As part of their “History-based” Overnight trip, CHP 7th and 8th graders traveled to Pennsylvania. Their trip commenced with first experiencing the Railroad Museum. They had a good time seeing the evolution of locomotives & railroad cars from the mid-19th & 20th centuries. They also enjoyed playing with the intricate model train sets! For a good part of the trip, students visited, learned, and experienced the lives of the Amish people. The Amish were one of the first colonist settlers in America. Students visited a model Amish home, where they were intrigued by the lifestyle of the Amish, who have no electrical appliances in the home and all family members (incl. children) equally participate in doing household chores. Our students were especially curious how they live without electronics (tv’s, computers, phones) but spend time playing board games and other (non-digital) interactive activities! Another very interesting site was the Amish Schoolhouse, a “one-room” building where students from Grades 1 through 8 all study in one room. Students were engaged and asked many questions to the tour guides.
A part of experiencing Amish life is the “Horse and Buggy” ride, and “Scooter” ride. In a world where pollution is rampant from automobiles, the Amish still travel in horse and buggies, and use scooters as their modes of transportation. Students had the opportunity to sit in one of the buggies, and also enjoyed riding Amish scooters that are actually hybrids of our modern-day bicycle and kick-scooter.
In addition to the Amish immersion, the kids had a great time at the Turkey Hill Experience. They learned how ice-cream was made, experimented with their own creations, and of course, ate it thereafter! And where does all the milk come from? Students visited two dairy farms, one a local Amish, and Kreider’s Farm, a large automated commercial Dairy Farm and observed firsthand the practice of raising cows and then milking them for consumption.
We couldn’t leave Pennsylvania history without visiting Gettysburg, and learning about the most critical engagement in the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg. Students visited the world’s largest outdoor museum, the Gettysburg Battlefield, detailing the actual events of the famous 3-day battle.
In all, the 7th and 8th graders came back learning an important piece of American history.
