Third graders take virtual journey to the ocean, space

Third grade students at the Mid Valley Elementary Center participated in two separate virtual field trips that complemented the English language arts (ELA) module they were studying. Teachers collaborated with friends and family members to connect our third graders with the Florida Oceanographic Society and the Kennedy Space Center.

As the third-graders finished up a module on the sea in early January, students took a virtual visit to the Florida Oceanographic Society. A marine biologist led our students through a discussion on the life of a sea turtle. The students watched a live video of sea turtles in their habitat and learned facts about their life cycle and diet. One student stated, “I learned that leatherbacks are the biggest type of sea turtle and that they have lots of spikes in their throat. It was so exciting to see live turtles.”

The students’ next adventure landed them at the Kennedy Space Center. A mechanical engineer gave a presentation on various projects she was working on, including training astronauts and preparing for the Orion launch. The NASA employee left our students with this inspiring message, “Work hard and dream big.” This experience integrated perfectly with the students’ upcoming module — outer space.

The Mid Valley School District is proud of its students, staff, and community members who made these trips possible. We are thrilled that our students were still able to participate in these wonderful learning experiences despite these challenging times.