Submitted article
Bucyrus Elementary School third grade students had the opportunity to experience a small glimpse of what life might have been like in the early days thanks to the annual Pioneer Day May 23. The event is in its third year, and is organized by third grade teachers.
Pioneer Day helps students prepare for the annual trip to Harvey School, and it engages them in a unique interactive learning experience.
“We learned that the students enjoyed the Harvey School experience and wanted to expand and build upon that foundation,” third grade teacher Kim Haldeman said. “To prepare for both the Harvey School trip and Pioneer Day, teachers present lessons on early Bucyrus and the Norton family, and read related literature and nonfiction texts.”
The third grade social studies curriculum focuses on the local community and the many variables that comprise a community.
“Pioneer Day allows students to see and hear first-hand what life may have been like for early settlers of Bucyrus,” Haldeman said. “It also gives them the opportunity to work collaboratively with their classmates.”
An event of this nature is only possible with the help of community members. Some of those individuals participating in Pioneer Day include: Josh Dyer and the Crawford Park District, Gale Martin and volunteers from the Marion Historical Society, Guy Petty and Jim and Jeanne Thompson. Students also had the opportunity to see, or participate in, many activities, including: storytelling, corn planting, horseshoe pitching, artifacts, chuck wagon and food preparation, muzzle-loaders, pelts, and a Civil War reenactment.
“Opportunities like this are so important for students because they learn and remember best through experience,” Haldeman said. “Many of our students do not have the chance to visit places like the Ohio Historical Society or COSI, so we work to find ways to bring experiences to them.
“We also feel as a team that it is important for students to know their history – to know that life has not always been this fast-paced and technology oriented, that folks had to work hard and were very appreciative of what they achieved.”
The Bucyrus Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization also participated in the event by helping to provide students with a “chuck-wagon cooked” lunch.
“I appreciate Mrs. Haldeman’s, and our third grade teachers’, ‘above and beyond’ dedication toward organizing and offering this outstanding ‘beyond our school’s walls’ authentic history lesson for our students,” Elementary Principal Todd Roll said. “I’m grateful for our ‘volunteers from yesteryear’ who brought the past alive on our front lawn. They’re tremendous!”
For more information about the Bucyrus Elementary School Pioneer Day, please contact Kim Haldeman at 419-562-6089 or email khaldeman@bucyrusschools.org.