4th Grade's Historical trip to Mammoth Cave
by Lisa Preston, lower school naturalist
In 1917, a group of Peabody College students headed to Mammoth Cave--not by bus, but by train. Though their experience of almost a century ago was different from ours, it seemed familiar.
In 1917, a group of Peabody College students headed to Mammoth Cave--not by bus, but by train. Though their experience of almost a century ago was different from ours, it seemed familiar.
The fourth graders have been learning about the unique geology and geography that help define this place where we live, the Central Basin. What better place to learn more than by visiting the longest cave system in the world, Mammoth Cave National Park. With eight teachers and seventy-two students, we headed North on I-65 for our underground adventure.
We were lucky to get a chance to go on the "Domes and Dripstones" tour, not the usual tour for school groups. Once through the steel door, we walked down over 230 stairs, descending 250 feet below the surface. We saw amazing domes and entered a very large room where we walked on a limestone floor which once was the ceiling.
Students learned from Ranger Jim that the Mammoth Cave system is not a linear cave, but much like an upside down bowl of spaghetti--over 405 miles of winding and twisting caves with a thick capstone, all deposited hundreds of millions of years ago. The second part of our tour was highlighted by stalactites and stalagmites and an enormous column rightly named "Niagara Falls"--it was truly amazing!
Students learned from Ranger Jim that the Mammoth Cave system is not a linear cave, but much like an upside down bowl of spaghetti--over 405 miles of winding and twisting caves with a thick capstone, all deposited hundreds of millions of years ago. The second part of our tour was highlighted by stalactites and stalagmites and an enormous column rightly named "Niagara Falls"--it was truly amazing!
After our tour, we ate lunch outside, then enjoyed some time looking at the exhibits in the Visitor Center before heading back to USN--it was a day well spent~
*The two drawings of Mammoth Cave were submitted by Leah Joseph (4th-Noel) and Meggie Hays (4th-Avington) to a Mammoth Cave research group to be used as possible pictures for their April symposium brochure.
*Mammoth Cave pictures were taken by Beckie Stokes.
More USN News
List of 3 news stories.
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Back Lawn transforms with turf field, track
Expect to see an active construction site as students, families, and faculty return to the Edgehill Campus. Progress continues on USN's most anticipated campus improvement of summer 2026.Read More -
Curricular travel opportunities return for the 2026-2027 school year
Read MoreUniversity School of Nashville is excited to announce the return of curricular travel opportunities. Student applications for the 2026-2026 school year will open Friday, August 21, 2026. Additional details, including, financial aid processes, and application timelines, will be shared with families soon.Please contact K-12 Director of Experiential Learning Kalee Barbis with any questions, kbarbis@usn.org. -
Back-to-school Popsicle Party cancelled
Mother Nature is not cooperating for our annual Popsicle Party. Depending on which weather app you use, actual and feels-like temperatures are 98 to 101 and higher. Under these conditions, we would limit student activities, so, in the interest of everyone's health and well-being, we are going to cancell our gathering at the River Campus. There is just not enough shade and certainly no air conditioning to bring relief to hundreds of USN families. Thank you for understanding. We look forward to seeing you in a few days for the start of our new school year.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.