What a week. This past week I had my very first parent teacher conferences. I ended the school day with my kids at 2:30pm. I was then meeting with parents until 9:30pm. Longest day of my teaching experience thus far. It was great to meet with the parents of my students, but it made for a very tiring night. Luckily, the next day the fourth grade team got to go on a field trip!
The bus ride to and from the field trip was some of the best moments! I got to just hang with my students and talk to them about life. I talked to the boys about the cutest girls in the class they were crushing on and I talked to the girls about the cutest boys. I had one little boy say, Eww we don't like any girls Miss Stransky. Oh, you just wait my friend, one day you will like girls! :)
The bus ride to and from the field trip was some of the best moments! I got to just hang with my students and talk to them about life. I talked to the boys about the cutest girls in the class they were crushing on and I talked to the girls about the cutest boys. I had one little boy say, Eww we don't like any girls Miss Stransky. Oh, you just wait my friend, one day you will like girls! :)
The view driving up the canyon was so beautiful!
For our field trip, we went up Diamond Fork Canyon Campground in Spanish Fork, Utah. This field trip was full of so many things from our science core curriculum that we have to teach in Utah. I probably learn just as much, if not more, than my students do about Utah during experiences like this. At the campground we had different stations we got to attend. The first station was a water station. We all got to put on these boots that had pants connected to them and go in the water to collect bugs and fish. My students were doing the catching and I was just monitoring them in the water. I felt like a mother of 27 children hoping and wishing none of them would go floating down the river! At this station we also got to test the PH level of the water in the river. This by far was one of the best stations that my students loved. Here are some pictures!
Another station that we got to go to was an animal station. There was a guide teaching about different animals that we have here in Utah. He had footprints the students had to identify which animal it belonged to. He also had different beaks, antlers and horns, fur samples, and "droppings" of the different animals! So entertaining to watch the students determine which animals live in Utah and what characteristics they have. Pictures from this station!
The next station we went to was a plant station. Here we learned about common plants in Utah. We mostly worked with leaves from different types of trees. In science we learn about deciduous and coniferous trees (both of which are very difficult for a fourth grader to even pronounce! :) but it is so fun hearing them try so hard!) We got clues telling us what kind of tree we were looking for, then in groups, we had to go find the actual leaf in the campground. Once we found the leaf we brought it back to our guide and he told us the trees name. We documented all our information in a chart we got to bring back home. A few from this station!
The last station we went to was a nature walk! We loved this station! We got to take binoculars and go around the campground looking for birds and different animals. Funny thing was we didn't see one bird the whole time. But my kids still loved looking through the binoculars to find things. We got to explore and that was so fun! This was the only time I heard the words, "Miss Stransky, _______ just tripped and got hurt!" This caused me to panic for just a moment but when I saw no sign of blood, I figured we would be ok. The tears quickly dried up! Thank goodness! On our walk we found a tepee and some tunnels made out of branches! The kids loved walking through them and then finding another way out to get back on the trail!
Also on our hike we got some good class pictures!!
These are the greatest kids I know. Love them.
After our walk, everyone was so thirsty they thought they were going to die. I think they were begging for water more than I have ever heard them beg for anything.
This was the only source of water we found at the campground. It was a faucet. Everyone stood in line and took their turns. I luckily had a water bottle I could fill up and then drink from. My students were just going for it and getting all the water they could during their time at the faucet. It came out so fast they had to have someone turn the faucet so water didn't go everywhere. Well, when I saw one of my students that I just adore up at the faucet, I knew it was time for me to turn the water on for him. A* and I are always joking around inside in the classroom and out at recess. (side story: everyday after school he comes to me and says, "Miss Stransky, I am starving, can I please have a lollipop?" With the most adorable smirk ever of course. And I can't help but give him a lollipop almost everyday!) Anyways... A* and I have a good time messing around turning free time, so I walk up to the faucet and say, "Here A*, let me help you!" And I turn the faucet on full blast! It wasn't too bad but he did have to dry off in the sun for a few minutes! :) He laughed and told me it was my turn to get a drink straight from the faucet. I reminded him I brought the water bottle!
Here I am caught in the act.
Such a great day! I love being in fourth grade again!!
This next picture wasn't on the field trip but aren't they just cute?
