THOMASVILLE- Learning about canyons is only possible by reading textbooks and watching videos for some, but not for the students in the 5th Grade MERIT Bravo Company at Thomas County Middle School. This group of students recently had the opportunity to visit Providence Canyon in Lumpkin, Georgia. For many of the students and chaperones, this was the first time visiting this location, so it was a real treat.

It was beneficial for the students to be able to make a real-life connection to what they were learning in class by seeing weathering, erosion, and deposition, three science phenomena they had been studying. One of the students, Nathan Brimlow said, “It’s cool to see how weathering and erosion made the caves in the canyon walls.”

The students touched and explored inside some of the canyons that they had recently learned about during the days prior. Another student, Lydia Hugans said her “favorite part of the trip was seeing the layers of the canyons.”

“This is an amazing experience for our students as they can explore the concepts being taught in class,” Bravo science teacher Ashley Lanatta said. “It helps them to make real-world connections and makes it easier with retention of the information. Watching students experience the science phenomena is so exciting and rewarding!”