STRONG — On the next to last day of school before summer vacation, students and teachers from grades 5 – 8 at Day Mountain Regional Middle School (DMRMS) made a trip to Boothbay to explore the wonders of The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

DMRMS art teacher, Heidi Richards, explained, “The theme for this year’s art classes centered around art from around the world. The fifth grade learned about the Danish artist, Thomas Dambo and his troll sculptures. The students were asked to create a paper mache troll inspired by Thomas Dambo and using natural and recycled materials much like he does in his work.

“The field trip was a chance for the students to see the magnificent art sculptures of Thomas Dambo in person at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens,” Richards continued, “It was a great experience for students to reflect on the power of art to bring awareness to the environmental issues faced by society and to experience the measures that groups and individuals can take to minimize human impact and preserve our natural world. AND the students were also asked to think of how each troll contributes to protecting and preserving the natural habitat, which created the perfect tie-in to concepts learned in science classes.”

English Language Arts teacher, Nicole Levesque, had her 5/6 students read the stories of the Trolls found on the Botanical Garden’s website, then write their own poems about the trolls they had created in art class.

According to the website, “The mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections between people and nature and promote plant conservation through horticulture, education, and plant science.”

Science teacher for the students in grades 5 and 6, Tom Piekart, added, “The mountain students were exposed to the beautiful coast of Maine. We went down to the landing (at the Gardens) and observed the rising tide, and the different types of kelp…”

Students had mixed opinions regarding the unfamiliar smell they noticed as they scanned the rocky shore from the Garden’s dock on Back River. Mr. Piekart pointed out that, at the ocean, “you don’t smell the ocean, you smell the sea shore.”

7th and 8th grade students would use the experience to support environmental investigations.

Their science teacher, Candace Dunham, explained, “Earlier this year the classes worked on identifying tree species native to our area, more specifically thriving in the school’s forest. We focused on conifers and worked on building skills to identify the species…The idea that we walked through the forests of coastal Maine and (saw that) the same species of coniferous trees thrive in the two distant and different areas will be a discussion point to start next year’s classes, during which we will continue our studies of invasive and climate influenced issues that are affecting our environment.”

Ms. Dunham also pointed out that “students had the chance to work through the Bee Education Station, which connected our botany investigations to live pollinators in the outside world.”

Additionally, all the student groups had the opportunity to practice their map skills as they searched for the Guardians of the Seeds, the butterfly house, waterfalls, the 5 Senses Gardens, and the Jungle House.

Speaking on behalf of all the students, teachers, and chaperones, Ms. Dunham emphasized, “The day provided such solace. We have been making connections between content and our lives in the classroom all year. This trip was the perfect opportunity to see students work through the gardens, to appreciate the environment and plantings, and most of all to respect nature and the hard work that goes into the creation of a healthy, thriving environment.”

Additionally, she expressed the sincere appreciation of the entire DMRMS staff and student body to the

Carrabassett Valley Innovative Education Grant committee for their approval of the grant request for the funds which made this adventure possible.

“Without their support our students would not have had this opportunity,” she stated.

DMRMS Principal Margaret Adams was especially enthusiastic about the day’s adventure.

“I am in awe of the amazing experiences DMRMS staff are able to provide to our middle school students,” she stated, “They go above and beyond to make sure that students are exposed to incredible learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom.”

Mrs. Adams also seconded Candace Dunham’s thank you to Carrabassett for the grant money.

Because of the financial support received, she shared, “We were able to offer this hands-on, engaging learning extension to the entire middle school. Students made deeper cross-curricular connections between art and science while delving into native tree identification, exploring the “Gardens of the Forest” as well as “Guardians of the Seeds” troll exhibits, and studying pollinator niches in our ecosystem. Staff and students alike were grateful for this beautiful opportunity.”