Tigers Get A Taste of Old California At Olivas Adobe

by Carly Barlow and Anna Girolamo

This year, La Mariposa’s 4^th grade classes went to the Olivas Adobe for a field trip.  One of the reasons we liked this field trip was the guide.  We liked the guide because he talked like a cowboy and made everybody step in the gross, disgusting, dirty mud pit.  We stomped around in the mud, picked mud up in our hands, and put it in wooden molds to make adobe bricks.  Another worker hosed us off afterwards.

Also while we were there, we made delicious tortillas.  First we put corn on the matate (a stone table) and moved it back and forth with the mano (a rock) while pushing it at the same time.   After we did that, we rolled the masa (smashed corn) into a ball.  When we were done with that, we put these balls of masa into the tortilla press.  Next workers cooked them on the old-fashioned outdoor stove.  Finally we got to eat them!  They were the best tortillas we had ever tasted in our life.

When we took a tour of the house, we saw lots of rooms.  One room was the girls’ bedroom.  Almost all the Olivas girls slept in this one room at a time.  The babies slept in the parents’ room.  The boys slept outside on the balcony.  The Olivas family had 21 children, so there were lots of girls in one room.  Next we toured the parents’ room.  They had chamber pots to go to the bathroom.  The boys’ job in the morning was to empty out the chamber pots.  Then we toured their very own chapel.  They had a picture of what the chapel looked like when the Olivas family lived there, and the chapel looks almost exactly the same now.

Cattle was important on the rancho.  They had a lot of cattle, so they had to make their own cattle brand.  To make a brand and get it on the cattle, you had to first make your own brand iron.   Then you have to place the brand end in the fire.  Lastly you put the hot iron brand on the animal’s body, and then you have your brand on the animal.  We got to look at the cattle branding iron and other tools.  We also saw rawhide and tanned cattle hide.

Another thing we did at Olivas Adobe was lasso a fake cow.  It was so fun!  Carly got zero points, but Anna got one point.  To get a point, you had to get the rope around one of the cow’s horns.  If it went around both horns, you got two points.

These are just some of our favorite things we did at Olivas Adobe.

3rd Graders Slip Back In Time During Camarillo Ranch Tour

From CamarilloRanch.org

Visit to the Camarillo Ranch Museum is the perfect way to supplement a the 3rd Grade unit on local history, Camarillo history, agricultural history, architecture and more.

Children from Camarillo and surrounding areas visit the Camarillo Ranch and learn what it was like to live in the late nineteenth century. The docents work with the school children on roping, making butter, planting lima beans, and learning about the life of Adolfo Camarillo and the history of the House and the area.

All third grade students visited the Camarillo Ranch in January.  The Camarillo House Field trips is made possible by your Jog-a-thon Donations!

Special thanks to Greta & Jennifer for submitting pictures from this great field trip.

Our Trip to the Olivas Adobe

By Karolina, Haley, Jenna, Emily, and Alex

In January, fourth grade classes went on a field trip to the Olivas Adobe. The first thing we did was learn about the house and how it was made of adobe bricks. Later we got to go into the freezing mud and make adobe! First we took a handful of mud and put it in a box that would shape it. Once it would be dry, it would be hard enough to build your house with. We learned that water destroys adobe, and the Olivas family that lived in the house had to protect it by grinding limestone into a powder and then put it in water which makes paint. The family then had to paint it over the adobe house so that when it rains, the paint will protect it from collapsing.  

NOAA Instrumental In 5th Grade Science Lessons

By Katie M. & Brinley F., Student Contributors

Recently, all the fifth grade classes took a field trip to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), to learn more about meteorology.  The reason for this field trip was to teach us more about the atmosphere unit we learned about in science class.

At NOAA, we learned lots of new facts.  One thing that we learned was how to stay safe in any natural disaster.  

4th Grade Field Trip: Dolphin Days

 

By Haley, Talia, and Karolina, Student Contributors

Fourth grade read the novel Island of the Blue Dolphins. After we finished reading the book, fourth grade went on a field trip to Carpinteria State Beach. We met the tour guides. They showed us pictures of sea otters and other paintings in the book. The tour guide gave us chia seeds that we ate. She told us that in moisture the chia seeds expand so you would stay full, and that if someone got sand in their eyes, the chia seeds got slippery, and

Tigers Travel To 18th Century California

Santa Barbara Presidio
“I felt like a real Spanish Explorer. There were tin cups, pans, pots, canons, and a shirt maker.”–Michael B.

 

This month 4th Grade classes visited the Santa Barbara Mission and Presidio to learn about eighteenth century mission life.  Students learned about life on a fort and what it might have been like to be a soldier or a soldier’s family at the Presidio.  They saw some of the everyday tools soldiers used and the places where they slept, ate, and amused themselves.  

Third Grade Tigers Take It To City Hall

by Tracy, Student Contributor

I enjoyed going on the City Hall field trip for several reasons.  First, we went to see the city planner.  The city planner showed us maps with the different zones on them.  These zones explained the different types of areas in the city of Camarillo.  I really liked looking at Google Earth.  We were able to see our school from satellites.  The docent then walked us to the building and safety inspector.

Principal Saves Kinder Kids From Constrictor

Okay, not really.

It was all part of the Kindergarten only Reptile Family Assembly yesterday.  At La Mariposa, instead of going on off campus field trips, our kindergarten students participate in on-campus interactive adventures.  

Lions Roar, Tigers Learn

By Alex M., Student Contributor

May 25, all of third grade took a field trip to Moorpark teaching zoo. First the third graders saw an animal show. It was full of amazing animals including a military macaw, king snake and a smart dog. After the show, all the students had learned something new (and maybe some adults learned some new facts too). There were many different animals. Third graders got to see a sunbathing alligator, a huge tortoise and unusual birds. The classes saw the amazing bald eagle, a little owl and a red-tailed hawk. There were Scarlet macaws and toucans, a noisy howler monkey and quiet spider monkeys. Everyone was amazed when they saw the lioness and the hyena. The zoo had many more animals, but that is mostly what third graders saw. The Moorpark Zoo was very interesting.

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Third Graders visited the Moorpark Teaching Zoo has part of their third grade science unit.

Santa Barbara Museum: Third Grade

by Gabriel C., Student Contributor, Mrs. Roth

We went to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History as a field trip.  Our first stop was the Chumash Hall.  The tour guide showed us all the tools and materials they used.  She showed us arrowheads, knives, even some of the money they had!

We also saw an amazing example of a tool (the Chumashs’ boat).  Also we saw an example of a small Chumash village.  I heard  some insect noises, too.  When you press a button, it makes a bug noise!  I had a great time in the Chumash Hall!

Editors Note: All third grade classes visited the Natural History Museum in March. Being able to see Chumash artifacts and recreations makes the Chumash Unit more real to students. This and all field trips are made possible by your donations to La Mariposa’s Annual Jog-a-thon.

See the other ways the La Mariposa PTA uses your contributions to enhance our children’s educational experience.