On the Enrichment Trail As the school year moves ahead, Rockport's elementary school students are experiencing a range of enrichment programming, via field trips as well as inhouse visits. The 1st grade classes visited Pioneer Village in Salem, where they learned about colonial life in Massachusetts at this working recreation. Similar to Plimoth Plantation, Pioneer Village offers a smaller-scale version of a local village in the 1700s, better suited to younger students and within easy travel tine. The third graders learned about the pilgrim life via Plimoth Plantation's traveling program. A costumed character representative of the village visited the classroom, bringing stories, artifacts and clothing to illustrate what it was like to exist in our country's earliest settlements. Staying in character throughout, these re-enactors allow students to have a one-on-one dialogue and make history literally come alive. In a few weeks, students in grades K-2 will become a living tidepool, with the assistance of a special assembly program -- Tidepool Revue -- from the New England Aquarium. It's a fun opportunity for these youngsters to learn about local ecology in a colorful, interactive way. The fourth grade classes will work with instructors from the Museum of Science, focusing on windmill engineering. Breaking into small groups, they will explore the science and technology, via hands-on experiments, of this key alternative energy source. Watch this space for more to come: a special holiday shopping preview night at Toad Hall on December 9th, maple sugaring field trips and more!