It was really funny when the kids finally realized that the bus wasn't coming back for them - I just assumed they knew what the agenda was. They all did great, even though they thought it was way too far to walk. I didn't have any time to take pictures during the activity because I was too busy counting heads :) but I took a few pictures on my way home. There are some really cool things the kids learn about our local history. This is my fourth, and last time helping with the scavenger hunt. I find that I am having many firsts and lasts recently, with one kid going into high school, and our last halfway through elementary school. It's fun, but a little sad too!
original iron smelter - this has been around for 150 years
Willamette river - a woman dressed as a pioneer teacher told a story about how the kids in Lake Oswego used to go down to the river and row across to the other side for school each day. They also took turns housing their school teacher for a week at a time. Our kids were glad that they don't need to let their teacher take turns living with them!
This is the "peg tree." It is an enormous tree that the early settlers would put pegs into to hold their lanterns. You can see the bored holes going down the trunk that the pegs fit into. The kids would gather under the peg tree for Sunday School because it was such a big tree it would protect them from the rain.
This is a house of one of the city councilors who played a large role in our city's development. There were originally two iron smelters in town, and one was torn down, but George Rogers fought to keep the other one as a historical site. He built his house from the stones of the smelter that was removed. There was another story of a person who had a pet bear and would come into town with it. He would tie it to a tree while he was at work, but it was too scary for some of the kids in town, so he set the bear free in the woods.
It was a fun way to spend the day, and great for the kids to learn some of the history of our city.
3 comments:
What a fun activity! I have never heard of an elementary school doing anything like that - we recently went to a reunion that had the same type of thing - pretty cool to learn new things. You were a trooper - I couldn't imagine being put in charge of that many kids by myself.
I agree, looks like an awesome field trip! I love that they got to see and learn all those things.
...and I kind of feel sorry for those teachers back then. Can you imagine having to move once a week? It would be hard not to have a place to call your own.
It looks like there is a lot of neat history there--it's always fun to hear those old stories, too.
Your school amazes me. Our teachers would be so jealous. Their time is really limited with anything other than academics.
They did do something cool. They had baby trout eggs that grew in a bucket in their classrooms. When they hatched they were able to go to the Kings River and release them. They also were able to have their a picnic on the bank of the river, they loved it!
I can imagine you with that group, totally competent from experience but after I'm can imagine your relief to get them all back safe and sound.
One of our teachers has an aunt in Lake Oswego. I might show her your blog. Her aunt wants her to come and visit.
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