PEMBERVILLE – On Friday, Eastwood Middle School sixth-graders participated in Nature Day activities.
While at school, students watched "The Lorax" at a morning assembly. This video emphasized the
importance of nature and urged students to respect the many natural wonders around them
Students then traveled to the farm of sixth-grade teacher Anne Michel, near New Rochester. The rich
family history of the farm was shared and students then rotated though six learning stations. Students
identified many plants and trees during the nature hike and enjoyed nature games such as "prey and
predator."
Jim Rickenburg from the Bowling Green Water and Soil District taught a birdseed mining class and Amanda
Gamby from the Wood County Solid Waste Management District, gave a lesson on composting. Eastwood High
School biology teacher Keith Madaras discussed trapping and wildlife management with students along the
banks of the Portage River.
Vicki Stuckert, visiting dulcimer artist, held a "jam session" with students playing the
mountain dulcimer. Stuckert has spent the entire week at school instructing students to play this early
American instrument. Songs such as "Boil the Cabbabe" and "Black Cat on a Tennessee
Farm" were heard throughout the barnyard. During the lunch break, Dick Sheets taught students to
make apple cider using the antique apple press.
Sixth-grade teachers planning the day’s events included Donnie Burkin, Carolyn Ashby, Kim Glandorff, Bil
Gau, Ethan Downey and Michel. The sixth-grade team recently was awarded a $320 mini grant from the
Eastwood Educational Foundation for this thematic unit of study.
