The pages of Jean Craighead George’s classic novel, My Side of the Mountain, have come to life for a Charlton Heights Elementary School fourth-grade PACE/enrichment class. This year, students aren’t just reading about main character Sam Gribley’s legendary year of survival in the Catskills—they are learning to live it.
Throughout this year-long unit, students have been tackling the very same challenges Sam faced. From the logistics of planning a garden and foraging to the engineering of building bridges and tools, the classroom has transformed into a hub for outdoor innovation.
Most recently, the students turned their attention to a critical survival need: potable water. Working in pairs, they brainstormed and designed intricate filtration systems. Using a mix of natural and representative materials—including sand, pebbles, hay, sticks, and cotton (to replicate clothing material)—they mapped out layer-by-layer plans to turn murky water into a clean resource, explained Maggie Malatesta the Charlton Heights Elementary School PACE/Enrichment teacher.
Real-World Application
While “paper trees” and classroom models have served them well, the students are about to take their skills into the Great Outdoors.
In June, Malatesta will take the class to the Ndakinna Education Center in Greenfield Center for a hands-on field trip. This immersive experience will allow them to construct actual shelters using natural resources found in the forest, test their skills at fire-building techniques (under guidance), and track local wildlife to better understand the ecosystem around them.
By the time the school year wraps up, these fourth graders will have moved far beyond the classroom, proving that with a bit of ingenuity and a lot of teamwork, they truly have what it takes to survive “on their side of the mountain.”
