What could be more exciting to a kindergartner than riding the school bus? Try having lunch in the cafeteria for the first time.
Kindergarten students at Clarkston Elementary School got a taste of brown bag basics on May 13 as they practiced going through the lunch line and eating in the cafeteria as part of a ‘preview? for life in first grade next year.
‘This is kind of a big day in kindergarten. They get to eat in the cafeteria like their big brothers and sisters,? Sandy Boggemes, kindergarten teacher, said.
Students had the choice to bring their lunch or purchase the selection available in the lunch line that day.
Emily Frasa was one student who showed up with her lunch box ready to eat in the cafeteria. She quickly ate her ‘turkey-salami-mayonnaise-and cheese? sandwich before moving on to Shrek-inspired yogurt.
‘It’s kind of a surprise,? Frasa said of what she brought for lunch. ‘But I did pick out the sandwich and yogurt. Mom put the cookies and grapes in.?
Popular items at lunch that day included Pringles Snack Stacks and the Shrek-inspired yogurt.
Keeping Frasa company at the lunch table was classmate Connor Lenaghan.
Lenaghan was one of many students who tried navigating the lunch line. He offered his advice on how to make it through.
‘You just get the pizza and the pudding and the carrots,? Lenaghan said.
David Blust also purchased pizza, but was looking forward to something entirely different in his lunch next year.
‘Um, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,? Blust said.
While the students enjoyed lunch, Boggemes reminded the students about rules in the cafeteria, such as staying in your seat and always throwing trash away when lunch was over.
‘We talked about rules for the lunchroom and just to enjoy lunch,? Boggemes said.
Practicing good lunch room rules was not only a fun activity for the students, it also helped ease any fears about moving up to first grade in the fall.
‘Some kids won’t buy lunch because they’ve never done it before,? Boggemes said. ‘This is good for them: they don’t have the big kids judging them.?
As the kindergartners wrapped up their first cafeteria adventure, they lined up to finish the experience: throwing their trash away and recycling their trays, just like they had learned about from ‘Mrs.B?.
Whether they brought cookies from home or purchased chocolate milk in the lunch line, eating lunch in the cafeteria meant one big achievement to these kindergartners:
‘We’re going to be in the first grade in the fall,? Lenaghan said.