Week 2 Update - Ms. Drea’s Explorers
Ms. Drea checking in on the week. We had 2 new Explorers on Saturday and we hope you'll join us again next week Sloane and Idan. Killian, you were missed!
Both days started out with a game of Blind Samurai, and Saturday we got to get a second balancing game in-- "Los Elefantes' Friday's class was NOT having that song so we moved on. Saturday's Explorers enjoyed balancing on the "spider web" (picnic table planks) as elephants... so much so that we did it again at the end of the day. We held a space for gratitude and I especially enjoyed Jameson's thankfulness for the goats and chickens that they may be getting in the future.
Friday's chore was feeding the chickens and there were plenty of yucks and enthusiastic refilling of the feed bucket. Saturday our chore was collecting seed pods from the Holy Basil. The task at hand sombered everyone's initial enthusiasm about using scissors! Safety class happened before we set out :) and we stopped at the the pepper row where we'd offered compost tea last week to see if we could smell the peppers (or the tea.) Saturday’s Explorers didn't need to feed the chickens, but most of them wanted to say hi anyway. In the coop we saw the staked skull of a recently dead raccoon. When they found out the roosters did it, they seemed to give them both more space.
After snack we drew the insects we thought we might find. Explorers took turns drawing in the journals and/or collaborated to make an image together. We then embarked on our trek to capture spiders and ants (and any bug they could fit in the bug boxes.) Friday’s class was all about bugs and though we didn't find many with the sheet shake, we had plenty of giant ants. Phoebe and Adelyn collected a whole "family", who we relocated to their home after the race. Boy, was that second walk hot!
Who knew who won the bug race? Everyone had an idea and Saturday's explorers had so much luck the first time around with spiders from the sheet shake we had a spider race AND then an ant race, too.
Saturday's Explorers got to see an incredibly large lizard (horn eared?) in the tree near Ms. Keely's class. Thanks to Mr. Austen for pointing it out and being an extra pair of shoulders (and shades) to help little eyes see.
Before we knew it lunch was over and everyone was back in the "kitchen" playing. Fridays Explorers love to climb trees and Saturday's Explorers could not get enough of the slide and Los Elefantes. Of course the spray bottles were resurrected because both days were so hot. Our word of the week was "Bird" (When I say "Bird" you drink water!)
Just a reminder that our little ones are allowed to have nature pees and they're also allowed to walk to the compost toilet alone when nature calls outside of our potty breaks.
Next week we'll be learning all about compost and what makes soil alive. If you have a special way of composting at home that you want to share, please do! I have black soldier larvae and bokashi I'll be bringing from our house -- we have earthworms and PLENTY of compost here at the farm that everyone will get a chance to get into. If your little ones have gardening gloves, it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring them along too.
Thank you everyone for exploring with us and I hope you enjoy your week!
Until then,
Ms. Drea M.
512-552-0524