Fifth Graders dive into passion projects

Students explored their passions by visiting some of Nashville's biggest establishments to learn about different industries and to get a behind-the-scenes look at how they operate.
By Ian Dinkins, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

Flocks of fifth graders fanned out across Nashville to pursue answers about their passions and get an up-close look at how their favorite organizations worked.

The trips were part of an expanded “passion project” led by Fifth Grade English Teacher Lauren Gage and Middle School Librarian Courtney Brown, which traditionally saw students do a deep dive into industries that intrigue them and culminated in writing a letter to a changemaker in that industry.

“It’s important for fifth graders to have this Passion Project because it gives students the opportunity to learn about topics in their community that matter to them and gives us a chance to find a way to make a difference in our and others' lives,” Tennyson James ’33 said.

Tennyson was joined by five of her classmates on a visit to the Metro Council chambers at the Historic Metro Courthouse to meet District 17 Councilmember Terry Vo and learn about advocacy. 

“This experience was very inspiring and one of a kind. It meant a lot because not all schools and people get to do something as meaningful as meeting council members,” Tennyson said. “I loved every moment of the trip.”

Additional visits included trips to Bridgestone Arena, Geodis Park, Bass, Berry & Sims, Room in the Inn, Belmont University, Vanderbilt University's Athletic Department, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

This year marked the first time the long-running research and writing unit included a field research component.

“Lauren Gage had the incredible idea to add a field research opportunity to deepen student learning this year,” said Director of Experiential Learning Kalee Barbis.

The project asked students to identify topics they care about, research them, and ultimately write persuasive letters to real-world changemakers. Before diving in, students completed a survey to help teachers identify trends and organize experiences that matched their interests.

After students developed and presented elevator pitches, Barbis began coordinating what would become 10 separate field trips across the city. Group sizes ranged from four to 13 students, allowing for more personalized experiences.

Within 20 days, faculty and staff coordinated transportation, chaperones, and site visits. Multiple bus routes were arranged with the help of school staff and community members. 

The logistics of the trip were complex, but Barbis said the effort paid off.

“Students asked really thoughtful questions during the field research, which highlighted the work they’d already done in the classroom,” she said. “I hope students saw the real-world application of their research as they consulted experts in the field.”

For many students, the experience made their projects tangible.

Sajan Dandamud ’33, who is researching player safety in hockey, visited Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators.

“Bridgestone was a good fit because it gave me the chance to ask questions to Predators staff and even the players themselves,” Sajan said.

One of the highlights of the visit came when Sajan’s group was touring the arena and met Predators star player Ryan O'Reilly, gaining insight into injuries and medical care in professional hockey.

“I learned more about the common hockey player injuries, like bumps and bruises,” Sajan said. “They also answered my questions about the different types of doctors they have for the Predators.”

While Sajan was learning about the inner workings of Bridgestone Arena, Charlotte Wolf ’33 explored the mental health connections to eating disorders during a visit to Room in the Inn, where she also heard from a Vanderbilt University-affiliated research team.

“My favorite moment of the trip was talking to one of the residents and learning about his story,” Charlotte said.

Having the chance to learn about an issue that she has a budding interest in was eye-opening to Charlotte, and she’d love to continue exploring issues that matter to her and her classmates.

“We should be able to study what we’re interested in and not only the things that we’re told we have to study,” Charlotte said.

Teachers say that this sense of ownership is essential to the project’s success.

“By exploring voice and choice on student research projects, students get more out of the project,” Barbis said. “They could really tailor the project based on their interests.”

Brown said the field trips came at a critical moment in the research process. After pitching topics, students built foundational knowledge using library databases before expanding to broader sources.

“Students already have quite a bit of background knowledge about their topics,” Brown said. “So when it was time for them to create thoughtful questions for their trips, they were ready to go.”

The next step will be synthesizing what they learned into persuasive letters addressed to changemakers, a hallmark of the assignment.

“The addition of the field experience really made it something special this year,” Brown said. “There’s definitely no going back.”

For educators, the takeaway was clear that giving students agency and access to real-world experiences can transform their learning.

For students, the takeaway was even simpler.

“The trip was a great experience because we explored what we love,” Sajan said.

Take a look at photos from the trips here. 
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