It’s hard to believe we are already at the halfway point of our semester. We have noticed a spring fever moving through all of us with symptoms include high energy, joy and timelessness! Luckily we’ve found a cure: bare feet, stream splashing, salamander searching, and plenty of mud baths!
Early in the week, Julie and I put on a little puppet play about a blue jay whose voice was not being heard by their friends. Woolly Bears discussed solutions forhow friends and teachers can better work together to listen and balance silliness and tuning into conversations. It was a beautiful example of modeling different ways communities can come up with solutions to problems that arise and how to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.
Raei noticed interest in boat-making and stream play last week, which sparked a week-long exploration of boats. After gathering bark at Birch City, we experimented with different designs. Woolly Bears explored the theme of density as they discussed how metal and heavy materials can still float, observed currents and learned first-hand about buoyancy. Students enjoyed working with different materials including birch bark, willow, dogwood, leaves, white pine, to list a few. We took our creations to the streams, gave them names before their maiden voyages and sent them downstream on our first boat race! It really was an unforgettable day filled with laughter, teamwork, and sweet spring sunshine!
We are continuing to work with knife safety. We use the following acronym:
- A – Ask [Always ask an adult/teacher before taking out a knife/carving]
- S – Sit down
- T– Threaten Not [Knives are tools not toys/weapons]
- A – Away [Always carve away from your body]
- B – Blood Bubble [The circle around you while carving]
- S – Sheath [Put your knife away properly when done]
Each child whittled their own stick, many conquering fears and building their confidence to use this new tool. They were rewarded for their hard work with a date to roast over the fire on their newly whittled stick and chaga tea—yum!
A few things we spotted this week:
- Tadpoles! We collected some and observed them in our aquarium for a day.
- Bloodroot, a spring ephemeral in bloom
- Wild leeks (ramps) poking their heads up
- Violets in bloom
- Marsh marigold in bloom
- The return of the red-backed salamander
- Lots of frog activity at fairy island
- Red maple tree confetti
—JJ, with Julie, Raei, and the Forest K counselors
April 16, 2021