February 12, 2015 • 0

Field Trips

February 12, 2015

It’s hard to believe but this is the last week of school for the kindergarteners! Next week, before we are off for Seollal (Lunar New Year), is the kindergarten graduation. In March all the 7 year olds (Cherry, Blueberry, and Plum classes) will start elementary school. Some of them may continue to attend SLP for afternoon English classes but I will miss having my Cherry kids everyday.

So, I thought this would be a good time to reminisce about the field trips I’ve taken with them. We typically have a field trip each month unless there is another special event. Since I began teaching, I’ve been on field trips in August, September, October, and January. I really enjoy going on the field trips because it’s a chance for us to all let loose and for me to have some fun with the kids.

For my first field trip in August we went to a swimming pool. I didn’t realize that we weren’t going to an outdoor pool! Instead we went to an indoor pool. The kids had a blast but it was hot and steamy for us poor teachers.

On the bus being goofy

Monster Kids!

It was fairly large but the ceiling was really low

All the girls wore swim caps

The pulled a slide out near the end

In September we visited a folk museum. I think it was more interesting for me than for the kids. We made some gangjeong, a puffed rice snack that is mixed with nuts and seeds, stuck together with a dyed syrup, and then formed into different shapes. It reminded me of making Rice Krispie treats. Then we walked around the museum a bit and the kids were given a tour in Korean.

Nuts and seeds in the bowl

Mixing it all together with the puffed rice

Purple syrup

Mixing the syrup into the puffed rice mixture

Then they made different shapes with these molds

What a goofy smile!

They made purple, green, and gold gangjeong

touring the museum

don’t they look excited!?

group shot of SLP kindergarten

In October we went to a nearby farm. I was really excited about going to a farm but my enthusiasm quickly dampened after I stood in a hot field watching kids hack at the ground with spades. The kids had a blast though! First we went on a tractor ride to the growing area. There the kids each got a kohlrabi stem. I think it puzzled them. Then they were given spades to dig out sweet potatoes. That was their favorite part of the day. They got to take all the potatoes and kohlrabi home, too!

snack time

on the tractor ride

here we go!

kohlrabi!

They look confused

What is this?

The kids learn how to dig for sweet potatoes

potatoes!

the kids took home a lot of sweet potatoes

It’s not a field trip without a group photo

My last field trip with these kiddos was in January. We went to a YMCA sled park and got to go sledding down an artificial snow hill. It was a lot of fun! I had just as much fun as the kids. In fact, I didn’t think we were there long enough!