First graders visit Homestead park and Roca Berry Farm

In first-grade social studies, students learn about how things change over time, and they had the opportunity to experience this firsthand with a trip to Homestead National Historical Park.

The day began at the Heritage Center, where students explored farm equipment from the past. They were then welcomed by a park ranger who taught them about the Homestead Act and explained how people were able to obtain land during that time. After a serenade of "Home on the Range" and a discussion about the land all around them, students headed downstairs for a scavenger hunt through the museum. They searched for items that would have been found in homes and on farms long ago, offering another opportunity to see how much things have changed over time.

After exploring the Heritage Center, students took a short bus ride to the Freeman School House. They began with a relay game featuring chores children would have been responsible for during that time, including planting seeds, churning butter, sweeping floors and washing clothes. Students compared those chores to the responsibilities they have at home today and discussed how they might be similar or different. The highlight of this part of the visit was stepping inside the one-room schoolhouse. Students learned about how school life then was different from the school experience they enjoy today.

Once the visit to Homestead was finished, students loaded the bus and headed to Roca Berry Farm. In science, first graders have been learning about life cycles, including the life cycle of a pumpkin. They have also been exploring the different structures of a pumpkin plant and how each part helps the plant and its fruit grow and survive. Students enjoyed the activities at Roca and were especially excited to spot pumpkin blossoms and little green pumpkins growing on the vines, seeing what they had been learning about in science happening in front of them.

The day was filled with learning, exploring and making memories, and the ride home included a bus full of sleepy first graders after a day of learning beyond the classroom.