End of Day Three

Another beautiful day at Grizzly Creek Ranch. Adventurers continued in rotating through archery, geology, pond ecology, and the challenge course. Besides the frequent siting of deer, several students also saw and heard hawks today. A monstrous craw dad was captured at the pond, and frogs too numerous to count tempted the students, but to my knowledge were not ever captured. According to Andrea, "the best thing was doing geology because we learned how rocks get separated." Lexi's favorite thing "was watching Penny try to get a 'fish' in the challenge course." According to Liam, the best thing today was, "archery because it was really hard to aim, but was really fun."

Beginning of Day Three

After another amazing breakfast of eggs, sausage, hash browns, fruit, yogurt, and biscuits and gravy, the young scientists headed out. One day-group headed up the mountain to learn about geology. While on the hike, (not only did they burn off their breakfast hiking quickly up the mountain) they learned a little about forest ecology, specifically about fire's role in healthy forests. When they arrived at their final destination, campers were pleasantly surprised at the giant outcropping of quartz. The geology lesson began at this location and continued for the next few hours.

Day Two of Journey Outdoor School

Day two began with a beautiful sunrise. Shortly afterwards we enjoyed a filling breakfast of eggs, sausage, pancakes, fruit, and yogurt. We only had 1.5 pounds of Ort (food put on plates, but not eaten)! By 9:15 day groups had begun. Some began the archery, while others started pond ecology, or the full day challenge course. We sure have a few Robinhoods and Maid Marian's in the group. Tonight's event after dinner is astronomy, and what a beautiful night sky it was yesterday night (except for the gibbous moon). Day two is looking like another success.

End of Day One

Day one is now over. Student scientists ended the day with a great meal (and a snack in the forest before dinner) and then a night hike...without any flashlights. They learned how rods and cones in the eye work, why Wintergreen mints spark in the dark and more. Day one was a total success.

Making Tree Cookies

As students begin to become acquainted with Journey's Outdoor School, and begin becoming one with nature, the making of tree cookies is one of the first items they did today.

Can Ye Talk Like a Pirate?

To celebrate "International Talk Like a Pirate Day" our class joined the celebration by bringing in the fun to our reading, math, and science today.  We analyzed a poem about Long John Silver, solved high-level word proplems involving pirates, and learned how bouyancy and surface area allow for heavy items such as gold to float inside vessels.  On top of all this, the buccaneers in class polished up their pirate vocabulary.

What are we Doing Now?

Recently in science, we finished our dehydration of apples lab.  Students discovered which method of dehydration dried apples the fastest.  They also learned which method they prefer in terms of qualitative data, that of tastiest.  Ask your child which method he/she prefer.

In social studies we are learning about interactions between Native Americans and early explorers/colonists.  It is being connected to literacy, as we are reading the novel The Sign of the Beaver.  This novel brings up many topics that are standards in our social studies curriculum.

In math we have been learning about division, going beyond the simple computation into understanding what division is all about.  It has been challenging for many students, but they are beginning to understand WHAT division is in addition to HOW to divide.

Journeys Outdoor School is just around the corner.  Our class is excited to attend Sept. 25-28th!

Food Preservation

In connecting reading, math, science and writing together, we have been spending the last week reading informational text about food preservation.  Today we read part of a manual about a food dehydrator, and tomorrow we begin our experiment comparing different dehydration methods (solar oven, food dehydrator, and air drying apples).  Math will be connected through science as we weigh the apple slices for each method to the hundredth of a gram before, during, and at the end of each method of experiment.  Tables and graphs will be developed as well as we collect and analyze data.  A brainstorming session took place today regarding their writing topic, where they have to choose which mission to Mars they want to be on and which method of food packaging, as each as advantages and disadvantages.  Writing will officially begin on this topic Thursday.