MHS Second-Graders Benefit from Creative Hands-On Learning Opportunity

This week, Milton Hershey School elementary teachers found a creative way to bring fictional characters to life. After reading a story titled “The Goat in the Rug,” MHS second-graders learned about the story of Geraldine and her goat—and how the main character used the goat’s wool to create a beautiful rug.

To bring this fictional story to life through hands-on learning, MHS second-graders had the opportunity to visit with sheep on campus and learn about the shearing process from the school’s Agricultural and Environmental Education (AEE) staff.

“At MHS, we’re able to provide a variety of real-life experiences that go hand in hand with what students are abstractly learning in the classroom,” said Lee Ann Swanson, a second-grade teacher at MHS. “Seeing a live sheep go through the shearing process was an amazing experience. Many of our students have never seen a live sheep, let alone learn how to shear it.”

By extending their learning beyond the classroom, MHS students are gaining real-world perspective and an appreciation for literacy and reading. Through hands-on learning opportunities, students become active, curious learners and creative, 21st-century thinkers.

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