Last Saturday was our school's visit to Peterson's Bee Farm.  I believe that everyone had a good time - I know that I did.  In our classroom we are continuing our exploration of bees and other insects found in the garden.  If you have the opportunity, perhaps you could point out, to your child,  insects that you find.  I try to instill a reverence for all living creatures, so if you need to "dispose of insects" including ant, please do it privately.  Mixed messages are confusing to young minds (old ones also).



Mrs. Petterson's Bee presentation.
Zachary, Sawyer and Charlie (below) are fascinated.












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Ryan and Grayson ready to open the beehive.
You may hear the children sing the following song:

Here is the beehive.  Where are the bees?
Hidden inside where nobody see.
Open the lid, will you please?
Buzzzzzz, buzzzzzzz






Occasionally we just go out and stroll around the garden.  Sometime we bury kitchen scraps (my shortcut to composting), and count worms.



The children started a discussion about Max, saying that Max is dead.  We talked about what it means to be dead, i.e. His body doesn't work anymore, he can't bark, can't breathe.  They added hat his body is buried in the ground to help the plants grow.
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Just showing off my favorite rose.
The children often go out to the garden to choose which roses to cut for our table. 



Aaron is helping to install a low fence in the back yard - because the children sometimes have trouble remembering to stay away from where the plants live.




Parisa installing fence.


Zachary installing fence.


An installation well done!
The fence project was a complete success.  The children love nothing more than jobs - especially in the garden and back yard.


The children take out the trash, recycling and yard waste every week.
Elizabeth and Charlie look like they are going for a walk in the park.

You go, Ava.



The magically moving can.



Oh - it's Ava!



I found some mutant carrots, which we call the "carrot people" - not to be confused with the "pupet people" below:



We use the puppet people (thanks to Hilary Crowley for technical assistance) to sort out differences of opinion, etc.  among the children.



Aldrin and Alex working on fine motor skills.



At circle time, the rythm sticks have been transformed into flutes.


We are reading (with appropriate props) "The Very Busy Spider", by Eric Carle.
(It's nice to have complete attention, occasionally.)




Elizabeth - playing the harmonica with no hands!


Sophia - yet another variation on harmonica playing.



Jakob smelling the herbs.  Thanks to all of you who patronized the herb store.  I think it was a very successful business venture.  Banks will be going home this week.



Jakob is not afraid to stretch his gross motor skills.



I am thrilled that the wildflower seeds we planted in tiny pots made it into the ground.
They are thriving - with the children's constant attention and watering. LeeAnn is planting her seedlings.



We have been reading "Two Old Potatoes" by John Coy.  This book shows how old potatoes left in the cabinet turn into a crop of potatoes.  I had a few, myself.  I showed them to the children, and we planted them.  Previously I had planted some other potatoes, which were ready to be dug up..  Ava and LeeAnn are scrubbing them; I cut them into fries and we had them for lunch that day.  McDonalds has absolutely nothing on us!




The children are filling two pots with soil (they carried the wheelbarrow).  We, then, planted cherry tomatoes in the back yard.




For his birthday, Aidan has a short strawberry "cake" (hard to see, but there is a candle on top.)  He thought it was funny too!



Hailey painted a beautiful butterfly.



Threee little greeen frogs sat on a brown log
Eating some most delicious bugs
One jumped into the pool
Where is was nice and cool
Then there were two green frogs,
etc. etc.
The children learn subtraction without even being aware of it.




On most days one of the children helps make lunch.  Ave actually makes it all by herself. 



Alex made a stencil of a cow and then decorated it - two-fisted.  An amazing talent.



Jack is using hammer and nail work.  Like most children, he thinks better when his tongue is sticking out.  I might have to research this phenomenon.



Ava fashioned her "hammer and nail work" to resemble the worm on her card.



Jack is wondering how he can get some of the walnuts that Amelia just cracked.

That's all for now, folks.  I'll see some of you at the Sibling meeting tonight - my house.