Jefferson's teacher organized the best field trip today. She had all the kids dressed in pioneer clothing, the girls in dresses and bonnets, and the boys in vests, hats and bandannas. The students had learned about the Oregon Trail and the reasons many emigrants walked the long trail from Missouri to Utah, Oregon, and California. They had made little wagons and studied the route that those settlers took. Mrs. Pike, Jefferson's teacher, had made signs on specific stops during our route to represent the major landmarks of the Oregon Trail, such as Chimney Rock, Fort Laramie, Independence Rock, Scotts Bluff, and so forth. The children were fascinated by the experience of pretending to be early settlers, gold prospectors, and homesteaders, all the while listening to their teacher explain the various important historical sights.
One of Jefferson's favorite stops was the trading post, Fort Laramie. Their teacher, with the help of her husband and sister-in-law, had set shop in front of a house and were "offering" various souvenirs for trading. The kids were given each a couple of flour and sugar packets (each representing 2 lbs) to trade with the Indians. They were able to purchase a variety of necklaces, arrow heads, dream catchers and other Indian items. The kids were all very excited.
Another favorite event that took place during our "trail" was the Indian ambush. As their teacher was telling them about the dangers and the hardships of walking through treacherous areas, a few "Indians" attacked us. The "settlers" were scattered around from fear of getting hurt. Most likely, the Indians wanted their horses, but since they didn't have any, peace was established.
I have to say my favorite part of the trail was seeing the kids take this activity so seriously. When Mrs. Pike stopped at a green field with a few crosses in it (placed beforehand by her husband), she spoke to the children about the trials that these pioneers encountered on their way to more land, freedom, or a better life. In many cases those dreams were paid with loved one's lives. The children were really touched.
After much walking, trials, and hardships, our little band of wagons and excited settlers entered the Oregon territory. It was time for celebration.
After eating some snacks, the kids were divided into groups of five and each group was assigned an activity that pioneer children used to do: making button dolls (using the doll's buttons when yours got lost or torn), drilling holes to make lanterns out of cans, painting mats, and panning for gold.
After the hard work, the children ate lunch, relaxed, played games, and just had a great time pretending to be pioneer children.
In the end, all of us parents were treated to a beautiful surprise. All of the kids arranged themselves in lines and danced the Virginia Reel for us. Jefferson started the dance with the rest following. All of those fun dances around the house with my kids sure did pay off. He danced beautifully and behaved just like a gentleman. I loved it. Enjoy the pictures and the video:
No comments:
Post a Comment