The city is our classroom!

The fifth graders take to the streets of Tacoma on Thursdays to discover what makes a city work.

The first day, we walked from the Middle School (MS) down Pacific Ave to the University of Washington, Tacoma, noting things we saw along the way: theaters, banks, restaurants, museums, and things like the Tacoma Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Courthouse. 

 The second day we walked to Wright Park, noticing more public art, the Tacoma Municipal Building, garbage trucks, police and sheriff vehicles in front of the Pierce County Jail, the Pierce County District Court, Superior Court, many attorneys offices and the Tacoma and Manuscript Library.

We enjoyed some of the public art we had never noticed before, such as this piece, the Projecting Drop by Jill Anholt, and browsed the University Book Store before returning to the MS to join the students there for lunch at the Farmer's Market.

We ended the day with MANY questions:
What is the difference between a county and a city?
Is there enough housing for everyone?
Where does trash go?
What are the different rankings or levels of police?
How many different types of courts are there?
How many judges are there?
What is the crime rate in Tacoma?
Why aren't there more parks and green spaces downtown?
Why is the link system only on one side of downtown?
What is the income level of people in Tacoma?

We have a lot to learn about this city and how it works in the months to come -- stay tuned for further adventures!