Seventh grade students participate in Survival Week

Mr. Mark Weaver, seventh grade science teacher, holds a cow tongue to show to the students. Students got the chance to taste maggots, crickets and pork. Photo by Avery Werner

by Logan Sandlin and Jacob Sager

On October 8, 2014 the smell of cinnamon apples with a hint of smoke wafted through the air. The sweet smell of honey was also floating around the fire. This was the smell of Survival Week.

During the week of October 6, the seventh grade science classrooms went to the outdoor lab and participated in Survival Week. Survival Week is a week-long history lesson of  America, and other countries that influenced the New World. It covers the time period between 1492 through the 1800's.

The week was filled with interactive activities in which students learned about the countries that inhabited early America, such as Spain, England, and France. The class of 2020, current seventh graders, participated in making necklaces, cooking bread, brewing tea, tasting honey, and rain dancing.

Many of the students that participated in Survival Week enjoyed it. 

“I think it’s a good time to experience what it was like in the olden days," William Gatte, seventh grade, said.

Many other students said that they also enjoyed it.

“It’s fun to learn what it’d be like without all the things we have today,” Ella Curtis, seventh grade, said.

Mr. Mark Weaver, seventh grade science teacher, runs Survival Week with the other science teachers, Mrs. Tracy Krause, and Mr. Sean McVey.

Mr. Weaver said, “I love running the event [Survival Week] with the other teachers.

“My favorite thing about Survival Week is getting outside and the fire,” Josh Snively, seventh grade, said.

Not only did students sit around the fire, they also got the chance to taste different foods. 

“My favorite food was the cinnamon apples. They were sweet and warm,” Griffin Hall, seventh grade, said.

All of those activities led up to the last day of Survival Week, Feast Day. 

“Feast day is my favorite day of the week. Feast day is tiring, I have to get up at 2 a.m to get the food ready,” Weaver said.

Feast day was Friday October, 10. They served foods such as pork, pig, insects, and other bugs. The students didn't have to try the food items, but Weaver recommended that the students should try it. 

Overall, most everyone enjoyed Survival Week. Michael McCollum said, “Survival week is great, and everything tastes good.” McCollum also said, “I like wearing my bandanna.”