Friday, May 17, 2013

A Rockin' Week!

This week we rocked out! We learned all about rocks and minerals together. We talked about the 3 main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, and explored with a fun collection of rocks from around the world. Just in time I found out about a great local resource: Rock Solid Learning! Amy was kind enough to meet me and sell me some lovely rocks, which is what the kids got to take home this week!
Tuesday Froglets:
Of course there are always so many exciting things to learn about in the woods. This week we found so many green pine cones (did the kids paint them green? ;)) fallen from a very blustery storm the night before.
 
 And there was the all exciting wood chip truck, the fresh load of steaming wood chips, and then time to explore elf cove, read and snack together, be a clown in a paper birch hat, and rock out to rock music!
 Tuesday Frogs:
We had fun talking about volcano rocks (that pumice sure is heavy isn't it kids? ;)), investigating insect trails on sticks, sneaking up on and seeing what middle schoolers were learning, and chilling a bit in the dry "creek" bed.
 In fairy valley there was some great team work with new fairy house construction, silly play with "Fern" the pet worm, and later cone sorting.
 These kids were all so proud of their new rocks they wanted to show them off to me!
 Wednesday Froglets:
We found a fairy camp site today, some interesting new plants, AND a tiny baby salamander, SO cute!
 The kids also had a great time rocking out, 
 
and got really into their "cafe" and playing all around this fallen log:
Thursday Tots:
We had fun running our fingers through the rocks, and then later having some playdough to help us talk about the life cycle of rocks. We smooshed down the igneous rocks into layers of sedimentary rocks, and then mixed it all up into a metamorphic rock!
We had a dance party too, they were the most into it of all the classes!
On the way back to the shelter there were little rock stores to buy rocks at and then spontaneous pine cone stores as well! 
I love the creative play that happens at FH! 
It was a rockin' week all right!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Flowers and Seeds Week

This week at FH we celebrated the real arrival of spring and May! It was fun to plants seeds together in class, and perhaps some will even grow back at home! ;) We really are making good treks around the woods these days, Erin M uses the "Map my hike" app to see how far we go, and it's usually around 2 miles these days. So, we searched for flowers on our hikes this week, and along the way certainly found a whole lotta fun! 
Tuesday Froglets
 
 Tuesday Frogs
Planting, finding little creatures, mud squishing, fairy tower building, muscle developing Frogs:
Wednesday Froglets
Here we are studying our map, feeling the soft new leaves of a Hazelnut, and plowing our way through a new trail!
Thursday Tadpoles
Look at all these wonderful Mama's and their little ones, I appreciate them so much! 
 While we were planting a giant earthworm came out to say hi, it didn't know what it was getting into! ;) Also below is some hill rolling, rocket ship riding, and story time!