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We got a nice tour of top golf and were able to ask questions and then play some golf.  It was fun taking slow motion video of the ball being hit of the ground.

Ryan King showed us some fun physics technology that can be used with our videos to make calculations on speed, distance, height, etc.

Great to play golf and to collaborate and share ideas with other teachers

Melissa Hoormann - PCH

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I had the opportunity to visit the Third Degree Glass studio.  I never knew this studio existed at the end of the Delmar Loop.  Not only was this an interesting PD experience, but I never knew how much science was correlated with making and designing glass.  I only had prior knowledge of glass making basics.  Not only was this a learning opportunity for teaching staff, but it is a great opportunity for students to learn all of the detail and intricate things that go into making and creating glass art.  This business has glass making/designing classes from simple mixtures, beads and jewelry, to windows, vases, chandeliers and hanging wall art.  Third degree glass also has huge firing rooms to make and melt glass.  They also offer, art shows, venues for receptions/parties and retail opportunities to sell your work.  This was an enriching experience to learn about the connections to my discipline with science,  SE therapy, motor skills, visual/auditory learning and following directions.  The presenter was very knowledgeable and helpful in educating participants. 

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I had the opportunity to visit the Third Degree Glass studio.  I never knew this studio existed at the end of the Delmar Loop.  Not only was this an interesting PD experience, but I never knew how much science was correlated with making and designing glass.  I only had prior knowledge of glass making basics.  Not only was this a learning opportunity for teaching staff, but it is a great opportunity for students to learn all of the detail and intricate things that go into making and creating glass art.  This business has glass making/designing classes from simple mixtures, beads and jewelry, to windows, vases, chandeliers and hanging wall art.  Third degree glass also has huge firing rooms to make and melt glass.  They also offer, art shows, venues for receptions/parties and retail opportunities to sell your work.  This was an enriching experience to learn about the connections to my discipline with science,  SE therapy, motor skills, visual/auditory learning and following directions.  The presenter was very knowledgeable and helpful in educating participants. 

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I got to see the workings of the Humane Society on our field trip.  They broke the group up into two smaller groups to run the tour and it was great.  We got to see all of the parts of the site.  I didn't realize all of the different aspects of the Humane Society and all that they do for pets in our region. They also had a classroom where they went over their programs and opportunities for teachers and students to come to the location for a field trip. The guides and volunteers were great and I would recommend this to anyone who can relate the Humane Society to their curriculum. I will be working to attempt to do this.

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I truly enjoyed by experience at South Tech.  The extensive programs offered far surpassed my knowledge about the school.  South Tech has grown incredibly. I wish that my son would have gone there, he is much more of a hands on learner.  I look forward to informing my freshman and sophomore students about the programs South Tech offers.  College is not for everyone.  More students today are going into fields that require apprenticeships.  This school is perfect for these specific students.

Anne Erehart

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I attended the tour at the Emerson building on the campus of Flor Valley. Great opportunities for some of our students that would like to pursue a career in an engineering related field. Students will be able to obtain a career skill in an affordable manner, and would be employable after a certificate or an associate degree. Presenters were excited about their programs and did a great job during the tour.

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I'd never been introduced to South Tech or what it has to offer.  I had some students who have gone there, and I've asked about their classes.  But I never knew just how professional and just how career-ready it helps our students become in fields in which they are passionate.  We went in the morning and saw junior level classes.  I'd like to go back sometime and observe senior level classes to see how much more advanced the curriculum is after one year.  I really appreciate my new understanding of how beneficial South Tech's job training programs could be for students who may not be on a 4-year college path.  There is much pride evident in South Tech,  and what they offer to students is amazing.

Susie Richmann
North High Math

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Growing up in the area, I had always view south tech as a place for non-traditional students who were not good in school and labeled as trouble makers. Since becoming a teacher my views on South Tech have changed greatly, but there was still this idea that south tech is really a place for those "non-traditional students". After my field trip I have a whole new view of this school and the classes they offer. I am inspired by the level of education that is provided to our students and the level of job training our students receive. South tech is something that I will be promoting to my students.

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Missouri Historical Society:  Civil War sources

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Missouri Historical Society:  Civil War sources

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Did you know that Missouri had the 3rd most battles of any state during the Civil War?  The librarian walked us through the field trip option that students would get if we set up a field trip for them to learn about St. Louis during the Civil War.  We read primary sources connected to 4 people living in St  Louis during the war and 4 local places with an exciting Civil War history.  The big take away is that St. Louis' diversity of opinions during the war led to some high tension and at times violent encounters.   Fun facts:  Gratiot Street Prison (now Purina PetCare factory) housed Union deserters, Confederate rebels, spies, men and women.  Benton Barracks was a training ground for colored Union troops (19,000 at a time) and is now Fairgrounds Park.  The Camp Jackson Affair and Jefferson Barracks were also studied.  This could be a good place for a History of St. Louis field trip since the students would dig deeper into the Civil War history of the area.
Lara Boles--West High Social Studies

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This tour covered in detail the economic and social changes that have occurred in St. Louis (focusing on the Grand area) over the past decades with a focus on the idea of "the whole being greater than its parts." We learned the architecture, commercial, and cultural changes that have happened and are evident in many buildings in the area. Seeing the Continental Soldier faces carved into the upper floors of the Continental Building and learning about "Auto Row" was incredibly interesting. This tour was great in that we visited an area that I am familiar with but had never really stopped to take in. The Angad Arts Hotel was a highlight of the trip and I will definitely be sharing the learning from this tour with others. I hope this tour (and others) will continue to be offered!

Andrew Rudolph - North High

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Renegade STL Women Literary Walking Tour 

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Renegade STL Women Literary Walking Tour 

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I had a wonderful experience with this field trip.  We met at the Chase in the CWE.  We walked around the CWE for 2 hours learning about the neighborhoods, architecture, and history of the CWE. It was a beautiful fall day, and I just really enjoyed learning outside about our city.  I think this would be a wonderful experience for our students as well. I hope this type of PD will be offered in the future in which there is choice and variety of field trips to select from.  Thank you for all the hard work to set this up.

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Amazing field experience showing how the region around Weldon Springs played an integral role during WWII and the Cold War.  From the production of TNT and DNT during WWII where they produced over 1-million pounds per day for the war effort, to how the government produced uranium during the nuclear age race, the site provided a local example of how all communities shared a role in these periods of American History

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This was an amazing experience.  First, we were introduced to the history and purpose of the sanctuary by  an extremely knowledgeable host.  What I came away with is how truly endangered wolves are in the United States-- most species are gone completely, the Red Wolf is down to less than 20 still existing in the wild (all are in North Carolina) and another species in the southwest.  The sanctuary is actively working to increase the number of wolves in the wild.  The wolves in the southwest breed in a one week period once a year.  They are breeding wolves here and then trying to take the pups and put them in dens with females and their own babies in the wild.  Amazing!  We saw wolves, African Painted Dogs (name changing to Wolves), and rescued Foxes.  Learning about their work and seeing all of these incredible animals was something I will never forget-- and I plan to go back.
The program really stressed their willingness to work with teachers to create meaningful learning experiences for students that tie in with what students are doing in the classroom.   For example, they have done poetry writing experiences for English classes. Susan S. King-- Central High

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Visiting the Crisis Nursery branch in St. Charles county was truly a privilege. Initially, I had very little knowledge about what the Crisis Nursery is, who it serves, and what its mission entails. Upon arriving, our trip began with meeting a program quality care manager. She was incredibly helpful in providing the organization's mission and vision to allow us to better understand its work. The Crisis Nursery serves children between the ages of birth and 12 years old. It supports families in unstable home conditions, either by providing emergency respite care or by employing a team of support staff members to stabilize the home conditions long-term. While the reasons families may utilize the center may vary, parents often seek the assistance of the nursery if they feel their children may be in harm due to the family's home conditions. The nursery operates on a "no questions asked" policy, which I thought was extremely powerful. In talking with the staff members, in touring the home facility, and in asking questions about policies and goals of the organization, we were able to learn the nursery's chief priority: to provide children safety and parents information and supports to empower them to provide a long-term safe home environment for their developing children. It was incredible to see the staff's dedication to treating families with dignity and to developing life-long skills for providing safe homes for children across our city.

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So, first of all, it was beautiful -- well kept, gorgeous huge big trees, and a sense of calm and serenity, which is pretty much all what you would want.  Second, the place is dripping with history.  Yes, in terms of the celebrated folks who are buried there, of course, but even more about how every marker and every memorial can tell a story about those who came before us.  Our guide ushered us in to that world just a little bit -- but enough to make you appreciate the weight and the significance of so much that you were entirely unaware of.  Third, it's amazing how organic the place feels.  The paths follow the lines of the creeks which drain the hills, wending their way across the grounds.  The trees, and there are so many trees -- 9000 of them -- seem to belong in just the right place and just the right way, and our guide seemed to have a personal relationship with each one.  The graves didn't march in rows and columns without regard to the land itself (as they seem to do in Calvary Cemetery across the street), but instead nestle and gather on top of hills and in hollows -- less orderly, but more naturally.  Bellefontaine Cemetery is a soulful place, and I'm glad I got to go.

Scott Nilsen -- North High

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This was a very enlightening experience. I have been teaching the Holocaust for 15 years, and I am amazed to find out there is always more information I can use to enhance what I teach. The staff was knowledgeable and seeing specific artifacts really challenged my thinking. We were given valuable information that we can incorporate in our curriculum. There was also an offer from a survivors' daughter to come and speak with our classes. I appreciate the opportunity to have this learning experience.- Suzette Moore

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The Zoo was great it is unbelievable what all goes into what the animals eat! Weather they are born at the St. Louis Zoo, or are transferred there the animals have been researched and a diet is created for them that suits their needs. The nutritionist go into every detail of what works best for the animals. If things are not going well they change things for the animal. They have all scenarios covered even down to someone wondering into their habitat in which they have a special signal and treat to get the animal back into his sleeping area for everyone's safety. The St. Louis Zoo is very impressive and this area is even more impressive!
Mark Goldenberg
Parkway Central

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This was my first time visiting South Tech.  My own children have visited there and my sister even graduated from there.  I wasn’t aware of all the opportunities that they offer and the connections they have with companies across St. Louis.  The students that talked to us were so eloquent and really explained how the programs work and lessons they learn.  I think they have done a great job changing their image over the past couple decades.   -Jen Mueller

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I have lived in the region my entire life and love learning about the history. This experience continued that process. The presentation was lively and informative. It provided insight into the role that this location has played in the development of our countries nuclear program.

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I truly left South County Tech on Friday inspired.  I always heard about the options offered, but never had the experience of seeing it first hand.  Our first stop on the tour was the students studying to be police officers.  The retired police officer that was the teacher was beyond impressive.  Her message was all about integrity.  The students were so respectful and you could tell how much they were learning.  As we continued on to stop at the child development, computer areas, steel worker area, and machinist area I just continued to be at awe by the teachers and students.  My highlight of the tour was the student representative in the machinist area.  As the student spoke to all of us the substitute for the day was off to the side in a chair.  I told the student when leaving that I truly did not know if he was the teacher or student.  I was thoroughly impressed.  I was able to see a few north students and a previous north student that day.  It was an experience I will continue to talk about with students as they register for choice programs.

Julie Parks
North High

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What a great opportunity to understand our students in another context!  My favorite was the tour of the mosque because our guide not only educated us on the belief systems but also highlighted the perspective of Muslim teenagers in the US.  We were received so much information at all three of our stops, that my head was a little spinning.  I appreciate the opportunity to develop my teaching outside of the confines of my content.  It was truly student centered development.

Beth Karfs
Central High

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Weldon Springs

I had no idea of the history of St. Louis being involved with the beginning processes of radioactive materials. I found the center very informative of the transitions of the center over a couple centuries between the beginning inhabitants of the area to the era past the cold war. I loved how the center can be tied into several strands in science like environmental, radioactivity, and even states of matter. It was a surreal moment to climb the rock mound which contains the waste from the center's cleanup during the 90s and early 00's. I also find it very fascinating with the current efforts and monitoring of water wells at the site. I think this experience could help students understand the consequences and impacts of humans on the environment and also show the time line of these impacts since the center is still working toward cleanup/monitoring of water pollution from the radioactive materials.

Mary Schuckmann
South High

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This was a very well run tour that students would love. The facility is so much larger than it looks from the outside and they did a nice job of giving us a behind the scenes look at all aspects of their work., The tour guides were very knowledgeable and provided several statistics that I think would peak the interests of my students. They have so many cool learning opportunities for adolescents and they really appreciate the support that young people provide there. I would highly recommend this tour to others.

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I was really impressed with the nutritional tour at the Zoo. We were able to see the nutritional center, see the research lab, the preparation area, and food storage. It was really interesting to hear about how they organize the food and nutritional needs of all the animals. I never realized so much went into deciding which animal gets what type of food. While nutrition was a big part of the decision making process, the nutritionist also talked about how food plays a part in bribing during the training process and as a way to stimulate the animals' minds. For example, some type of apes are used to foraging for their food in the wild, and the zookeepers try to replicate that in the specified area.

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Today I visited the Crisis Nursery in St. Charles. We listened to a care provider describe the services the nursery provides, their needs, how they operate, and how it might apply to us as teachers. We also were able to tour the facility. The Crisis Nursery provides immediate care for children and families in need. They have two homes in St. Charles, one in Wentzville, and one in St. Louis County that services students in our district. Overall, it was a very informative experience and helped me to better understand the experiences some of our students face.

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Seeing a radio studio in person was very interesting and taught me a lot about the production process. It was really helpful that our guide explained and demonstrated some of the different software that is used to produce radio shows and podcasts. In addition to this, he shared this really awesome resource the studio uses to train its volunteers: http://wiki.kdhx.org/index.php/Main_Page#Production_.2F_Content
This wiki would be great to use when teaching students about audio and video production, especially the tips for recording.

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The trip to KDHX was a great way to learn more about the technology involved in local radio, the history of corporate sponsorship and how independent radio in STL works to break free of that, and the ways in which we can support students who might be interested in potential internships.  We should definitely explore ways to incorporate this technology into our Tech programs in the district.  

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The trip to KDHX was a great way to learn more about the technology involved in local radio, the history of corporate sponsorship and how independent radio in STL works to break free of that, and the ways in which we can support students who might be interested in potential internships.  We should definitely explore ways to incorporate this technology into our Tech programs in the district.  

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Shaw nature reserve has lots of opportunities to bring students out to learn about conservation and native prairie rehab. They offer overnight options. They can also tailor an experience to what you are covering in your class. There is a research training programs for high school students called SIFT, where they do a one week training in the summer (bus transportation available) and then have an opportunity to join research projects (paid work) and learn research techniques.

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Renegade STL Women's Literary History Tour

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Renegade STL Women's Literary History Tour

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While this tour did not go as expected, it was extremely enlightening about the history of our city and I was reminded about several writing projects I have seen in the past that invite students to go out, explore a place, investigate its history, and write.  Despite living in this city almost my entire life, there is still so much I don't know and no one really prodded me to get out of my bubble of experiences within my own city when I was younger.  I wonder how eye-opening a tour like this would be for students who are unaware of the richness of stories of other neighborhoods.

--Andria Benmuvhar
West High

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Renegade STL Women's Literary History Tour

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Renegade STL Women's Literary History Tour

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We toured some wonderfully historical parts of our city, learning about some lesser known female authors from St. Louis who were risk takers, alternative thinkers, writing and inspiring people in their community, which would have been far from the the norm for women of that era.   I found myself thinking about how the curriculum we typically do includes many novels,  but fewer short selections from diverse perspectives.  This trip reminded me that it is important that our students are reading from multiple perspectives, not only modern ones, but also historical people who were challenging the status quo, or stepping out of the norm.

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I attended a field trip to top golf where we looked at how close our analysis of how far the ball would travel compared to how far the chip in the golf balls stated the ball traveled. We used video analysis to find the initial velocity of the golf ball and used this velocity to predict the distance the ball traveled.  Amazingly, our analysis and top golfs was only about 6% different.

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Today's learning experience in the Grand Center Neighborhood was incredible.  Our tour guide, Rick, was a wealth of knowledge about the history, significance, and current role of all of the buildings in the area.  We visited building that were old and restored, old and abandoned, and brand new.  Learning so much about the changing use of and design of the urban landscape will help me give specific examples when discussing the topic in Human Geography.

Jeff Kinney
North High

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All I can say is WOW! Only spending about 45 minutes to an hour at the Daar Ul-Islam Mosque, The Hindu Temple of St. Louis, and Assumption Greek Orthodox Church... I felt as though I was in information overload. I am at Queeny all the time to go on walks, and always wanted to visit the Islamic Mosque, but did not know how I would be able to visit? This was the opportunity I have been looking for! It was really nice to be able to see three religions of students that we have in our own classrooms. Because of this experience, I know that I am going to make better connections with my students. Thanks for the opportunity!

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Shaw Nature Reserve was a beautiful site where we learned a lot about the plants that are native to Missouri and how our students can be involved with expanding and preserving the ecology of the area. The site also provided us with information about how to get our students more involved in biology and ecosystems. I walked away from the experience with good resources to connect Missouri science to my English curriculum.

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Visiting Third Degree Glass was very informative and interested me a lot personally. We explored three different rooms at the business. One of them was a room where anyone can cut pieces of glass and create a slab by heating their creation. The second room we visited allowed us to see the process of glass bead making. The third room was actual glass blowing, where we got to see a short demonstration and learn about the tools used to blow glass. Learning about the scientific and mathematical aspects of glass blowing was neat, and hearing terms throughout the tour like "point of expansion" and "coefficient of the glass" allowed me to make connections to curriculum. It was a really fun experience!

- Alexandria Elder, Central High

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This tour and informational meeting regarding programs offered and the history of where Technical Education has been and where it is heading was facinating! There are students making more money after graduating from South Tech as an 18-19 year old, than I am currently. I might need to change career fields! It was interesting to see statistics about where the jobs are relative to educational achievement level. Employers with the most demand are asking for skilled workers not degreed students. There are really quality job opportunities available! More effort needs to happen at the high schools to promote and encourage our students to enroll in this program!

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Shaw Nature Reserve was beautiful this morning. They have several centers for various learning experiences, many of them directed toward high school students. I could see ELA research topic applications, but it would have to be geared toward a life sciences topic. There would certainly be creative nonfiction/creative writing applications. South is surrounded by green space and wooded areas. Shaw made me think about writing and research on our own campus.

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Renegade Women Literary Walking Tour of CWE

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Renegade Women Literary Walking Tour of CWE

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I greatly enjoyed this tour this morning. I felt as though the tour guide Amanda was knowledgeable and personable and enjoyed getting to hear all the tidbits she had to offer about the history of the Central West End, St. Louis in general, and its many famous families and literary personalities. Specifically, I felt like I was able to make many connections between literature, architecture, history, and social inequalities of the time (and today's time) that I will be more diligent about bringing into my classroom. On top of that, the morning was a good way for me to remember that not only do I love teaching - I also love being a student and learning new things. Bonus if they can inform my teaching. :) Thanks for the opportunity to get out of the building and into the community today to find a new spark to take into the rest of the semester. I definitely would recommend Renegade STL for another PD option in the future!
-Shannon Lesko, South High

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I very much enjoyed this field trip for some personal reasons. It was fun to see some of the faces behind the voices I listen to on NPR every day.

The presentation from the We Live Here podcast had so many valuable curricular connections. I appreciated the way they demonstrated some real-world applications for the writing skills I teach my students. For instance, Ashley went through her process for how she outlines an episode of the podcast, and both hosts spoke at length about the importance of connecting with a specific audience when putting a story together.

These are steps of the writing process that my students often want to skip. They don't want to outline -- they just want to write. They think that I am the only real audience for their writing. I am looking forward to sharing with my students the WHY behind these steps of the writing process. This is not something they will only use when writing an essay for their English teacher. These are real, practical skills that can be used in many real world work environments.

-Steve Wissinger, South High

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I learned a lot about how the zoo makes sure that all of their animals receive the most nutritious food and how they use food for different animal enrichment.
I was shocked at how much food they have on hand for weekly use (their refrigerator and freezer were huge).
This trip would connect well to Human Anatomy and Physiology curriculum or Biology in that organisms need certain nutrients and vitamins to build their tissues and make specific colors (like the pink of a flamingo or the yellow of bird beaks and feet). This is a real life connection to why molecules are important to life .
Jeanette Bosomworth

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A fascinating place to visit and learn not only about cemeteries (headstones vs footstones), the art of the monuments, history of Saint Louis and Saint Louisans, but also a tremendous about of information about trees! I would love to go back and visit, but would definitely take a tour -- the guides are a wealth of knowledge!

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We are all aiming for the same thing. BE NICE! I didn't realize that Hinduism wasn't a religion, it is a way of thinking and acting. I had several misconceptions of Islam straightened out, and found out that old ladies from Wisconsin know A WHOLE LOT about Greek Orthodox churches.

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I found this experience quite relevant to U.S. History, particularly my unit on WWII.  The focus of my unit is the war on the home front and this sparked an idea to really focus on how St. Louis contributed to the war effort.  It would also allow me to connect to my classroom theme of the past still having an impact on today.  I'm busy rolling an idea around my head for students to do some research on key facilities in St Louis the were integral to helping the U.S. fight the war.

These field experiences are the best.  We need to keep doing them!

Jeremy Nichols
South High

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Plant, Animal & Tree Investigation at Creve Coeur Lake

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Plant, Animal & Tree Investigation at Creve Coeur Lake

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This was an awesome experience to learn about wildlife and nature in our own area.  I push into science classes and this experience will help me target different vocabulary for my language therapy sessions during science.

Michelle Stein
West High

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Islamic Mosque, Hindu Temple, Greek Orthodox Church

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Islamic Mosque, Hindu Temple, Greek Orthodox Church

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I appreciated the opportunity to learn a bit about different religions.

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Islamic Mosque, Hindu Temple and Greek Orthodox Church

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Islamic Mosque, Hindu Temple and Greek Orthodox Church

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Such a valuable experience to visit  these inspiring religious buildings and become aware of our own unintentional bias and stereotypes. This experience will strengthen my knowledge dealing with students,  parents and the community in general.
Thanks!

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The nutritional center was very interesting and informative. We got to see the inner workings of how and why the animals are fed and how food is used for nutrition, social interaction, and enrichment. I learned so much! The amount of time, money, care, energy, etc. that is put into feeding and caring for the animals is really impressive and there is so much to take away from it.

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The nutrition center at the zoo was so cool! We got to see the kitchen where they prep food, the walk-in refrigerator, the (huge) freezer, and their dry storage. They also have a medicinal herb garden. We learned about how the food is used to make sure animals are not only getting proper nutrition, but also the enrichment (mental and social stimulation, training purposes) they need. I thought it was pretty neat that 1/3 of their budget comes from taxes, 1/3 from sales at the zoo, and 1/3 corporate and private donations.

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Plant, Animal & Tree Investigation at Creve Couer Lake

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Plant, Animal & Tree Investigation at Creve Couer Lake

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This was a fun and exciting field trip choice that I would recommend particularly for biology or environmental science teachers (I happen to teach both). I currently incorporate plant/animal identification and some water quality analysis in my class activities, but this field trip allowed me to think about ways to expand these lessons (ex: going on site to test water, field trips for animal identification). Moving forward, I would love to learn more about the process of putting field trips together for students (I am a newer teacher and have not yet hosted a field trip).  I am thinking about shadowing a fellow teacher on their next field trip.

Jessica Lasota
Central High

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This morning we were able to tour the radio station and hear a presentation about creating podcasts. This was valuable to our group of teachers, but it would also be useful for students. The presenters showed us and would be able to show students how they use the different aspects of the writing process in their profession. The presenters were very helpful in offering suggestions for how we could adapt their ideas in our classrooms.

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This field trip was great and easily connected to all 3 of the courses I teach. For AP Human Geo I could use it to talk about human interactions with the environment as well as rural land use. For MUSH I could link Weldon Springs to both WWII and the Cold War. Finally, for Environmental Issues I will use Weldon Springs as yet another example of a Superfund site that is located within 30 minutes of South High. I would also love to take students here on a field experience to learn more about this site.

--Matt Morris
South High

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It was a great joy experiencing one of my former community college students--and one of my son's day care teachers--as my teacher today. Ashley Winters is one of the hosts of the current season of the We Live Here podcast.

Hearing how Ashley and Jia (the other co-host) approach coming up with story ideas, consider the composition of their audience, create work that is meaningful to the larger St. Louis community, consider ethics when producing work, and engage the larger community to invite more storytelling was inspiring and motivating.

Wendy Surinsky
North High

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This was my first opportunity to be in the Old Courthouse, and to take part in an re-enactment with the an adaption of the trial manuscript in a courtroom did make the moment come more alive.  Our guides were exceptional, and we were able to take part in some debriefing activities with them to process one of the earliest challenges for women to gain suffrage.

The updated Arch Museum was exceptional, and the variety of learning styles that the exhibits will appeal to make it very accessible to all.

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It was really fascinating to see how KDHX is part of the St. Louis history and was born from a deal with the cable companies in the '70s when they laid down cables. This place is for the public education as well as they take in several broadcast students from local universities--mainly Webster University. It reminds me that we don't really have much vocational options for students interested in Audio-Visual areas, but they are out there.
-Scott Kreher, North High

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I thought the Wolf Sanctuary was a great field trip and I have always wanted to go back into that area and see what was there. I was impressed at the way they were so willing and able to try to match almost any curriculum. I figured it was mostly just going to be biology and other sciences, but they talked about ways they can match what they do with english, math, and history as well. We talked about ratios when it comes to food for the animals and how the painted dogs eat so much more food than the other animals. I also talked with a social studies teacher and how it could fit in a discussion about EPA and how humans have interacted with nature historically. The program even includes poetry if an English class wanted to go.

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Missouri History Museum (Teaching with Artifacts) 

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Missouri History Museum (Teaching with Artifacts) 

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I had never been to our local History Museum so it was very interesting to see how much local history we have. We learned many different lesson activities that require for students to be more hands on in their learning. It was a good reminder how learning nowadays has become more hands on and visual rather then pencil to paper tasks. We were able to participate in the lessons as if we were students which was neat. I was also able to learn of the different field trip programs they have that I believe our students would benefit from especially since the history there relates to St. Louis. Overall I was very pleased with this session and would recommend it to others. They did a great job of showing how their lesson ideas can be used in all subject areas.

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It was really interesting to see the site and hear about that area's role in WWII.  Its amazing that we are connected to something that seems so far away in the past.  I have driven by this place for years but never paid attention to it.  I found it so amazing that a few years of production during the war took around 50 years to finally clean up and keep safe.  Although its not completely safe because the water table is still affected.  I really enjoyed going to see this since I live very close.

Jim Lawrence
North High

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I was amazed & impressed at everything about the Top Golf experience. Never having played golf before I had never been there and didn't think it would even be fun - but the math behind it drew me to the field trip. Besides all the different games they have that make it great for everyone, I was so impressed & fascinated by the "GPS" technology that they use inside each golf ball to score points based on where it lands & the upcoming tech "Top Tracer" that will show the path the ball takes (currently used in professional golf games & tech that is owned by Top Golf).  Lots of other applications to 2/Trig and Pre-Calc with projectiles & angles also. A great morning & when the Top Tracer tech comes to that location I definitely would love to go back.

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I enjoyed hearing from people who were passionate and directly involved in the historical preservation of this local site.  In telling the story, their details and images of the site during WWII and the Cold War were fascinating.  They also explained how the clean up and reclamation of this site connected to government environmental initiatives from the 1960s to today. Student field-trip opportunities (k-12) were advertised with a nice brochure that all teachers received.  It was a great morning of learning capped off by a trip to the top of the mile-wide rock pile containing the sealed radioactive materials!

-Amy Thornhill, Social Studies, West High

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It was great to see different options for students.   I feel that South Tech is still fighting a stigma with students and parents.  It was great to learn the history and opportunities available to South High students.   It also helped me to think about how some of my freshmen could learn more about these great opportunities.
Nikki Daniels, South High

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Top Golf                                                                    Top Golf was a great experience.  It was a fun, relaxed way to collaborate with teachers from other disciplines and other schools.  The operation at Top Golf is really something to witness!  I also found out I can take my golf team for FREE!!  I'm pretty excited about that prospect.  All in all, a very worthwhile morning.                                 -Jason Koehrer, South High 

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Top Golf                                                                    Top Golf was a great experience.  It was a fun, relaxed way to collaborate with teachers from other disciplines and other schools.  The operation at Top Golf is really something to witness!  I also found out I can take my golf team for FREE!!  I'm pretty excited about that prospect.  All in all, a very worthwhile morning.                                 -Jason Koehrer, South High 

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The Wolf Sanctuary is an amazing non-profit that is meeting an essential need in our region. Did you know that the American Red Wolf (the only wolf that is native to only the United States) is the most endangered wolf if the world with fewer than 30 wolves still in the wild (limited to North Carolina)? The tour educators are personable and knowledgeable. They can tailor any visit to science, English, social studies, and math. For instance, they offer a  Poetry Workshops where the students learn a lesson on poetry and then spend some time observing the wolves to give them inspiration for words. A great way to see the natural world as inspiration for writing, as well as to practice how to capture beauty and descriptive detail in poetry.

And you get to see beautiful wolves there! I learned so much.
- Laura Michael, Central High

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It was interesting to learn about the history of the area and the townspeople who lost their homes and farms in response to the war effort. I was amazed at how much this one area has contributed to history and I had absolutely no clue. I am excited to go back once their new construction is complete at the end of 2020.

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This was an amazing opportunity to get a first hand look at this organization. I have driven by it countless times, and I never knew what it was. Crisis Nursery does such important work within the community. It reminds me that we will never fully know/understand the backgrounds of our students, and we need to keep that in mind. It is very possible that some of our students have used Crisis Nursery, but we won't know that.

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Fascinating tour of the nutritional center.  We learned why certain animals need specific foods and/or supplements.  We learned the importance of enrichment/foraging food.  This is the first zoo to have a nutrition center like this.  A neat connection to conservation is that when Ameren cuts down branches from power lines, they donate it to the zoo and it provides great fiber for the animals.  -Amy Cohen

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St. Louis Public Radio--We Live Here podcast

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St. Louis Public Radio--We Live Here podcast

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I really enjoyed our session this morning at St. Louis Public Radio. We got to take a tour of the facility, and peek in to the studios and get a back-stage feel of what goes on at a radio station. The second part of the day was a presentation put on by the two ladies who produce the We Live Here podcast. They were very prepared and I was so impressed with their knowledge and genuine interest in helping us teachers. I also think my kids could really benefit from learning from these young ladies, as well. I could go on and on but I just thought it was a great option and I think you should keep this as an option in the future.

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It was great to learn more about all the offerings at South Tech. I feel more able to encourage freshmen students to consider those programs. It was also great to see our students in their “expert “ settings. Kids who are quieter or less sure in my English classroom are tearing it up at Tech. So it was nice to see them in that setting demonstrating such confidence and competence.

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We talked through all of the educational programming that Shaw Nature Reserve offers. A lot of our biology and environmental science curriculum matches up well with the programs they offer. It's a great field trip location for many labs and a valuable possible resource.

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The Humane Society offers field trips for students and would definitely be appropriate for high school students. For students who are interested in working with animals, but aren’t wanting to become a vet, they are able to share many different job opportunities. Great way to teach students empathy as well.

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Great tour at the zoo learning about nutrition and eating monkey pellets! Learned about what our animals eat and how the food is stored!

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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley Engineering Center

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St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley Engineering Center

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Toured the facilities at Flo Valley in their engineering hub.  The disappointment they felt over not having more students interested in their program was palpable, and they were extremely excited to have 11 educators in math and science fields touring their facilities.  We looked at programs in mechanical engineering, robotics, electronics, and manufacturing, and saw the machines and tools that could be used to perform each one.  The applications to our students outside of the high school was clear, and the fact that most of their students leave with a job in hand was very encouraging for students who like to work with their hands.  Overall, an excellent experience that I would love our students to be able to take advantage of!

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The humane society was a fun and informative. I learned a lot of opportunities that can be utilized for students interested in the veterinary field and also for any student needing volunteer hours.

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Today I visited the Weldon Spring Radioactive site. I was previously there when it first opened to the public in 2003. I took environmental science kids there around that time to learn about radioactive waste disposal. I want to take my Modern Warfare kids there to learn about the ramifications of the Cold War, and World War II weapons manufacturing and disposal. This has a clear connection to Social Studies in that it examines the after effects of warfare. There could also be a piece there about government regulation of such sites and the responsibility our government has to maintain them.

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Great Field Trip experience!!  I have never been to this site before.  There was an informative hour presentation on the history of the site dating pre-World War II to the present day.  TNT and post-enriched Uranium is stored at this location. It was time well spent.  The site is in the process of becoming a learning center that revolves around the history and the science of the site. I see a lot of opportunity for Science and and Social Studies field trips. I would recommend this field trip.

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The humane society was very informative. We watched a video, the instructor talked for a while and we got a tour of the facilities. I would have like a little more time on the tour. We learned a lot about their euthanasia policies and how they get funding. They have field trip opportunities at both the humane society and their rescue ranch.

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Similar to what Charlie said, I definitely did not expect how much of the tour would be centered around trees and horticulture. I would have loved to see less emphasis on trees and more on the history of the area and local connections to the country and the world.

That's not to say that there wasn't a lot of history, because there was. St. Louisians tend to have inferiority complexes about our importance compared to Chicago and New York and other "more important cities" or we point to 1904 and everything surrounding that as proof of our greatness. The history of St. Louis is often summarized as being founded, Missouri territory, World's Fair/Olympics, Stan Musial, and industrial decline. But there was a fully fleshed out history, filled with business and organized crime and intrigue. It's New York meets Chicago meets New Orleans. This tour was a nice reminder.

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Humane Society
This was my first time at this location and was so impressed by the services, volunteers and facility.  This would be a great opportunity for students who are interested in additional careers in animal science.

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Charlie Cutelli
I went with the expectation that it would all be historical. I was unaware that Bellefontaine cemetery is a level two Arboretum. So, there was a lot of connection with biology especially the environment. They have a wide variety of unique trees including the state champion Pin Oak and a runner up American Elm. They are actively working against pests like the emerald ash bore and dutch elm disease constantly planting new trees.  All in all the mixture of history and horticulture was a good one.

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I did not get to go here today but have been twice before.  I cannot believe that Uranium was refined in the STL area and that so much waste was left.  What an interesting mix of history and science.