Learning on the Farm

by Destiny Herrmann

The third grade class had the opportunity to take the annual field trip the Gilles Farm on October 3. Located in Peoria County, the Gilles Farm provides a fun and educational experience in the great outdoors which the students thoroughly enjoyed. 

The day began at Morrissey Lake with Natural Resource Conservation Service representatives speaking to the children on the importance of water and soil conservation. Then Rob Hilsabeck taught them about local aquatic plants and animals: what they eat and how they survive. The students even were allowed to touch many of the animals brought by Hilsabeck. 

To make learning about animals more entertaining, the annual frog race took place after Hilsabeck finished. The students watched with delight as their teachers tried to convince their frogs to move out of a roped area! They were even more excited to see the loser, third grade teacher Mrs. Stacie Pipkins, kiss her frog!

Once the frog race was complete, the students visited the cows. These huge animals ate entire cobs of corn from the student’s hands!

Lunch was provided by Pheasants Forever at the Gilles Farm. The students devoured the meal of hot dogs, chips, water bottles and s’mores. To complete the day students took a hay-rack ride though the farm and competed in class relay races. 

Pipkins loved “seeing the kids experience and learn new things.” The trip provided a great opportunity for students to get hands on learning about nature, animals, and farming.