I was able to go with Grant on two field trips with his class this spring. We visited Philip Foster Farm out in Estacada. It's an historical sight where pioneers settled after crossing the mountains on the Oregon Trail. The kids learned about the history of the Oregon Trail and how the pioneers lived back then and even got to do some hands-on learning--doing laundry with a wringer washer, grinding corn into cornmeal, visiting a blacksmith, and building with giant lincoln logs. Grant was so tired after that day outside in the sun, he fell asleep on the couch waiting for the Blazer game to start that night. Turns out, he had a sinus infection, so he had a good reason to be so tired. He got antibiotics and was back to his energetic self in a few days.
The second field trip was the culmination of a big project Grant's class had been working on. They were learning all about mason bees and working to educate others about the benefits of keeping mason bees. Each student created a brochure to share with people at Burns Feed Store, just down the road from the school. The students really learned a lot, and it was fun to watch them share that knowledge so eagerly with customers and staff in the store. Grant was very excited to share all he knew!
