Last week, our 7th and 8th graders stepped into immersive fieldwork experiences that brought their academic studies to life.
7th Grade: Monterey
Seventh graders traveled to Monterey to explore ecosystems, biodiversity, and the relationship between human impact and the natural world. Through visits to Pinnacles National Park, tide pool studies at Natural Bridges, kayaking in Elkhorn Slough, and water quality testing at Carmel River State Beach, students applied concepts from science, math, and humanities in real time.
They collected and analyzed data, examined ecosystems through both biotic and abiotic factors, and connected their field observations to larger questions around stewardship and responsibility. Journaling and group discussions grounded the experience in literacy and storytelling, helping students reflect on how the stories we tell shape our understanding of the world.
8th Grade: Systems, Impact, and Responsibility
Eighth graders are currently engaged in a science unit on product lifecycles and circular economies, exploring how materials are produced, used, and reused. Their fieldwork extended this learning through an investigation of environmental systems and human impact.
On the Klamath River, students examined the removal of the Iron Gate Dam, exploring hydropower, Indigenous rights, and environmental restoration while engaging in structured discussion and debate. This work connects directly to their academic focus on systems thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and real-world problem solving.
Back on campus, students are designing solutions to improve recycling practices for a local rafting company, and will soon visit Redwood Materials and the Tesla Gigafactory to see circular economy principles in action.
Across both grades, fieldwork reflects TEA’s core approach to academics: rigorous, interdisciplinary learning that asks students to apply knowledge in meaningful, real-world contexts.
