Riverbend Farm, Uxbridge, MA

Students from Doherty Memorial High School in the Engineering and Technology Academy visited Riverbend Farm on September 25th, to learn about the Blackstone Canal and canal locks. The trip specifically highlighted the challenges to controlling water for power as well as some solutions. Finally students, in cooperative learning groups, designed and presented a proposal for the future bike path to be constructed in the area. This was an opportunity for students to understand the impact the Blackstone Canal had on the area, and how much impact their hypothetical new canal would too. This field trip was made possible by the funding from the National Park Foundation "Ticket To Ride" Program. 

This is how the students described the field trip:

• "...we had to figure out a map using contour lines..." 
• "...we saw how much things have changed over time."
• "We walked through the woods learning about transportation and lifestyle in the Industrial Revolution." 
• "...we made a map for a new bike trail..." 
• "On the field trip, I learned about the function of the canal and the area of land around the farm."
• "...we thought up bike paths and presented our ideas." 
• "On the field trip we had to figure out a bike path on a map using contour lines, also we hiked up 'Goat Hill' and saw the canals and a bit about the history of the hill..."

When asked, they said they learned/experienced:

• "I learned how they split rock."
• "How rock was shaped."
• "[People] used the [Blackstone] canal to transport goods." 
• "Seeing baby turtles." 
• "The [Blackstone] canal was effective for transportation."
• "The [Blackstone] canal worked like an elevator."
• "Horses would pull the horses along the [Blackstone] canal."
• "I learned what engineers think about when designing things, like making the bike path."
• "...how people made canals back then, and what tools people used."
• "The stagnant water near the river is filled with duck weed."
• "How topography maps work."
• "I learned how the locks worked to raise the boats higher."
• "That the boats were 9 and a half ft wide and over 70 ft long."
• "The boats [only] had about 6 inches of extra space when in the [Blackstone] canal."
• "There are many factors to building a successful bridge."
• "The construction of certain things can greatly affect the people around it."
• "With enough hard work anything can be made."
• "Farmers were paid $125 if a bridge or the canal divided their property."
• "The [Blackstone] canal led from Worcester to Providence."
• "...what to look for in a bike path."
• "The boats traveled [down the canal] at 3 mph."
• "Planning a bike path is a lot harder than you think."