Strong winds swept us away to new discoveries and some unplanned challenges. Warm weather brought a lot of change to the farm. Ask for some detail about the landscape, how the creek is moving, tree transformations, and animal action. How did we make sure we were safe with the winds today?
We are growing more independent and this crew showed it by leading their way through a scavenger hunt collecting descriptive words and puzzle pieces in search of our critter theme. See if you can help your child recall the eight descriptive words found along the trail. Ask if they can add a few more of their own. Each one can be connected with one part of this incredible bird. (raptor, carnivore, night vision, camoflauge, nocturnal, ear tufts, territory)
Roleplay is a great way to take on an animal form and feel the tension of survival especially in winter. We took a life cycle learning approach, breaking down what GHO is busy doing from December until March each year. See if you can get a story for each of these prompts…
*Tell me about your mate? How long will you stay together? What does male/female do?
*Was there a way that you talked to your mate? (5 beat hoot pattern)
*They look like they have horns. What are those ear tufts for? What do they say?
*How did you figure out who was playing female/male?
*Can you describe your nest, territory (name), and materials you used?
*How did you know you were ready to start laying eggs? How many did you lay?
*What things did you collect for food? Does a GHO eat skunks???
*Were there any dangers for you and your mate? How could you protect yourself?
Spend time sitting down with your child's journal. See if they can walk you through the life cycle which will include a life cycle diagram, information and sketch. We are so pleased to see our older kids working alongside younger friends to make sure they feel the challenge is 'just right'. Thanks Raccoon for stepping up today:).
Encourage your child to add to this entry through research or taking time to add more detail.
So many ‘on your feet’ connections made today. Frog was amazed that critters like GHO do different things at different times of the year. Chickadee thought the bridge crossing challenge was the best thing that has ever happened. Squirrel says pine cones should be mice for our game. We counted the ribs and vertebrae of the deer skeleton, checked out the claws and markings of a sadly deceased skunk, and figured out who had the biggest wingspan using centimeters. All in a day at nature school!
Quick visits with the animals keep us connected. Scarlet’s recovery is a process we have been part of since her surgery. She needs to be kept alone and can’t join in with the herd. This helps us build empathy in situations where others aren’t able to keep up.
The hayloft was a busy place with jumping, balancing, and even puppy play time.
Change is in the air. We can see nature changing course and getting prepared for what's next. What might we be learning about next? The picture is a hint.
See you next week Forest Friends:)
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