Students Connect Science and Art on Teton Trip
“It’s one thing to learn about nature in the classroom; it’s another to experience it. It makes much more of an impact on you.”
This student comment only begins to hint at the enthusiasm, understanding, and appreciation generated by last week’s interdisciplinary Upper School educational trip, Creative Expressions in Nature. More widely referred to as “the Teton Trip,” this weeklong program has been offered as an option for upperclassmen in all but three of the 33 years since it was first introduced in 1982. Each time, students with varied interests have jumped at the opportunity to learn about nature while developing skills in observation, art, writing, and photography.
But this time, the trip to Wyoming’s wintry reaches took cross-curricular learning to a new level. Instead of being optional, the 2015 trip included all students enrolled in two classes—Field and Natural History, taught by Lynne Scott (C’01), and Photo 2, taught by Dana LePoidevin (US’81, C’89). As a result, both classes were able to undertake specific study prior to the trip in order to establish common understandings. The trip also included two additional students who were not in these classes, as well as the School’s Director of Experiential Education Brad Warrick (US 90, C’94).
A veteran of several previous trips, LePoidevin appreciated the synergy between the two classes as students grasped how art, photography, and writing can “not only document field work and capture the beauty of a place but also powerfully communicate the connection we have—and need to have—to nature.”
This view was seconded by a student who commented appreciatively, “We got to look at how art and writing could be inspired by the natural world and how they could be used to share science.” To help students make these connections, two Principia alums—author Tarn Wilson (C’89) and artist Kristin Serafini (US’94 C’98)—led sessions on creative writing, illustration, and painting.
Science teacher Scott appreciated Principia’s partnership with the Teton Science School (TSS), which hosted the group and provided instructors and guides. Among other things during a very full week, the students skied and snowshoed through Grand Teton National Park and completed a short research project. Each day, she says, was filled with “high-level work—students collecting data, processing, and presenting it; going through the whole scientific process; and experiencing what it’s like to work as a naturalist.” (Make sure to view the slideshow at the bottom of this article to see our students at work!)
The bonus, Scott adds, was that the TSS graduate student instructors “modeled” key aspects of scientific inquiry, questioning, leadership, and teamwork. With this interaction, she notes, “Our students learned more about the possibilities of graduate school,” and were exposed to the initiative, persistence, and work ethic required for higher learning and research.
The trip also included visits to the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the National Elk Refuge, and the Murie Museum and Ranch, where the students learned about the crucial role the Murie family played in the formulation of the U.S. Wilderness Act.
Back on campus, students have been reflecting on their experience. For one, it was all the little “moments” of discovering details and reflecting on the experience that made the week so fulfilling. For another, the phrase “high elevation, high thought” captured the spiritual and academic progress she made. And for yet another, “It really opened my eyes to nature and the importance of science.”