Forty-six Saint Joseph School students in Grades 5 and 6 traded their traditional classrooms for the forests, fields, ponds, cranberry bogs, and coastal environments of Cape Cod during a three-day Outdoor Classroom experience in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, from September 28–30.
The overnight program combined environmental science, outdoor adventure, and team-building activities designed to strengthen students’ critical-thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. The Yarmouth Port location was selected to complement Saint Joseph School’s annual STEM Days at Webster Lake while giving students an opportunity to investigate a very different ecosystem.
“We selected the Yarmouth Port location because it allowed our students to build upon the environmental learning they experience during our annual STEM Days at Webster Lake while exploring an entirely different ecosystem,” said Principal Beth Boudreau. “The students were able to learn through direct observation, hands-on investigation, and collaboration—and they had an incredible time doing it.”
The highlight of the trip was an excursion to Chapin Memorial Beach. Arriving at low tide, students explored the beach’s vast intertidal zone and searched for signs of coastal and marine life, including hermit crabs, moon snails, and other organisms that inhabit the changing environment between land and sea. Students observed firsthand how tides influence habitats and the plants and animals that depend upon them.
Throughout their stay, students selected from a variety of hands-on classes based on their individual interests. In Camouflage and Stalking, they learned how and why animals use camouflage before practicing their own ability to hide within a natural environment. During Terrarium Making, students created miniature ecosystems while learning how living and nonliving components interact.
Orienteering introduced students to the use of maps and compasses, while Wood Carving emphasized tool safety and traditional outdoor skills. In Forest Fires, students explored how fires begin, spread, and sometimes contribute to the natural process of forest renewal. During the evening Science Fair, students participated in demonstrations involving scientific principles such as air pressure, electricity, convection, and states of matter.
Some students selected a Wild Wellness class, during which they learned about the historical uses of plants and created an all-natural facial scrub. The popular Night Experience, also known as the “Night Hike,” encouraged students to explore the outdoors after dark while learning how human senses adapt to nighttime conditions.
Beyond the academic lessons, students challenged themselves on a low ropes course, visited a cranberry bog, and participated in team-building exercises. Competitive—but friendly—games of gaga ball were a favorite during free time. Evenings were filled with singing, laughter, and camaraderie.
The food also earned especially enthusiastic reviews, with many students returning for second and even third helpings.
Although the trip began with rainy weather and many students were nervous about spending their first nights away from home, the group quickly adjusted.
“One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was watching students grow in confidence and independence,” Boudreau said. “Some were nervous about being away from home for the first time, but by the final day, many were asking if they could stay longer. That transformation says so much about the quality of the experience.”
The students were accompanied by Boudreau, Grade 5 Instructor Miss Norah Brennan, Middle School Science Instructor Mr. Mathew Kolesnik, and parent chaperones Mrs. Kristen Kracjik, Mrs. Melissa Copeland, and Mr. Michael Coan.
Saint Joseph School is grateful to the phenomenal Outdoor Classroom staff and to the faculty members and parents who helped make the trip a safe, meaningful, and memorable learning experience. Following the success of this year’s program, the school has already booked its Outdoor Classroom trip for 2027.
