Friday, October 19, 2012

Sage's 2nd Grade Field Trip

Sage's grade went on their first field trip of the year yesterday, and I was so glad that I was able to go with her.  I have always tried to be able to go on them with her, but this year, the nurse needed to know weeks ago if I could go so that she could make arrangements for herself to go or another nurse.  I asked Travis a million times if he would be able to watch Jaggar so that I could go because siblings aren't allowed to go.  He told me yes over and over again.  When I reminded him this week that the field trip was Thursday, he said, "Oh no...I have a game that day." You can imagine the conversation(S) that followed.  I was not happy.  Thankfully, our friend, Angelle, was able to come and play with little J that day.

This field trip was called the Outdoor Classroom.  One of the 2nd grade teachers lives on a huge lot of land and a cotton field out in White Plains, AKA the middle of nowhere.  Beautiful area, but I couldn't live there.  But they had all of these people from forest conservatories, the museum, and nature associations to teach the kids about different things.  It was a lot of hands on, a lot of moving, and a lot of fun.  They were kept busy all day, which was nice.  They also got to pick as much cotton as they could carry out of the cotton field.  Sage LOVED that.  

This is Sage with her wonderful teacher, Mrs Robbins.  I'm so thankful that she is Sage's teacher this year, and I personally genuinely like her.


Sage and her friend, Mallory, listening to some of the explanations that the different speakers gave at the beginning.
 One of the stations about forestry.
 This was one of the most fun stations, skins and skulls.  This lady had all kinds of skins of different animals and their skulls.  Beavers, squirrels, foxes, deer.  I was really impressed with one boy who seemed to know what every skin and skull once belonged to.  This station went by way too fast for the speaker and the kids.  All of the speakers loved what they did, and I like ANYONE who enjoys their job and does it well.
 All of the students LOVED the museum's presentation.  He brought a snake, an owl, a bullfrog...and this crocodile, which he let them all pet.  That crocodile was sending out major distress calls, which the speaker told us meant, "Help me, Mommy."  Smart crocodile.
 Sage picking cotton.

 She has an entire bag full, and she is determined that she is going to make something out of it.
 At the end of the day, the teacher who lives there took each class on a "tractor ride."  This was basically like a hay ride without the hay on a flat tractor bed attached to the tractor that she drove.  Mrs. Robbins asked me if I wanted to go, so I was like sure.  Little did I know that riding a bucking camel would have been like riding in a Bentley compared to this.  I didn't think it would ever end, and the teacher driving never even looked back.  Any hay ride or tractor ride I've been on has always been on a path.  This chick was driving through creeks, over tree stumps, through the woods, and over every bump that was available.  It was pretty torturous, and I sat up on my feet until I couldn't feel them so that the baby wouldn't get knocked out of me.  BUT the kids loved it.  :)  They own a TON of cows, and when she drove through their field, each one ran toward us mooing for food.  Good times.  It was a fun day.

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