GALLIPOLIS FERRY — “I’ve got a snake in my boot.”
Perhaps one of the most popular cowboys among younger generations is Sheriff Woody from the Toy Story films, who has several western-themed sayings such as this one. While kids might get a few tidbits of information about the old west from these films and from Sheriff Woody, the third grade students at Beale Elementary School have taken studying cowboys and the Wild West one step further.
Over the last several weeks, these students have been learning all about cowboys and the Wild West and recently held a special afternoon of cowboy-themed activities. Nearly 40 students were able to try their hand at roping some cattle, and a horse named “Jellybean” also came for a visit.
Third grade teachers Tina Leslie and Letha Rice stated these activities go along with the stories being covered in their current reading series, which they’ve been doing for the past several years. The three stories include the titles “Leah’s Pony,” “Boom Town,” and “Yippee-Yay.” Rice stated they save this part of the curriculum until the end of the year, so the weather allows them to possibly hold field trips and other activities like this.
“They have a good time with it,” Rice said about the special activities. “You can hear how excited they are.”
Through these stories, the students have learned various aspects of a cowboy’s life, and what it was like in the old west. They’ve learned about the different positions people held while traveling in the west in the 1800’s, as well as the parts of a saddle, and how to care for a horse. The children learned about all the responsibilities involved when taking care of a horse, including what a horse eats, how to muck the stalls, and also how to properly approach a horse.
Leslie stated these particular activities are important for the children because they are hands-on.
“This is something they will remember,” Leslie said. Leslie went on to say that last year’s third graders traveled to Safe Harbor Farms, and several children described it as “the best day ever.”
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