November Town Forest Walk

It was a fine fall walk today in the woods. Kids were very happy to have parent led groups so they could choose their favorite spots in the forest to visit. For some kids, that included a look in the area where the beaver dam was where we actually saw some gnawing on a tree by the edge of the water. For other groups, that meant an exploration up the hill by the meadow. Still other groups utilized the forest resources to build a fort. And for most groups, exploring nature's "jungle gym" (a downed tree) was high on the list for testing their balance and agility. 

On our way into the woods today, we stopped to look at many downed trees that have become hosts for mosses, fungus, insect life, ferns growth, etc. These "nurse logs" offer shelter, moisture, and sustenance to many plants and animals in the forest. A variety of fungus was found by our sharp-eyed naturalists: bracket fungi, warlock's butter, lichens and orange jelly fungus to name a few.  

We heard a few chickadees calling as we walked the trails - a preview of our bird study coming soon. Enjoy the pictures below of our walk! 

Nursery Rhyme Study - Round 2

This week we began the second round of our Nursery Rhyme Study Stations. This time around, students will encounter different learning experiences that push their thinking and learning.

At one station, students are looking through anthologies of Nursery Rhymes to find one that is new to them or one that is familiar with additional verses to practice to then recite it to the group. Memorizing is an important learning skill that students need to use in all subject areas so while this station gives kids exposure to a wide range of new and interesting rhymes, it also reinforces best practices for memorization. 

At the Tongue Twisters station, students are taking on a challenge to learn a tongue twister meant to tangle up the speaker. They choose one to practice, then share it with the group at share time. They say it one time through for us to hear and then repeat it a second time through as fast as they can! 

At our musical station this round, kids are tasked with tapping into their musical and rhythmic talents to turn a nursery rhyme into a rap to perform for the group, complete with some beat tracks to back them up. 

Replacing jump roping this time around is drama. Kids need to bring a nursery rhyme off the page through acting. The group chooses a rhyme, works out parts and actions, and then practices their play to perform for the group. We have some very talented young actors who bring life, drama, and humor to their presentation.

At our artistic stations, students are using air-dry modeling magic to craft a character from a nursery rhyme or fairy tale. This involves a lot of fine motor skill as they need to shape many details on a small scale. 

And at our logical/mathematical station, kids are building their cooperative skills and frustration tolerance as they try to solve some tricky riddles. They have to be good detectives to find and put together the hints and clues in the riddle. The answers are generally something in nature, a part of the body or something we use in everyday life. We will do a big reveal of the answers once all kids have had a chance to work at them.

Check out the pictures below of the work kids are doing in this new set of stations.

K Buddies!

 

This past Wednesday, we partnered with Ms. Eastham's kindergarten class to read with our K Buddies! Students in the 1-2s and the kindergarteners came prepared with books to share with one another. First and second graders took the job seriously and were great role models. They took turns reading, talking about their books and getting acquainted with their new friend. Have your child show you their buddy and what books they read!