The fourth-grade class of Resurrection Catholic School in Lancaster, a PreK-8 school in the city, has adopted a cow. “Milkshake” lives on Kurtland Farms in Elverson, Pa., and is part of the “Adopt A Cow” program sponsored by Discover Dairy.
Milkshake was born on September 12, 2024, and weighed 100 lbs. At four months, she weighed 260 lbs. Every month, the class receives photos and updates on her weight and height.
Discovery Dairy provides videos and lesson plans to assist in educating students about dairy farming and cows. To enhance the experience for her fourth-grade students, teacher Sylvia Buller reached out to Discovery Dairy for a “cow kit” which included a stuffed animal (named Milkshake of course) and a journal. Each day, a different student takes Milkshake home and writes an entry in the journal describing Milkshake’s adventures. The student reads the journal the next day to the class.
“They are so into this little stuffed animal; they’ve made her clothes, beds, a bookbag, notebooks,” said Buller. “This program provides a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about the dairy industry while also improving their writing, reading and math skills. They all love Milkshake so much and this has been a tremendous way to engage them.”
Recent journal entries highlight several of the various adventures and moments the students have shared with Milkshake.
In a December 4 entry, Catalina said “Milkshake and I worked on my homework together. Then we had dinner and watched a movie. After that, we colored my Advent wreath and glued it on construction paper. Then we took a bath and went to bed.”
On February 3, Sophia wrote “Today, Milkshake, Yahir and I were playing and when we got home we ate shrimp, white rice and salad. Then Milkshake and I played some video games and we took a nap. After that, we got cake with ice cream! We did our homework (Milkshake was just doodling) and that was our day!”
Classmate Andrew also shared his time with the stuffed animal: “Last night, me and Milkshake had a Kid Cuisine that had chicken nuggets with mac ‘n cheese and corn. Then, we listened to the radio…. We had a pear for a snack, continued building the Golden Gate Bridge. At 8:00 pm, we brushed our teeth, built some more for a half hour, and then went to bed. I had made a bed for Milkshake in my book bag.”
The “Adopt a Cow” program is one of several hands-on experiences students enjoy at Resurrection Catholic School. This academic year, Resurrection students have been to the North Museum, the Lancaster County Courthouse, Central Market and art museums in the city. The Order of Malta funded a trip to the Fulton Theater for the entire school to see a live production of “A Christmas Carol.” It was the first live theater experience for many Resurrection students. Plans for spring trips to the Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum and the Science Factory are underway, as are annual class field trips.
“Experiential learning is so important to helping students learn and apply what they’ve learned to the world around them,” said Ellen Amarante, Principal of Resurrection Catholic School. “The ‘Adopt A Cow’ experience is another way to connect with the rural community that’s all around us in Lancaster County. Learning about agriculture, and specifically dairy operations, has opened our students’ eyes to where they live and learn.”
Learn more about Resurrection Catholic School at www.rcspa.org.
(Article and photos courtesy of Ann Valuch, Advancement Coordinator at Resurrection Catholic School.)
By Ann Valuch, Special to The Witness
