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Sandrock Elementary School third graders take trip back to 1800s at Wyman Museum

Darian Warden
Tanner Zimmerman, left, a third grader at Sandrock Elementary School, and his twin Tucker Zimmerman take their turn smashing apples for applesauce at the Wyman Museum Monday afternoon. Sandrock third graders went on the field trip as part of their pioneer days studies, meeting state standards for history.
Darian Warden

Sandrock Elementary School third graders had the opportunity to see just how tough life would’ve been back in the 1800s Monday afternoon at the Wyman Museum.

During a field trip to the museum, students helped make applesauce, learned about daily chores such as churning butter, saw a real blacksmith at work and met JR the elk.

Third grade teacher Stephanie Olinger said the field trip met state history standards, and coincided with the students learning about the pioneer days.



Olinger said the trip allowed students a deeper understanding of concepts they could only read about at school.

Olinger said students were currently reading, “Little House in the Big Woods.”



“When they just read something, they don’t master the skills,” Olinger said.

Wyman museum’s Nicky Boulger educated students on how often and tough chores were for kids back in the 1800s.

“Chores had to be done if you wanted to live and survive,” Boulger told students.

Boys in the class groaned as they learned cleaning the duty of cleaning the chamber pot often times fell to the youngest boy in the family, while girls helped their mothers clean, cook and do laundry.

When asking students how long it took to do laundry back then, many were surprised to learn it was an all day affair that included hauling water to and from the creek, however far it may be.

But in an applesauce making demonstration with Wyman Museum’s Annie Nelson, students learned all that hard work paid off.

After smashing cooked apples and adding a little cinnamon, students were allowed to try the applesauce they’d helped make.

“This is the best applesauce I’ve had in my whole life,” third grader Tanner Zimmerman said. “I’m taking little bites because it’s so good I want to save it.”

Students throughout the room echoed the words “amazing” and “delicious” as they lined up for seconds.

Olinger said the hands on approach had students more interested in the subject they were learning.

As students engaged and crowded around each station, Olinger’s statement seemed true, as each student seemed interested in learning more about life back in the 1800s.

Darian Warden can be reached at 875-1793 or dwarden@craigdailypress.com


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