A great time was had at the apple orchard!  We took a wagon ride to pick apples, fed the animals, played on the playground, and had a great sack lunch!  Each of us took home a pumpkin and apples!  Oh, and we sampled some delicious apple cider.  Check out the student activities to see how we used the apples!

We visited the Children's Museum in Edwardsville.  It was a great time!  We learned about the solar system and the reactions of dry ice!  We were able to play in the museum at the many pretend business areas.  The students were policemen, firemen, dentists, bankers, cooks, waitresses, and grocery clerks!  

The students enjoyed a sit down lesson on animals, and met a live possum!  

They toured the facility, learned a lot about the wild animals and their habitats.  

The eagles sang to them and the coyotes howled with them!  

What a great place to learn about God's living creations!

We visited the Jerseyville library and listened to two stories told by the librarian.  She was a very good story teller!  Then we did a fun musical craft and played a game that taught how to use the library!  Each student picked out two books to take back to school!  It was a great trip!

We spent the day at the Nature Institute and learned so much!  We hiked through the woods, and spotted many things, including the arch through binoculars!  We learned about plants, trees, seed, animals, and the environment. We roasted hot dogs and made s'mores for lunch.  The kids hid in the field while the adults tried to locate them.  They were rabbits and the adults were hawks!   We hid a painted rock there, which has already been found and relocated!  Can't wait to search for it again.  It was such an awesome trip.  We plan to go back soon!

The students went on a field trip to Marcoot Dairy Farm in Greenville Illinois.  They were told about the cheese making process and were able to witness part of the manufacturing method.  We sampled some cheddar cheese curds and they tasted awesome! Then we walked to the fields and were given a demonstration of the way in which cows are milked.  The students used a simulated cow to try the process out themselves!  We were able to pet the calves and goats, some of which were newborns!  We played around a little, ate lunch, and sampled their delicious ice cream.  We also tried out their homemade mango and strawberry smoothies!  

This trip was enjoyed by all!

The students took a field trip to the QEM Firehouse in Grafton, Illinois.  They learned about the different tools that a fireman uses, how the different parts of the firetruck work, and the gear that a fireman wears.  They sat in various parts of the truck and were able to shoot water out of the fire hose!  They watched videos on fire safety and 911 emergency situations.  They also learned how the fire hydrant works.  What an awesome field trip.  Thanks to the QEM fire department for caring so much about the kids.