CRESTVIEW — Bob Sikes Elementary School's Bullpups now know more about regional, state and American traditions.
They can even make their own butter if the need arises.
Chilly weather Wednesday morning moved many demonstrations from the school’s annual American Heritage Day inside. But that didn’t stop kids from learning about their heritage from representatives of several local and regional organizations.
INDOOR EXHIBITS
In one classroom, Susan Holley of the Yellow River Soil and Water Conservation District showed scale models of modern farm equipment, contrasting it with pioneer farmers’ methods.
“All of your food and your clothes start from a farm,” she said.
In the library, Bruce Burford, wearing traditional American Indian clothes, displayed an array of tools and weapons once used by regional Indians.
As he displayed a celt, or stone axe, students were surprised to learn it wasn’t used to fell a tree. For that, Indians simply built a fire around the base. They used a celt to chop the topped tree.
In other classrooms, students learned how early settlers churned butter, how sugar cane is raised and processed, and visited with Smoky Bear to learn the importance of being careful with outdoor fires.
OUTDOOR DISCOVERIES
Some exhibits stayed outside. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s mobile display captured students’ attention as they guessed which paw prints, jawbones and even droppings came from which local animals.
The Florida Forest Service drew admiring glances for displaying the biggest piece of equipment: a heavy duty bulldozer, with a safety cage around the operator, used to cut fire breaks in the woods during a forest fire.
Students from each class got a firsthand glimpse at all the safety gear a forest firefighter wears as piece after piece was hung from a classmate.
“There, how does that feel?” Forester Gary Holley asked second-grader Makenzie Maloney as he crowned her with a red safety helmet.
“It’s kinda heavy,” she said, her voice muffled by the helmet’s protective face plate.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Bob Sikes Bullpups discover their heritage through demos, displays