Old MacDonald Had A Farm

Today was a field trip to our district farm.  It was a very windy and cold day, so let me just say that I had to work hard to keep positive while standing on my feet in a smelly barn and chicken coop for forty minutes.   One way I kept positive was to watch all the fun the kids were having and listen to some of their comments.  So, here are the highlights for your reading enjoyment. 

[in the (smelly) chicken coop, when the blower on the ceiling came on to heat the coop]

"On no!  Now it's blowing the smell right onto me!"

[student making quacking noises to the ducks, who were inside a pen warming up]

"Mrs. Jeppson!  Mrs. Jeppson!  Look! I can speak duck!"   Note: the ducks were quacking and quacking.  It did look like they were talking back to her.

[as we stood inside the barn]

"I love the smell of hay!  I just LOVE it!"
  (and no, for the record, I didn't probe and ask more questions)

[while watching the goats]

"Goats are so cool!"  
  (I concur!)

[while walking with a couple little girls]

"I don't think I'd like being a farmer," began one girl.
"Me neither!" agreed the other girl.  "There is way too much poop!"

[while in the barn, we were measuring an animal pen that had a lone sheep inside]

"Hey, look at that sheep," pointed out one observant little one.  Ten kids immediately pushed and shoved to get better view of sheep. 
"This sheep has been causing trouble with the other sheep, so he had to be put in the pen by himself," explained the farm guide. 
"So, he's in time out?" chuckled one sharp boy.  Collective laugh.
"You could say that....." said the guide, smiling. 
"Baaaaaaaa," came the reply from the sheep pen.  

[While walking near some peacocks]

"Peacocks scare me!"
"Why do they scare you?" I prodded.  "Have you had a bad peacock experience?"
"Any peacock experience is a bad peacock experience to me," stated peacock-phob student as she hustled by the birds.

"Did you know Old MacDonald had a farm?" I asked one student in a sing-songy voice as we walked back toward the bus.  
"E-I-E-I Know!" he joked along.  Funny boy.

I love 3rd graders.  They are funny and happy and cute and bubbly.  They are caring and smart and interesting and lively. They are unpredictable and honest and curious and fun to be around.   

So, even though it was cold and windy and a little on the smelly side, the trip to the farm today was great because I got to enjoy it with a bunch of little kids.  Any time you mix kids + animals, it's bound to be a good time.

And if you don't believe me, ask the duck.  Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack, quack......