Blazing Thanks To Firefighther Chuck

Our class recently went on a field trip to tour our local fire station. The tour was led by the jovial and kind Firefighter Chuck whose easygoing attitude and sweet nature break through that tough as nails macho firefighter persona. 

To thank Firefighter Chuck, our class created a book filled with some smoking drawings about what their favorite part of the firehouse visit was. We even included a picture of the children standing on the bumper of a fire engine hamming it up for the camera. 

After over a month of dragging our feet, we trudged to the fire station in sweltering heat to deliver our homemade picture book to Firefighter Chuck. To our surprise, Firefighter Chuck let the children "ride" (sit inside) on the fire truck and fire engines again! 

The children were excited as ever to experience the life of a firefighter again! As we left the fire station, Firefighter Chuck sweetly rang the fire truck bell as a firefighter tootaloo.

Four alarm thanks, Firefighter Chuck! 

One Smoking Trip!: Fire Station Visit

Two weeks ago we took a flaming trip to our local fire station. On the day of the trip, the room was overflowing with jittery, ecstatic firefighter-crazed gaiety. My students proudly sported their school t-shirts and walked purposely to the fire station.

As always, I found this a perfect teaching moment to direct their conversations and answer questions about the environment around them such as why does the electronic walk sign count down?, what kind of flower is that? and so on.

Their quest for knowledge is truly a formidable force that is not for the faint hearted. Once you answer one question be prepared for an interrogative session of momentous portions!

Our firefighter guides were exceptional in their efforts to describe the essence of being a firefighter and gave a totally developmentally-appropriate tour of the firehouse which included the kitchen, rec room, exercise room and their lockers.

If this was not fiery enough, the children were dazzled by the fire trucks, fire engines and ambulances. They giddily sat in the fire engine and truck like a professional firefighter performing his or her daily duties.

The most thrilling event for our little firefighters in training was a wooden, replica home with a blazing inferno in each of the windows. The firefighters helped the children aim the hose to "put out the fire like a real firefighter".

This four-alarm social studies-based trip helped the children gain knowledge into the daily life and inner workings of a firefighter like no other.

Field trips like this are truly the most impressive to teachers and students due to their carefree abandon, hands-on learning opportunities, and innumerable educational subjects covered such as science (understanding the reasons and main cause of fire and cause and effect: water from hose puts out fire), social studies (life of a firefighter), math (counting the fire trucks) and so on.

Make sure to utilize your "hot" community resources such as the fire station, police station or even the local garbage or recycling center for one stupendous social studies adventure.