5th Grade Visits Tallahassee

Article by Andrew, 5th grade student
On January 14, TCS 5th grade students visited Tallahassee to learn more about our state’s government. We started our trip with a boat ride through the waters of Wakulla Springs. We spotted a lot of interesting animals and plants, and learned about the area’s history. My class even spotted three manatees! Next, we went to the Tallahassee Museum. First, we visited Big Bend Farm, where our group learned about living on a farm in the 1800’s. We had the opportunity to see, and sometimes pet, the animals living there. We then walked on the museum’s boardwalk, which led us around the property to see animal habitats. My favorite animal exhibit was the Florida panther. The Florida State fans were happy when we had the chance to drive by the campus on our way to dinner at Bucca de Beppo. That evening we went to see a 3-D iMax movie about humpback whales. The next day we woke up early to visit the new capitol building where we met Senate President Andy Gardiner and a lobbyist. My class toured the Senate President’s office and asked him many questions. We then stepped back in time as we visited Mission San Luis. We learned about the Spanish missionaries and Apalachee natives in the area, and we saw their traditional homes. Ms. Forbes’ homeroom also learned how to shoot various weapons- don’t worry, they didn’t really shoot them. Our last stop was at the old capitol. There, we learned about the changes in the building and explored the different branches by participating in a scavenger hunt. I had a lot of fun on the trip!