May 29-30 (OUTDOOR)

Thursday

The students had mentioned last week how much they loved building a fort (indoors) on our rainy day a couple of weeks ago. So today, we built one outside! We sat down after circle to create a plan and discuss possible ideas for the structure. We moved through the design step by step, using estimation and measurement skills. Some students tied knots while others weighted down the walls with stumps. Everyone helped put the tarps over the ropes and observed gravity lowering the ropes with the weight. We used blankets to line the floor and enjoyed a game of Uno in there after lunch.

As building and enjoying the fort took the majority of our day, we went out on a short hike and headed back to the fort to have our sharing board.

Friday

Today we had an epic off site adventure! Everyone was very excited for it! Everyone packed what they needed for a whole day outside and strapped on their backpacks, ready to go.

We began our day looking for plantain to increase our stock of after bite care for bug bites. Students identified plantain in multiple areas and both varieties too!

We continued down the path and identified White Willow, Coltfoot, Cattails, Horsetail, Wild Mustard, Dandelion, Self Heal, Motherwort, Linden Tree and really looked at the difference between Red Oak and White Oak trees. We settled in a wild strawberry field for our morning circle experience and it was a beautiful experience.

I brought along three stories and read two after circle while everyone snacked away...then we noticed a HUGE White Oak! We estimated how many people might fit around the trunk...and when we went to visit the Tree, we found that it took all of us holding hands to make it around!! I had brought classroom instruments (recorders and a pan flute) as many of our Grandfather Teachings suggest playing a flute of sorts under a tree as an honoring exercise....so we played our instruments for the tree and danced around. It was so much fun and everyone loved the experience!

We decided that a picnic in the park was in order, so I pulled out of Plant Scavenger Hunt and each student chose a plant to find. Everyone did very well identifying their plant. Then we checked off all the plants we had found that day and tallied it up. We found 11 plants!!! Many we foraged to add to our plantain oil to make our after bite rollers even better.

At the park we lunched, played, and laid in the sunshine and shade. The free time was great.

After this we came back to the school to make our infusion of plants in olive oil, have our sharing board (where we reviewed our learning from the day), and crafted a little before we headed back outside for afternoon pick up.

I will be returning as Outdoor Teacher for the month of June for Fridays to wrap up the year. Pamela will be visiting next Friday for a special thank you ceremony we started planning for her today.

Have a great weekend everyone!