COMMACK SCHOOLS

North Ridge second graders got a taste of life in the early days of the nation during a visit to Blydenburgh Park on Thursday.

The Colonial Historic Program connected to the primary student's study of early American history.

By exploring the park's preserved 18th-century structures and participating in hands-on activities such as churning butter and forging hot metal into shapes, students gained a deeper understanding of how early settlers lived, worked and interacted with their environment.