Lovely Land July Day 1

We began the week with a game of Eagle Eye and some "Laser Maze" (see pics with string and bells tied to it). Then we played a silly name game to break the ice. Afterwards, we hiked to the schoolhouse and did a gratitude circle. Some of us were thankful for the weather, animals and friends. Then we did a pencil sketch of something we love. We will paint these tomorrow and fill them in with finds from our hikes as well. Then we went on a hike to collect materials for making nature brushes (paint brushes made from materials found in the forest). Some brush tip materials that they found were grass, dog fennel, pine needles and leaves. After collecting what we needed we made at least one brush each. While waiting for others to finish some kids worked on a puzzle, others played with beach balls or jenga. Then we discussed what soil is made of and how decomposers help put nutrients into the soil by breaking down organic matter. We started our Biodegradable experiment by hypothesizing which materials we think will decompose the fastest and drawing our observations before burying all the materials outside. We will dig them up to record the results in a couple days. After snack we looked at different homes local animals make. See if they know what animal makes the smallest nest in Georgia? the largest? We also talked about local animals that make burrows which we may see at Little Rose. Then we went to the creek and started making our own kid-sized nest by the water. So far they have used branches and mud. They haven't decided how to make the inside soft and comfy yet. We also explored the creek. Some tried to catch water beetles or minnows. Others worked on making things with the natural clay from the creek. We also picked and ate wild blackberries on our hike to the top of the driveway.