Kansas Day Celebration
Kansas Day at Reading Elementary
On Friday, January 29, students at Reading Elementary celebrated Kansas Day with special activities all day. The students began the day with a special assembly to sing Happy Birthday to Kansas, Home on the Range, and other songs led by Mrs. Johnson, our music teacher. Students then were divided into small groups of Kindergarten through eighth grade students and participated in special Kansas history activities.
Civil War re-enactors, Darren Biggs and Leonard Baldwin, in their Civil War costume shared artifacts and information from that war. They recruited the students to join their army and instructed them in the basics of a soldier’s life. Special guest Roger Weaver played piano music from the Civil War era for students.
Dr. Tara Azwell shared children’s books: Pele’s New Suit and A Goat in a Rug with students and showed them how to weave on a loom then gave students the opportunity to try their hand at weaving.
Charlene Osmond showed students how to card and spin wool. The students got to card wool and try spinning wool into yarn.
Amanda Newman, kindergarten teacher, helped students make cornbread. While the cornbread baked, students learned about butter and made butter for their cornbread.
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Voorhees and Mrs. Kenneth Fuller shared quilts from past to present with students. They also helped students tie their handprint quilt which will be displayed in our school when it is completed.
Connie Douglas and Nickie Edwards, middle school teachers, helped students make candles using melted paraffin and crayons. Students enjoyed a trail mix and games as they waited for their candles to cool.
The students also made a Jayhawk puppet. The oldest student in each group was responsible for showing students in their group how to make the puppet.
All students and guests enjoyed hamburgers as they ate lunch together. Following lunch they moved to the gymnasium to watch the Pine Box Derby. Eight of our students who are scouts competed with their pine box cars. The students cheered on their favorite. It was an exciting race!
The students, guests, and faculty agreed it was a great way to celebrate our state’s birthday. Activities were enjoyed by all.
