Learning at the Tabernacle

By Staff
Hands-on learning experience shared by Hartselle sixth graders
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle's sixth graders shared in a big dose of practical education on Oct.19 as participants in the Tabernacle Day outdoor classroom.
Rotating at 20-minute intervals, homeroom classes had the opportunity to see knowledge in action at 10 different learning stations. These stations were set up at different locations on the old Tabernacle grounds by taking advantage of its rich natural resources.
"Our teachers do an outstanding job of planning and coordinating the event and our parents are good about donating their time to help out," Principal Don Pouncey said. "The kids look forward to it and it and the Veterans Day program are probably the best two things we do all year. "
The learning stations and their presenters are listed as follows: Tabernacle History, Rob Cain; Storytelling, Beth Rabbi; Animal Tracks, Chris Keenum; Creative Writing, Melanie Smith; Water and Soil Conservation, Debbie Segars; Survival Training, Coach Shane Alexander; Forestry, Robert Maddox; Native Americans, Aaron Strobel; Leaf Scavenger Hunt, Andi Pitman; and Cotton Industry, Kenneth Anders.
The Leaf Scavenger Hunt was an activity that sends each student scurrying though the woods with a list of 18 different trees to identify. A cry went up from the Animal Tracks station each time Keenum pulled a large rat snake from its cage and invited onlookers to touch it.
Picking cotton by hand in Mark Harrison's cotton patch was another activity that generated a lot of excitement.
The students were also entertained by music teacher Michelle Reburn's all-male seventh and eighth grade chorus.
One of its selections was Showalter's: "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," a popular religious hymn which was written in Hartselle around the turn of the 20th century.
Parents from each homeroom furnished cold drinks and cookies for a mid-morning break and also assisted as group guides.