?

3. When is the river at its highest point? What is the main cause of the low water levels?

4. What helps keep the banks of the river from eroding away?

5. There was a ton of evidence of this animal along our paddle. What was the animal and how does it effect the flow of the river?
   
   

Your turn!!!!!

Now that you have watched Ethan and Dom explore this new ecosystem it’s your turn to get out there! After you answer the refection questions get outside! With permission from a parent head out to explore a new ecosystem. No need to be paddle boarding down a river, as we learned this week there are so many different ecosystems right around us. Skye started the week off exploring a coastal ecosystem and Patrick and Lauren were exploring the forest ecosystem. No matter where you are there will be cool places to find and exciting things to see.

So let’s get out there!!

Reflection

1. What did you learn from today’s field trip?

2. How does the river change throughout the seasons?

3. What impact do humans have on the river?

4. How do you think we can conserve the Ipswich River ecosystem? (Think about its water levels, the higher the water level the more life the river can sustain)

5. Do you think that this river will look the same in 10 year? What do you think will change the most?
   
   
   

If you are looking to rent our paddle boards check out our website next week for details!

Send us a photo of yourself doing today's activity and if you would like, please share your name(s) and where you are from with amy@changeissimple.org!