Some school activities serve more than just an educational purpose. Some, like the local field trip Bobtown elementary students took this spring, help foster connections to their community.
As part of an extended social studies lesson, the third-grade classes at Bobtown Elementary took part in a walking field trip around Bobtown. Students spent the walk observing and discussing the history of Bobtown and its town landmarks.
Third grade teachers Amy Caldwell and Kendra Jones, along with Principal Rick Menear and Guidance Counselor Jayce Donley organized and led students on a walk through Bobtown that took them to historic landmarks, such as the jailhouse, the fire station, and community building. The students participated in a “Then and Now” activity, comparing these landmarks to their previous appearance.
While visiting the old jailhouse and its owner Denise Desmet, students learned about how the jailhouse was once used for children who misbehaved, was a center caring for local coal miners, and its time as an ice cream parlor. At the Shannopin Civics Club, Joyce Pratt, Janice Hanlan, and Sandy Smithley shared the club was once used as a cafeteria for Bobtown Elementary and students had to walk across town to eat lunch each day.
Several firefighters from the Bobtown and Dunkard Twp. Volunteer Fire Company including Chief Brian McCorkle, Assistant Chief John Friday, President/Engineer Wayne Jordan, Bruce Greene, Mark Siverling, and Matthew Gacek, talked to the students. From them, students learned about firefighting technology and equipment.
Students spent several days before the walk discussing how and why communities change over time, focusing on how communities start, grow and change differently, transportation in communities, and changing economies. During the walk, students took notes about the sites they visited and later presented their findings to the class in an oral presentation. Students also held classroom discussions about their observations.
“The students thoroughly enjoyed the trip, especially since it got them out of the classroom on a beautiful, sunny day,” Caldwell says. “[S]tudents said their favorite parts were collaborating with their cooperative working groups, visiting the fire station, trying on the firefighter’s equipment, and walking through the fire truck … One of their favorite parts, however, was the cupcakes and cold drinks the ladies from the Shannopin Civics Club provided them at the end of their walk.” The students also enjoyed learning the history of Bobtown, especially from Mr. Donley. Donley previously completed a research project on Appalachian history, the development of small coal mining towns, and the way of life for the people who lived there.
The walk deepened the students’ understanding of the content they learned in the classroom, while providing an opportunity to learn about content specific to their community. Activities like the field trip keep students engaged and often foster a love of learning.
This year is the first time students have taken part in the walking trip, thanks to a new social studies program with a focus on communities. But it won’t be the last; the school plans on doing the walk each year, with even more community involvement.
“The walk has ignited a sense of pride in our students that is often absent,” Caldwell adds. “Learning about the dangerous and difficult work of the coal miners and the sacrifices their families made to be here in our little part of Greene County helped them realize no matter how small our community may be, it took more than they could ever imagine to build it. They realize it’s a place to be respected and cherished for many years to come.”
