Adventures in agriculture

COSI on Wheels, an interactive science exhibit, visited Market Street Elementary.

By DENISE DICK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BOARDMAN — Second-graders Charlotte Liggitt, 7, and Jamie Campbell, 8, consider themselves old pros at cow milking.

They handled the task with expertise Friday when COSI on Wheels brought its Agriculture Adventures display to Market Street Elementary. Milking Daisy the big, plastic cow was a popular station among the young pupils.

It wasn’t the first time for either Charlotte or Jamie.

“The first time was at the Canfield Fair,” Charlotte said.

It was fun, she recalled.

“My brother was milking a cow and he went to give it to the boy next to him and he squirted him,” Charlotte said with a giggle.

Jamie’s inaugural cow milking was at a friend’s farm.

The mobile, interactive science exhibit from the Center for Science and Industry, Columbus, remained at the school through the Friday school day. Members of the school’s PTA ran the activities.

The cow milking included a milking machine, and the pupils got to stick their thumbs into the cylinder to experience what a cow feels when getting milked — although cows may dispute the accuracy of pupils’ descriptions.

“It tickles,” Charlotte said.

When it was Paige Metzinger and Jake Thomas’ turn on the milking stools, the kindergartners, both 6, jumped at the opportunity. Kindergartners Jaret Foulke and Willie Hall, both 6, and Derrick Anderson, 5, dug their shovels in the artificial dirt, sowing their seeds in the How Seeds Grow activity.

“We bury the seeds and she has to find them,” Derrick explained, indicating the PTA volunteer.

In Inherit the Farm, each pupil received $100 in fake $20 bills. Like an agricultural Wheel of Fortune, they would either lose their riches or enhance them depending on a spin of the wheel.

If the wheel landed on light rain or award-winning crops, for example, the pupil earned fake cash, but a spin that yielded a broken tractor or flooding meant a loss.

Luke Rhodes, 6, and in kindergarten, lost $30 when the wheel landed on hail damage, but recovered $20 when he hit award-winning crops. The farm wheel was his favorite activity of the day.

Another activity emphasized the benefits of regular exercise and healthful eating.

Kennedy Page and Lily Essad, both 5 and in kindergarten, cranked out a series of jumping jacks in rapid succession. Next came healthful lunch preparation.

Kennedy selected two slices of wheat bread to meet her grain requirement followed by green beans and carrots.

Kyla Snow and D.J. Dudley, both 7 and in second grade, took their turns at an activity about wool.

Kyla had to use some muscle to smooth a clump of wool between two wire brushes.

“I’m making it softer,” she said.

DJ watched as the wool he smoothed was spun into thread.

“It looks just like a dreidel,” D.J. said.