Andy Woods Elementary holds farm day for pre-k students

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - As Andy Woods Elementary students learn new vocabulary of animals, what they provide us, and what farmers must do on the farm, they got the chance to practice language and real-life hands on experience at Farm Day.

Farm Day at Andy Woods started in 2018 and it’s grown ever since. This is the second year that students have had live animals that they can see, touch, and feel.

“So, the past three weeks we’ve been learning about all of these animals and what they give us and where our food comes from and where our clothes come from,” said Jana Slaughter, a Pre-K Teacher at Andy Woods.

The animals included a milking cow, pigs, chickens, and more.

There was also a tractor to climb on, corn to shell off the cob, compost to dig for worms, and butter making.

“It’s been really amazing for them to now get to go and see it and touch it and ask questions and use their vocabulary and their language that they are learning,” said Slaughter.

Researchers say this type of hands-on learning helps the young students develop cognitively, socially, and helps emotional development as well.

“They love to use all their language that they learned so they’re saying the utters and the milk they are saying it all out here to teach their families about all the animals,” said Slaughter.

Some parents there enjoyed seeing their kid’s reactions.

For some Pre-K students, it’s their first time seeing farm animals.

Slaughter said hopefully this experience will inspire some kids to get into agriculture in the future.

“I actually grew up in a city and my father grew up on a farm and so for me it’s connecting those generations together,” said Slaughter.

The kids had an opportunity to see, touch and learn about the animals they have been studying in class.

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