BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — Third-graders at the Clark Mills School are putting on their overalls, long skirts, blouses, bandannas, bonnets and cowboy hats.
It’s time for the third grade social studies culminating activity for the unit “Westward Ho.”
“Pioneer Day is such a wonderful celebration for our third-graders as they finish their social studies unit about pioneers,” Principal Stephanie Kuhns said. “The children are enjoying the craft activities, the barbecue lunch and the square dancing with a professional caller.”
Teacher Lois Stevens said Pioneer Day ties in with a social studies unit about America. Stevens said the children were working on different crafts.
“The children also played pioneer games to get a feel of what it was like when the pioneers crossed the country,” the teacher said.
In the school hallways, bulletin boards were filled with pioneer art work, large conestoga wagons, students’ pictures of tools and equipment that were used by early American settlers, and wanted posters in a jail-like setting.
“Right now we are cross-stitching initial letters to simulate what they did,” teacher Sheri Ostrowitz said, explaining that the pioneers used the letters on quilts and other items they made as they traveled across the country.
Teacher Monica Tobio said children in her class were enjoying the culminating activity.
“We’re making authentic saddle bags,” Tobio said. “We’re [also] cross-stitching and sharing our wanted posters of those wild west wanted villains.”
Tobio said the children would enjoy a pioneer hoedown cook-off for lunch and would celebrate with a square dance in the afternoon, featuring professional caller Manny Armor.
Kuhns thanked the third grade teachers, physical education teachers and parent volunteers for preparing and implementing the daylong activities.