Session 1 June 10

After Gratitude Circle, we started one of the toughest challenges of this week : the endangered animal maze. After splitting into teams and choosing their team animal they had 5 minutes to go in the maze, retrieve the bag with their team animal on it, exit and pass the bag to their other partner. Inside was a map of the maze with an X marking the animal bag they needed to find. The older teamate had 1 minute to memorize the map and then 5 minutes to run through the maze and retrieve their animal bag. Inside the bag was information about their endangered animal and puzzle pieces to a map showing the location of endangered species across the globe. Once the puzzle was together, it gave a clue that led to a page in the codebook with questions about their animals. They needed to use the information they learned about their endangered animal to answer the questions correctly and unlock the DaVinci Lock.

After successfully unlocking it and revealing a map to our next destination, we needed to pause for garden class. Ms. Melissa talked a little bit about being a garderner who sells food to local restaurants around Watkinsville and Athens and the importance to having good compost for growing food. Then the explorers dug "moats" around squash plants to fill in with compost and help hold the water. Then if they wanted, they pulled weeds from the garden bed. It was so funny that some of them love pulling weeds!

After a bit of gardening, we resumed our adventure with the next challenge. There were tubes with clues in them that needed to be knocked over by bow and arrow or a ball lancher. Once all were knocked over, the scrambled clues led to another page in the codebook which gave a clue to head South. They then found red ribbons with clues to unlock a metal box. In the box was a map with a star on it. This led them to a treasure chest with the supplies needed to complete the next challenge: making paint from rocks.

However, we stopped for a bit to cool off and grab lunch as well as work on their play. I won't say much about the play since it will be a surprise for parents/guardians. Then we went to the creek to cool off and explore. We will start tomorrow with rock paint and the final challenge.