Fourth Grade Trip to Jaybird Hammock Farm Connects Nature and Literature

This summer, fourth grade students dived into the heartwarming book “Better with Butter,” which follows a 12-year-old girl named Marvel navigating anxiety and her extraordinary friendship with a fainting goat called Butter. Last week, St. Mark’s Campus fourth grade students took their learning to the next level with a unique goat yoga session at Jaybird Hammock Farm. They also enjoyed a nature walk led by a biologist. 

Following the field trip, fourth grade students participated in class discussion about how their experience compared to what they read in the book. Several classmates remarked that their interaction with goats had a calming effect similar to what Marvel experienced with Butter. Another compared the waiting on the bus drive to the anticipation of being introduced to Butter in the book. One student noted that leaving the field trip felt a little sad, just like how Marvel was sad saying goodbye to Butter.

Mrs. Blewett, Fourth Grade Instructor, shared, “This experience not only brought our reading to life but also helped the students build a deeper connection with nature and each other. It’s wonderful to see how literature can foster empathy and understanding in such meaningful ways.”