The 1944 lesson plan is tried tested and true for its workability and teaching value. From a Deweyan perspective, the value of the exercise increases in proportion to which it involves all ones senses, the earthiness and realness of the experience and the degree to which it matches the actual environment in which one lives. Dewey insisted that the mind works best when used for the purposes for which it evolved—an interactive problem solver in a compiex environment full of interesung possibilities.
From the perspective of the 1995 seminar, the experiment can take on real drama and challenge by setting it in the actllal context the students live in—the geology of Connecticut, its soils, rocks and so forth. Experiments can be carried out at temperature levels and conditions found in differing seasons and sites in the state. Local soils and water collected from different locales can be used. Further explorations can involve the Water Board and State DOE.