Last week, as the culmination of our year-long study of the sea, the fourth grade made our annual visit to Mystic Seaport, the largest maritime museum in the United States. Students, teachers, and parent chaperones spent two nights “tween decks,” bunking on the Joseph Conrad, a fully rigged, 100-year-old sailing ship. During the day, we were immersed in life in a 19th century whaling village. Our lessons were mostly hands on and experiential and included touring the Charles W Morgan, which is the last seaworthy wooden whaling ship in existence; pounding metal in the blacksmith shop; creating woodcuts in the carver’s shop; throwing a harpoon; and climbing the rigging of a ship.