5th grade students reading the Rime of the Ancient Mariner got to the part in the ballad where a ship is stuck in the doldrums. Sailors slump over the bowsprit and droop over the sides of the boat to illustrate the famous quote, "Water, water everywhere, and all the boards did shrink, Water, Water everywhere, nor any drop to drink." The students wondered why the board shrunk, and though we had a discussion of evaporation and dehydration, the concept was far removed from their experience. We decided to try a simple experiment: We sliced an apple into thin pieces and hung them to dry over time. We've watched the apples shrivel and shrink. It was a quick science connection, but one that deepened the understanding of what was happening in the poem. We have talked about navigational tools, moon phases, and nautical life as we have tried to interpret the metaphorical meaning in this famous poem.
As I get ready to begin the STEM module this week, I hope to continue to make connections for the new group!
As I get ready to begin the STEM module this week, I hope to continue to make connections for the new group!