The Mill River Flow

The River The swishing and wishing. The trickling and trotting. The leaves go through the rocks the water goes through the old mill ruins. Collin Parker

Water Dance The nearby flowers give off a sweet fragrance Drifting gently to the river, where an ant&nbsp; Sits watching the water dance. The cool wind ruffles the cascading water Circling, leaping and falling to a soft sweet melody&nbsp; Only heard by the right people. The river sings along in a gentle gurgling tune. It flows constantly never stopping. The clock strikes 2 then 3&nbsp; then 4. The ant decides to leave but greatly thanks the dancers, For the river has great power and can greatly punish anyone. The ant returns day after day to see, hear and smell the Water dance. by Amelia Gilman

The Power of Water By Emmett Bastek &amp; Sam Plumer&nbsp;&nbsp; You’re driving to work and you’re on a bridge. You look to your right and you see a wall of water coming your way! In the year of 1936, a flood in the Connecticut River knocked&nbsp;down the Calvin Coolidge Bridge. Another flood that showed water’s sheer power was in 1874. A flood in the Mill River ripped through towns, killing over 100 people and leaving many homeless. The towns that the flood destroyed were named Williamsburg, Skinnerville, and Searsville. You may be wondering, how do floods happen? Well, floods happen because of a lot of rainwater, like during a hurricane. Then the water gets higher than the river bank and starts to get&nbsp;faster and faster until it is flying through the town or bursting through the dam. Another way that floods happen is a dam is broken by water and all the water stored behind the dam is let loose. That is what happened in 1874. Water isn’t all bad. If you were living near a river in the 1860s, the clothes you were wearing might be made using the power of the water. How it works is, the water comes from above and turns a wheel that is used to turn a spindle. That power would weave clothes together and you would buy them.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Big Flood Let's time travel! We’re going back to the 1800s in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. Williamsburg was a thriving town. People worked in the mills, getting 1 cent an hour, 10 cents a day. Because of the silk mills, the river would be rainbows of color. The Mill River is named after all the mills that once bordered it. Mill owners built a dam so that water always filled the river. The dam was poorly built, so on May 16, 1874 the dam burst causing a big flood. The dam started to crack so the dam keeper, George Cheney, opened the gate valve of the waste pipe and jumped on his horse to warn the villagers. Barely fifteen minutes ahead of the flood, he arrived at the town. He stopped at Onslow Spelman’s house, the dam supervisor, to warn him. Spelman didn’t believe the dam keeper. After awhile, Spelman ordered Cheney to get a fresh horse and warn Skinnerville plus Haydenville. While Cheney was getting a new horse, Collins Graves, a local farmer, who was delivering his milk, heard the news and began riding down stream to help warn people. Thanks to them, many lives were saved!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Many things have been lost, but let’s talk about three of them; homes, mills, and pencils. There was a terrible flood in 1874. It smashed straight through three towns and killed almost two hundred people. The three towns that it almost completely obliterated were Williamsburg, Searsville, and Skinnerville.&nbsp;After the flood, about every mill along the river was either smashed, crushed, or completely obliterated. All that was left after the flood were ruins of mills and just a clear path where the water crashed through. The people who worked at these mills then had to find other jobs in different towns so they could keep earning money. A lot of people also had to relocate because their homes were gone. The last and final object that we are going to talk about is pencils, the most commonly found thing in the river.&nbsp;Sometimes students, like ourselves, lose pencils a lot! Almost every time we’ve gone to the river we have lost at least one pencil.

The Flow By Emmett Bastek The Mill River flows with elegance and peace. Supporting all life with its generosity. The current not too fast, but not too slow, just keeps going and going with a peaceful flow. Sometimes&nbsp;rough, but then it calms down. It has its own melody with its calming sound.

Geology of&nbsp;the Mill River Watershed By Collin E. Parker and Benjamin E. Zajac&nbsp; The glacier scraped slowly along, leaving a huge valley in its wake. Thousands of years later the glacier melted, revealing a beautiful river. When the glacier melted, it left a mix of rocks in its path. If you were sitting in the Mill River Watershed 20,000 years ago, you would be under one to five mile thick ice. When the glacier melted, it formed Glacial Lake Hitchcock, which later formed the Mill River.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Calm Waters By Julia Caputo Calm water brushing Crickets slowly&nbsp;chirping dragonflies flying in the light grey clouds Getting damp to shower.

R ipples plunk on the water when pebbles fall under the crystal clear blanket. I maginations wander as you stare into the gentle water. V elvety rocks look like marble beneath the glassy waves. E xcitingly cold, clear, and crisp. R apidly moving along between rocks. Warping around pebbles, bricks, and old pottery, sweeping in leaves as it goes. Astrid Jensen

Chemistry of Water Written by: Charlene Sanders, Amelia Gilman, and Eleri Tomsovic Warning: You may not know the following words if you are not a prize winning scientist, hydrogen and oxygen. Confusing, right? But just wait, we’ll explain it all, just wait. Have you ever wondered what the river is made of? Stones, bricks, plants, and the obvious, water. But what if we dig deeper, and find out what the actual water is made of? Water is two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. Hydrogen and oxygen are elements. Oxygen is the bigger part.&nbsp;When the oxygen combines with the hydrogen it forms a molecule called H2O, or water. This is what happens when water is faced with different temperatures. When water is heated up, the atoms separate and boil. When water is cooled down the atoms join together and freeze.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Water is also slow when it’s going across flatland. When going down higher land, mountains, or a slope, it goes much faster.&nbsp;When rocks are in the way of water, the water can either go over the rocks or create a ripple effect floating around the rocks.&nbsp;Sometimes leaves or pebbles fall on the river and make a ripple. We hope this inspires you to go down to the Mill River and see what movements you can find. We know you will have lots of fun!

R &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;V &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;E &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;R Wet, slippery Shiny, rocky, reflective Bubbling, cold, flowing, moving Rippling, warping, drifting Rocking, floating R &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;V &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;E &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;R by Marley Bernstein

Flowing Waters By Julia Dragon Not straight and many curves Bumpy and not smooth Living things flying over Sandy banks and slow water Falling leaves and moving twigs Full of life and not empty

The Rock I see it always, watching it pass by, carrying passengers who asked for a ride. I’ve seen it rough, I’ve seen it calm, I’ve seen it sing its' own personal song. I’ve seen it rage I’ve&nbsp;seen it cry and I’ve been watching all this time. The Tree I once lived a luscious life flourishing greatly from the light. Then one day I was struck down by a bolt with a loud sound. Now, lying down, crying a sad sound. Emmett Bastek

The Pencils The Mill River is a wonderful site to see yet many pencils have lost their lives to this calm yet raging river. It kidnapped their happy souls and stole them from their homes the water flows, which leaves the pencils&nbsp; drifting slowly down the river, until, BAP! They get stuck on two rocks. Not a single friend to talk to not a single person to save them, &nbsp;sitting there, silently, until they get loose &nbsp;and drift down the rest of the Mill River &nbsp;for the rest of eternity.

The Peaceful River The calm, running river flowing, and flowing the water makes me freeze and shiver I freeze and stare There is no one anywhere I look into the river and see everyone standing around me Aidan Conklin

By Collin Parker

Suggested Demonstration&nbsp; This is how you explain how water is made and the stages of water to small kids who don't have much patience for literature. What you need 1. Narrator [someone who can fluently read] 2. Four small people or things&nbsp; 3. Two large people or things&nbsp; Narrator: One day two hydrogen atoms were sadly walking wishing for their soulmate. [two small people sadly walk by] Narrator: Then they saw a beautiful oxygen atom skipping happily. [1 bigger person skips in a circle] Narrator: The hydrogen fell in love and never parted with the oxygen atom.&nbsp; Hydrogen: I love you oxygen!&nbsp;&nbsp; Narrator: Together they make a molecule called water.&nbsp;Meanwhile the same thing was happening with another couple.

Acknowledgements The fifth graders in Ms. Joyce's class are thoughtful poets and talented artists who have many experiences around the Mill River. Thank you for putting your energy into this project. Thank you to Natalee Dias for her artistic expertise and eye for detail. Thank you to Carol Berner for recognizing the depth in the fifth graders work and inspiring us to make a book. John Sinton, thank you for sharing your wide range of knowledge about the Mill River with us. Gaby Immerman, thank you for nurturing this project along the way. Thank you to the Mill River Greenway Initiative for inspiring the exploration that led to this book and to Stacey Jenkins for supporting the project.

About the Book By Nadia Easton Ms Joyce's 5th grade class studied the Mill River. We walked to the river and wrote poetry and learned all about the life of the river. We learned about: Living things in the Mill River The power of water The movement of water Geology Chemistry of water Lost objects in the river Mill River history We made paintings to go with our poetry. We hope that you enjoy our book.

THE RUSTY RIVER Rusty&nbsp;metal bees buzzing see at an old rusty river I say an “old rusty river “ 'cause This river could have been here since the beginning of time The rocks were as dry as a bone but now they’re as wet as water. Charlene Sanders

Lost Objects By Aidan David Conklin and Kyle David LeBeau The Mill River Flood was a terrible thing, but it’s also bad if you lose your belongings in the river. Students near the river have lost things like pencils, erasers, and paper. Homeowners have lost things like buttons and shoes. Some people who were affected by the Mill River Flood have even lost their lives and homes. There are millions of things people have lost in the Mill River over the decades and centuries of people living near the river. If you go to the river and manage to get to the shore, walk along the river and you will definitely find some lost objects!

By Ms. Joyce's Fifth Grade Class at the Anne T. Dunphy School

Other small people: I love you oxygen! [says to other large person] Narrator: Then winter came and the wind blew the couples into each other, and because it was cold all the water molecules froze together! &nbsp;[all but narrator huddle together] Narrator: Then the ice&nbsp;got into a heated argument and they started to boil in rage.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [the people yell at each other. It’s all your fault! No it’s yours! Etc.] Narrator: Then, to their surprise, all the heat made the atoms separate into two. The End

The river is trickling, the leaves are tickling the rocks. The leaves float downstream while brook trout head upstream. Lorenzo Nunez

Mill River Poem By Eleri Tomsovic&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Clock chimes, Water ripples, River flows, Hole darkens Like the sky, Stars twinkle, Moon smiles Down on me, Small ant,&nbsp; Leaf boat, Floating away &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;to &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;who&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;knows &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;wh &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;r&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Mill River Poem The water runs through the rocks cold and blue&nbsp; it never seems to stop I throw a rock&nbsp; the sound it makes is plipity plop the fish are swimming near the ground the water races with a rapid sound&nbsp; the water runs over the dam in my town&nbsp; Kady Overstreet

The river&nbsp; is flowing&nbsp; The wind blowing&nbsp; the moss The cave looks dark&nbsp;&nbsp; The&nbsp; caterpillar&nbsp;&nbsp; Feels like&nbsp; the moss If you go&nbsp; outside you will see&nbsp; the 5th&nbsp; grade&nbsp; taking a river walk Nadia Sky Easton

By Charlene Sanders

Mill River Lost pencils and tons of leaves. Little rocks and bits of wood drifting through the river.&nbsp; The pencils may haunt the river, but passed all that,&nbsp; it’s very interesting. But still, poor pencils,&nbsp; all alone, nobody to talk to, stuck on a rock. The water goes fast,&nbsp; But when behind a rock The water is slow and calm. Lots of plants growing on the side.&nbsp; The water is cold but it keeps flowing. Samuel Plumer

The Mill River is a beautiful place where many pencils lives have been risked and lost. The Mill River is a place where life is flourishing and a place where many animals live for example a spider could make its web in a bush or a&nbsp;frog could lay its eggs in a small pool of water. When you stand next to the Mill River, you can hear the small current the Mill River holds. Kyle LeBeau

Mill River History By Kathleen Barry and Julia Dragon&nbsp;&nbsp; This is about how the river started as a glacier and&nbsp;then what was happening in Massachusetts when the flood was about to happen. A bit later we will share a great background story of the big flood. The Glacier First, there was the glacier that started the river. The glacier was in the Connecticut Valley. This glacier was 2 miles thick. There also used to be an enormous lake, called&nbsp;Glacial Lake Hitchcock. After years of forming it was completely formed 18,000 years ago. Massachusetts Before the Flood&nbsp; You may not care for school, but Massachusetts made a big deal about it. In the 1850’s, Massachusetts taxed everyone so all children could go to school for free. This made people in Massachusetts very well educated. Another fact of old time education is that&nbsp;before schools had multiple rooms, there were 8 one roomed school houses in the town of Williamsburg.

Mill River Poem The river is rushing around the rocks The water is bubbling I smell the water sweet and fresh I see the running water as it runs around the rocks The rocks are as slippery as mud Each one prettier than the last With all the trees on the shore of rocks and dirt As every stick and leaf falls it floats along the river It sounds like a brook There’s a kid's pencil floating down the river By:&nbsp;Autumn O’malley&nbsp;

Mill River Movement&nbsp; By Astrid Jensen, Autumn O’Malley, Julia Caputo, and Marley Bernstein&nbsp; Water can be quick or slow, depending on the weather. It can be dangerous or gentle. It can evolve over time, but it will always have a movement. Rain can change the movement of the water.&nbsp; When rain comes frequently, water moves quickly and can be dangerous at times. But when rain comes less often, water is calm and slow. Rain is one of the reasons water has different movements. Snow, hail, currents, and the moon are only a few of the reasons water has movement.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The current flows swiftly&nbsp; The current flows swiftly as a leaf falls from one of the trees that borders the gurgling river birds chirp and their music fades into the sound of crickets the leaf twists and turns dancing to the sound of nature the current pulls it till it gets stuck on a brick from the old mills that were sitting by the water long ago the water shifts and it begins floating the reds that color the leaf match the color of the cardinal that flies above the leaf keeps floating till one&nbsp;of the many rocks that line the river gets in the leaf’s way and it sinks till it's just a blurry red spot but the current goes on flowing swiftly Kathleen Barry

Dragonflies are mostly found in rivers, ponds and any place with water&nbsp;because insects hang out there. Dragonflies eat other insects. Dragonflies have a life cycle. Their lives start as Larva, then they change into flying insects.&nbsp; Lots of trout live in the river, such as rainbow trout, brook trout and many more. Trout usually lay their eggs on rocks and when their in their egg they eat&nbsp;the yolk in the egg and then when they come out they eat the egg sac.

Living Things in the Mill River&nbsp;&nbsp; By Mya Blanchette, Lorenzo Nunez, and Kady Overstreet Do you know what lives in the Mill River? You would guess fish but there are many more organisms like dragonflies, mayflies, mayfly larvae, dragonfly larvae, trout, mink, water snails,&nbsp;water snakes, freshwater mussels, and blue herons. Living things adapt to the Mill River by going under the turbulence, like freshwater mussels, mayfly larvae, and&nbsp;dragonfly larva. The Mill River has more types of mussels than any river in the valley. Freshwater mussels filter the water to clean it. When freshwater mussels spawn, they put their tiny mussels into the gills of fish, so the fish will help move them around. One of the predators of a freshwater mussel is a mink.&nbsp;&nbsp;

WATERFALL THE WATER IS BOUNCING BETWEEN THE ROCKS THEN FALL I N G D O W N, D O W N…&nbsp;&nbsp; SPLASH!!!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; BUBBLES COME UP Benjamin Zajac

The Peaceful River The Mill River is a very peaceful place to be it is quiet and very calming especially &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When the water is rushing and hitting the rocks it is the best place to be when you are stressed or need time alone &nbsp;it sounds calming and soothing&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I like feeling the soft breeze blowing on me &nbsp;it feels amazing on my neck. I love seeing all the different sights like&nbsp; I saw a little branch twisting around a pole &nbsp;it was a beautiful sight. &nbsp;I also saw a bunch of different colors of fall leaves. I smell the&nbsp;fresh cooked pizza from the Brewmasters down the street. I taste it in my mouth. It taste delicious, especially the cheese. &nbsp;That is all the beautiful things about this beautiful amazing river the best thing about it is the memories there. There you have it the amazing poem about the Mill River. Mya Blanchette

For a digital version of this book, please visit: <a href="https://read.bookcreator.com/6xOrSGCuKPR6L1CsZ8Lt5C8m6Xq1/51oj5JoFT6OnrfIaaWRx2w">https://read.bookcreator.com/6xOrSGCuKPR6L1CsZ8Lt5C8m6Xq1/51oj5JoFT6OnrfIaaWRx2w</a> You will hear students reading their poetry!

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