By Amanda Pevey
Elmore/Autauga News
On December 6th the 2nd grade Red Pod classes for Coosada Elementary went to the Christmas at Alabama Nature Center in Millbrook, Alabama. The Red Pod classes consist of four teachers and their students. Teachers are Tracy Janes, Amanda Cannon, Jessica Duncan, and Kaitlin Kennedy.
The students and teachers enjoyed the experience of fun Christmas activities that the Alabama Nature Center staff presented. The staff a superb job organizing this field trip.
Each of the four teachers had an Alabama Nature Center staff member who walked with them to their activities. The first activity consisted of listening to a story called “The Mitten.” It is written and illustrated by Jan Brett. A staff member of the ANC dressed up and portrayed a person from the story named “Baba,” Nicki’s grandmother. “The Mitten” is a Ukrainian folk tale about a boy’s grandmother who knitted pure white mittens for him, even though she was afraid he would lose them in the snow. It’s a great story for young readers such as the second grade children that attended the field trip. At the end of the story, the staff was able to ask the students questions about the story.
Second, all of the students took a picture with Santa Claus and also let Santa know what he or she would like for Christmas. Each student was able to eat an iced cookie after seeing Santa.
Then, the children experienced a fun sleigh ride around the Alabama Nature Center. During the sleigh ride, the students had to find a fox that had a mitten in his mouth and let the staff know if they found it out in the woods.
Then all of the second grade students went into a classroom with their teacher and staff from the Alabama Nature Center to make a take home ornament. Each student was able to make a mitten to take home so they can tell their family what the mitten was all about.
Finally, the children took part in a hike with one of the staff members of ANC. The students asked many questions about what they saw on the hike, and the staff member was able to answer all the questions with great knowledge. Having the students learn outside of the classroom setting, it gives the students more of an opportunity to learn what nature has to offer.
The Alabama Nature Center in Millbrook, Alabama is a wonderful opportunity for families to come and explore what nature has to offer as well as learning the different animals that live there, too. Christmas at the ANC field trips for schools will be finishing up by the end of next week. For more information, please visit their website at: www.Facebook.com/AlabamaNatureCenter&NaturePlex.
