We didn't get rained on! We learned, worked, and had lots of fun with our friends. Second graders should be able to tell you that:
1. Children worked HARD in the olden days to help their family.
2. Farm work takes a lot of teamwork!
3. Work can be fun.
4. Safety comes first.
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| We got to ride on a charter bus! It was "fancy" and we kept it that way! |
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| Philip Foster was as important as Sam Barlow in the olden days. He brought supplies to starving, stranded settlers on Mt. Hood. His great-great (great?) grandson is still involved in the farm. |
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| Second graders learned the word "obedience!" |
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| A blacksmith taught us about coal, anvils, forges, and the importance of his job. |
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| A crosscut saw takes a lot of teamwork! |
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| Dried corn right off the cob! |
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| Always turn handles clockwise on a farm. Second graders totally had this one, because we move around our classroom in a clockwise manner. |
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| A block and tackle and lots of teamwork allowed us to lift friends up on a hay bale. |
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| We will learn more about pulleys, blocks and tackle, and simple machines in December! |
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| Philip Foster was the area's first postmaster, and he ran the post office out of his store. What were some things your second grader saw in the store? |
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| Checkers is a great rainy day game for two friends. |
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| A Jacob's Ladder kept pioneer children busy. |
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| The youngest son was in charge of emptying the chamber pot. That was a lot of boys in my class! |
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| Cracking walnuts. |
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| Doing laundry the old fashioned way. Now your second grader can use the new-fangled laundry gadgets in your house to do/help with his/her own laundry, without complaining (because they know how hard it was to do in pioneer days)! |
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| Building Lincoln log houses takes teamwork to keep everyone safe. |
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| The alternating notches that dictate sturdy log building construction are a great mental challenge for second graders. Be sure they have a variety of construction toys, as each one has its own set of "rules." Legos are great, but they shouldn't be the only building toy around. |
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| What would you take to Oregon Territory? What would you leave behind? Second graders worked together to make tough decisions. Some groups made it, and some groups didn't based on their choices. |
When we got back to school, we weren't done yet! Our wonderful parent volunteers ran Pioneer Life Centers for more learning and work.
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| Estimating, weighing, counting with pumpkin math. |
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| Cutting and tying to make yarn dolls. Your second grader should be able to tie their own shoes, put their own tied shoes into a double knot, and tie a double overhand knot (granny knot). This is not just about shoes, this is a life skill. Please be sure you are working with them on this at home! |
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| Thaumotropes were a fun diversion for children in the olden days. They demonstrate the concept of "persistence of vision." |
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| Crocheting (or, more accurately, chaining) is a fiber arts skill that many still use today to make clothes. It develops fine motor skills, patience, and second graders were awfully proud of their bracelets and necklaces! |
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| Second graders churned their own butter! It was hard work, and you couldn't just stop when you were tired! Hard work can be fun, and pioneers worked hard, just like we do in second grade. |
Have a great weekend, rest up, and I'll see you next week for more learning and fun (we will be doing the Pony Express this coming week, rather than the week in November as outlined in the unit plan). Our next field trip is to Salem to visit the insect museum and the Willamette Heritage Center (to learn more about school life for pioneer children). The field trip will be on Thursday the 13 (YES, Thursday), and then that night is the K-4 fall music concert.
