Day at a Local Nature Facility!

HELLO!
It's the eve of Halloween!!!

Today we spent the day at Barkhausen Nature Preserve.  MUD, MUD, MUD, and of course more mud.  We were head over heals in nature-man, did we love it.  The big questions for the day:  "Will I catch a fish, Where is the Tarantula  What time is lunch  What's this?"  All I can say, is I am exhausted; fresh air is nature's best sleepless night remedy!!!

Start of our day!

Sharing our items that smell.

I guessed what was behind my back!

Nature smiles,

When Was The Last Time You Were Inspired?

HELLO!
THE SUN IS OUT!!! Ahh...can you feel it by you?  If not, think summer and 85 degrees.  That's what it feels like in WI when one is blessed with 50 degrees and sun in late Oct.

Yesterday I was INSPIRED!  I must share this 22 and some odd second video with you.  It was shared with a group of us at a certification class yesterday, and now you get the chance to give it your attention.

Let me know your thoughts/reactions...

Celebrate...

Puffballs

Inspirational smiles,

Seed Dispersal!

Happy Monday.
Need to vent-it is COLD here-alright perhaps because last week it was in the 60's and now it is in the low 30's.  We even saw a few crystals flying through the air...aka...snowflakes.

Last week me made seeds that travel by air, water, and humans.  We tested them out by using a fan for the wind and a bucket of water for the water.   Many were amazed at the flight of their seeds and how they needed to transform their seeds to have them travel further. A few tried to make Shooting seeds-plants that disperse of their seeds by shooting them!

Brr smiles,

School Store

HELLO!
Yes, I am still here!  Anyone else a little overwhelmed-if you are like me you need 3 pairs of roller skates on to keep up with the speed of paperwork, testing, meetings, etc.

Yesterday we had our first 2013-14 school year, school store!  WOW, was it a great turnout!  K-3rd grade had just about 100% shopping!  The items were clearing out quickly!!!  Bubbles, glow sticks, bouncy balls, and stickers were top sellers!

This is our 3rd year for the school store!  We hope this year to donate a percentage of our proceeds to a local charity.

Now, to find another basketful of hot ticket items!

Chilly, but sunny smiles,

Pollination Time!!

Hello!
Yesterday we did an activity my Multi-agers have been awaiting-POLLINATION with Cheetos and a juice box.  Can you guess who the bees were?  You are right...we were!  My Mutli's got a die cut flower, a juice box, and Cheetos.  They put the flower on top of the juice box and drank the juice-the NECTAR.  While doing this, they "accidentally" rubbed their hairy bee body on the Cheetos-the POLLEN.  Next they flew to other flowers and rubbed their pollen onto to them.  When they were done, 16 bees had pollinated 16 flowers.  So, each flower was pollinated by 16 different bees!  Here is a link to the WONDERFUL teacher who shared this activity with her fellow blog followers:  THANK YOU 2nd GRADE SHENANIGANS!

Yellow smiles,

Lights! Camera! Amelia Bedelia!

It's October!!!  How, I'm not sure, but it is here!  The leaves are changing ladies!!!  Pictures to come of the colors, but now it's almost presentation time!

Today, my Multi-agers began their skits on Understanding (our word of the month).  We are in charge of teaching our school what Understanding is and how to show understanding!  We decided to use Amelia Bedelia-you know her, right :-)  My kiddos and I love her, plus she is a good example of someone who doesn't understand at first-takes things literally but in the end all things work out as Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers and the other characters help her put the pieces together (not literally) and understand :-)

My kiddos are going to use lines from the texts and act them out and show how they would help Amelia understand-setting an example, role modeling, and empowering.  I hope to tape them and add the production to an upcoming blog post!

Literal Smiles,