Second-graders take a look at local wildlife and culture

A typical school day for a second-grader means classes, recess, lunch, more class and then a trip back home. Tuesday, however, students from Lincoln-McKinley Primary School changed that pattern with trips to the Blaine County Wildlife Museum and the Blaine County Museum.

Around 40 students with various parents and teachers took the trip to Chinook with the classes splitting up, one going to the wildlife museum first and the other going to the county museum, then swapping locations after a lunch break in the park.

Throughout the school year, students are taught about the different classes that animals fall into such as reptiles, birds and mammals. At the end of the year they learn specifically about local Montana animals.

"This is done to help students understand that Montana has animals that fall in every one of those class of animals," said second-grade teacher Kim Tommerup. "And then after they learn about the local wildlife, taking the trip to the Blaine County Wildlife Museum helps show them animals that they could find in their backyard."

When students go to the Blaine County Museum, just a block away, they get a chance to learn more about the past in regards to Native American culture and what Blaine County looked like years ago.