On Tuesday, April 21, our second graders went to St. Louis’ most renowned landmark, the Gateway Arch. The adventure—overseen by Second-Grade Homeroom Teachers Miriam Rotskoff and Nicole Skaggs, along with Lower School Teaching Associate Kelly Licon, Lower School Learning Specialist Centron Felder, and Lower School Literacy Coordinator Liz Crowder, was a perfect chance to bring to life their recent studies on St. Louis landmarks and Westward Expansion.
First, the students enjoyed a ranger-led tour entitled “St. Louis from the Beginning,” exploring the museum under the Gateway Arch, which offers six interactive galleries and shares over 200 years of St. Louis and American history. They learned why and how the Arch was built, and much about the history of St. Louis, including why St. Louis is known as the Gateway to the West. Students also had the opportunity to hold pieces of the material used to construct the famous Arch landmark.
Following the tour, second graders enjoyed a picnic lunch on the Arch grounds. “Our second graders loved building on what they had already learned about the Gateway Arch earlier this year,” said Rotskoff. “Hearing from knowledgeable park rangers about the history of St. Louis was a highlight of the day, and a picnic lunch beneath such a significant U.S. landmark was the perfect way to end our visit.”
What a wonderful way to round out their studies on Westward Expansion and St. Louis landmarks with this special visit to the “Gateway to the West!”