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Students from the 8th grade class at DCMS stepped out of the classroom and into a boat to further investigate the formation of the islands of The Bahamas. The trip was organized by the social studies, math and science teachers to give the students to chance to get their feet wet and their hands dirty with a practical application of their classroom lessons. Students dug with their hands deep into the sand to learn that for miles and miles below the surface they would find the same thing: limestone ooids. They discussed with Mr. Maxey where the raw materials for the ooids came from and how wind, currents and tides had brought them to this place. Students also had the chance to act out a small play on the formation of ooids with students playing the roles of calcium atoms, carbonate molecules, microscopic dust and even evaporating water molecules. Finally, students were asked to gaze out at the horizon and ponder how far away it was and to think about how the Pythagorean theorem could be used to find the answer. It was a great experience for the students to see how the different subject areas are connected and to spur further questions to be investigated back at school.