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Union preschool welcomes barnyard buddies
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .Mahoning County MetroParks Farm representative Kim Moff (rear) visited the classes of Joy Bucci and Janice Brant on Feb. 22 to teach the students about farm animals and how many foods come from those animals.
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Mill Creek MetroParks Farm visited Union Preschool many times in the last week of February and early March. Before the Feb. 22 Barnyard Buddies presentation, Joy Bucci(left) danced to farm-themed songs with her students.
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Mill Creek agricultural facilities manager Brenda Markley (left) visited Union preschool on Mar. 2 and brought a baby goat for the students to meet. Travis (right) managed to give the goat a cautious pet.
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Markley asked the Union Preschoolers to guess the animals from the sound they make. After the students guessed correctly, Markley placed a photo of the animal on a board that represented the farm.
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Union preschooler Katherine (left) liked Markley’s rabbit guest far better than the baby goat, and gave the rabbit a friendly pet.
By SARAH FOOR
SDLqMoo,” “Bahh,” and “Oink Oink” echoed through the halls of Union Preschool on March 3, and drew some curious stares from passersby of Joy Bucci and Janice Brant’s preschool classrooms.
For the students inside, it was just another day at the farm, as representatives from Mill Creek MetroParks farm visited the school for their “Barnyard Buddies” presentation.
The preschool welcomes many events from the MetroParks farm, but preschool teacher Joy Bucci saw a particular need for her students to learn about farm animals.
“When I ask my students where milk comes from, the answer is usually the grocery store,” Bucci shared. “I think the kids are very removed from the source of many products they use every day, and that’s why presentations like this are important.”
The MetroParks Farm’s agricultural facilities manager, Brenda Markley, lead the presentation for the preschool students and focused on why farm animals are important to us.
Markley played a tape of animal sounds and the students had to guess the sound of each animal. After each correct guess, she placed them on the “farm,” a display board with a rolling landscape and a barn.
“Do you know why all of these animals are on the farm?” Markley asked. “These animals live at the farm because they do something for us. Cows and goats make milk; chickens, turkeys, and ducks lay eggs; sheep give us wool to make clothes.”
After her speech, Markley ditched the recorded animal sounds for a taste of the real thing, bringing out a baby goat and a baby rabbit for the students to meet and pet.
Sneha, a Union preschool student, went to pet Markley’s goat and then proceeded to look at the goat’s legs, hooves, and ears.
“I think you’re going to be a veterinarian when you grow up,” Markley told Sneha. “You checked everything like a complete professional.”