A pioneer school located in Harrisburg, Banner County, Nebraska

Lunch and Recreation

Lesson time: 25 minutes 

OBJECTIVES:  Students will have an opportunity to display the lunches they have prepared and  discuss the methods used in food preparation at that time.

Students will participate in and lead historic recreational games.

 Pioneer boys and girls usually carried their noon meal in a tin syrup pail or lard can.  The lunch that the children take to Flowerfield School should be as authentic as possible, including wrapping the food in cloth, butcher or brown paper.  Lunches contained whatever there was in the house.  Children sometimes took molasses or lard and sugar sandwiches or cold pancakes left over form breakfast.

After washing their hands with lye soap and cold water, the children, weather permitting, will take their lunch pails to the picnic/shelter area for lunch.  Drinking water will be provided in old fashion pitchers.  If the weather is inclement, the  students will eat at tables in the museum.

The teacher will discuss the items in their lunches and how they are prepared.  They also discuss the lack of refrigeration and store bought items. 

After lunch, the students will have some time to play.  They soon realize that the common play ground equipment of today is not available.  They will instead play games such as drop the handkerchief, follow the leader or dare base.  If the weather is not suitable for outdoor play, a quiet indoor game such as “Animal, Vegetable or Mineral” or “I spy” may be played  while sitting in the museum.