Field Trip!

Since the kids are enjoying summer vacation and school doesn’t start until March 6, they spend a few hours every day in pain doing Mom homework.  It is the horror and suffering of being the children of a teacher.  Last week I assigned them all a standards based research writing assignment CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 on glaciers.  They watched videos, took notes, and prepared and wrote essays on glaciers. 

In the National Geographic videos, we learned about the Perito Moreno glacier.  It is the third largest glacier in the world, the largest glacier in South America, and the only glacier still growing in size.  Amazingly, it is located in our backyard.  We have a really big back yard.  It takes 2 days to drive from end to end.  I’m sure it could be done faster but our Chevy Manerva and three kids occasionally need to use the restroom. 

The videos and research reports prompted us to take this far and freezing field trip.  It has been an incredible experience to travel across the desolate lands of Patagonia.  The expanse is rugged with a paucity of humans yet bursting with wildlife. 

The glacier was incredible, beautiful, enormous and cold.  SoJo wanted to walk on Perito Moreno so badly, but you have to be at least ten year old to trek, and she was sorely disappointed.  THEN we found a drink in the restaurant that brought joy to the whole family – whiskey on glacier ice!  I had to take one for the team, and I ordered it – with an extra side of ice.  We were all excited to be eating the glacier, and SoJo’s blues quickly turned around. 

When we finished eating the glacier,  we walked down to Lake Argentina and picked up floating pieces of Perito Moreno ice, licked them, stomped on them, and threw them back in the water.  As we stomped, SoJo proudly announced, “I am walking on the glacier now!”  You go Girl!  Stomp your heart out!