Week 1 Update - Ms. Drea’s Explorers
Hello Explorer Families!
Ms. Drea here filling you in on our first week at farm school. We've got two lively and lovely classes on Friday and Saturday-- both brought joy and discovery along!
Friday, our class is jam packed with 14 Explorers! Some were a little timid, but everyone was excited to start out with a game of Blind Samurai. Saturday’s cozy class of 7 managed to name a cricket (Jumper) and a beetle (Hopper) before I boggled their ears with what I call the Andy Clap and an acapella of De Colores. We talked about the farm's fortune, and how it shows us a rainbow-- its many colors-- 3 seasons out of the year. We shared our names and called out colors at random before sharing classroom agreements. Friday was easy, my sheet of paper right in hand. Saturday's Explorers got the agreements in mini bites, and they were none too glad. "Agreements are boring!" Aren't they? But so needed so that we can keep each other safe.
We offered some space for gratitude and we noted all the living beings on the farm before heading off on a tour. "Wait! I thought they were living things!" was a resounding exclamation. On our way to meet the first ones-- our chickens-- we passed the compost. Most of my Friday AND Saturday Explorers seemed to know the finished compost was alive because they keep one at home. High five, parents!
Friday's little ones didn't find any eggs, but they did watch a hen perched in the nesting box. The girls must've been busy overnight because on Saturday the Explorers opened the box to find a near dozen. Speckled and green and everyone was so gentle. Hurray for everyone looking out for each other, the chickens and the cacti.
We found our rows before bringing them tea time and we talked about what tea and herbal infusions does for our bodies and what compost tea does for the plants. Friday's Explorers are in charge of the cucumbers and boy were those cucs a challenge to find! Saturdays' Explorers were a little more courageous pouring compost tea on the peppers, but both classes agreed that it WAS the stinkiest smell they'd ever encountered.
After Washup, Water and a quick snack..."Oatmeal balls?!" some said in delight, others in disappointment... We headed off for the big adventure of the day-- a scavenger hunt and a visit to the creek. Friday's crew braved the creek first and that was a big lesson for me. Shying a few cuts and scrapes, the explorers made it out happy and hungry. They even managed to foxwalk by the bees-- both days! We've got a wee one in our Saturday class and she was so courageous and watchful in the creek. The helpfulness of the other explorers watching out for her is a gift to thank you all for. By Saturday I was wise enough to start us out on the tractor side and though the creek was a must, near the hoop house is where all the scavenger hunting found its' rewards.
After lunch, we tried to get through “How Groundhog Grows a Garden.” We got farther in on Saturday and we did manage to talk a lot about groundhogs, gardens, and even Raya and the last dragon. What can we say? There were a lot of dragonflies out lending to the reference. Free play was refreshing, and Friday it was a solid mud bath! I'd have taken more pictures, but we were too busy with the fun. Thank you Friday parents for the changes of clothes-- they were much needed and appreciated! Saturday, the water play was more subdued with spray bottles, the explorers played at least a half dozen more rounds of Blind Samurai and the cooperation in the kitchen area was dynamite.
Please feel free to reach out to me with questions or concerns. Next week we'll be making friends with insects and spiders. Maybe we'll even name them. :)
Till then,
(Ms.) Drea M.