The third-graders grouped around a circle-shaped piece of string on the lawn of Broad View Elementary. Fashioned in pioneer duds and munching on fall apples, the children were learning about a game many of them were unfamiliar with.

Retired school teacher Ron Ernst explained that the string is actually called a “ringer.”

“This is a shiner, these are paints, beauties and these are cat’s eyes,” he said, holding up a marble with an eye-shaped, color core.

After 30 minutes of marbles gameplay, and learning to make the perfect J-shape with their thumb for shooting, third-grade teacher Jan Ernst rang a triangle. The children sprinted across the lawn, to the next station: frontier clothes washing.

Wednesday’s Pioneer Day had a total of eight stations. The event was in concordance with the students’ study of Whidbey Island history and the Oregon Trail. In the morning, teachers assigned “wagon leaders” and explained the rules of the wagon train.

“This is a living history opportunity,” teacher Tracey Hagel said.

Some stations were part of a multi-step process. Students used an antique grinder to make flour, they hand-kneaded bread at the next station and finally they shook butter, for an end-of-day feast.

Other stations had students pressing their own apple cider and rolling a tin of rock salt, ice and cream to create vanilla soft serve.

“The ice cream was my favorite part,” 8-year-old Shelbie Burnett said. “I like learning about how pioneers used to dress and play games.”

Pioneer Day is typically held in the fall, when apples are in peak season, Ernst said. Children were bundled in Davey Crockett hats and bandanas for the chilly afternoon.

Working collaboratively, students re-enacted the self-sufficiency of early pioneering families. Two students carried a bucket of water to the washboards, while others operated a flat iron (unplugged for safety). To unwind the maypole, they called commands to one another.

During their bread and cider feast, the children were debriefed and asked to talk about what they learned. Ernst said she was happy to see students connect with pioneer life.

And since the marbles were popular with students, they’ll be housed in the classroom for the rest of the year.

“It’ll be an alternative to Playstation,” Ernst said.