Storm

On Monday, May 15th we had a huge storm with a 
microburst of wind that hit right during the morning 
commute to school.  We lost power to the school, so we 
needed to call off classes for the day.  
There was significant damage in town from collapsed 
roofs and buildings to downed and uprooted trees.  
It was really something how quickly all of the damage 
occured.  Here is a photo of the kids in the dark 
waiting for someone to pick them up.  Everyone was a 
bit rattled due to the severe weather.

Graduates Walk Through the Halls

The kids lined the hallway and waited for 
the seniors to make their way through.

It was very touching to hear the applause as 
our graduates paraded through the hallways!

All of the elementary kids applauded 
for them.  It was very touching!

Kittens Visit the Classroom!

Some kittens stopped in for a visit via the Hoffmann family.

The kittens got a lot of love!

They found out that while they were soft, they had
very sharp claws.  They were wrapped in small towels to
protect the kids from getting scratched.

It was difficult to take turns and share the kitten.

What a cutie!

They were fairly content being held.

Little Gardeners

To review what they learned about plants during 
the school year, we planted seed in a styrofoam cup.
  It seemed like a "kindergarten" sort of thing to do.

They each filled their cup with a few pebbles and some soil.

Then they planted two Marigold seeds and 
two Green Bean seeds.

A Few April Journal Entries

Kindergarten Field Trip

Our kindergarten field trip was a really fun time with beautiful weather!  We went to a local lake.  The kids had time for free play and we went birding along a beautiful trail.  They saw American White Pelicans and a Swainson's Hawk flying overhead.  We saw Wood Ducks, and a Northern Cardinal.  They did quite well at identifying birds by song:  Blue Jay, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, etc.  

After birding the kids were hungry and we had our picnic.  They loved that!  Then we tried to fly kites, but it wasn't windy.  In South Dakota?!  That is odd!  We played with the bubbles and Frisbees.  We watched the Barn Swallows swoop in and out of the picnic shelter.  Then I set up the outdoor classroom with activities at four different stations.  After some free time, we hiked and birded the other side of the lake.  Then we had cookie break and it was already time to leave.  It was a great day outdoors!

They loved the playground!

These kids are like monkeys!  They made me a bit nervous!

This cool bridge is along the trail

There was a lot to see in the woods!

Here we are watching the singing Northern Cardinal.

The kids were really hungry after their long hike!

Food always seems to taste better when we're outdoors.

This tall slide was a hit!

Here is a view of the playground.  What a fun place!

Center 1:  Make peanut butter pine cone bird feeders 
to take home and hang in their tree.

Center 2: Take magnifying glasses out and 
explore the tiny things in nature.

Center 3:  Build a fairy house, or a toad house 
or even a bird house out of sticks, bark, 
grasses and flowers.  They enjoyed this one!

The little houses came in all shapes and sizes!

The kids moved from one center to another.  
This was a fun time!

Here is another cool house!

I think the kids really enjoyed this field trip 
out in nature and it is a great ending 
to a year of nature and bird related lessons.

One thing I like about this project is that they 
have to cooperate and work together as a team.

Center 4:  Search for feathers, flowers, pine cones, etc. 
to add to a Y stick with yarn weaved through it.

Its time for that second hike, so we 
marched up the stairs to see the lake.

Here they are by the lake.  It was very windy here 
and we held out our wings and pretended 
to soar like eagles or vultures.  I didn't get a 
photo of that...I was busy flying of course!

The kids enjoyed squeezing through 
this "keyhole" along the trail.

Here they are!  The kindergarten birders/happy campers!
I love these kids!

South Dakota Birding Festival

The kids were asked to make a poster again this year for the South Dakota Birding Festival. I thought the kids did a nice job on their bird drawings. Can you name each species?