Yesterday morning was the first day of teaching to a group of wonderful preschoolers. Sadly, I had the misfortune of being stuck in Goshen with a head cold. Well, a few bottles of water and hours of sleep later, I made it back to Merry Lea just in time for some adventuring. Got to get back on that horse, right?
The evening began with a house meal to celebrate Cinco De Mayo, followed by a canoe trip. Emily Eastern Blue Jay powered the canoe while I took the steer, and Stacy Squirrel rode side saddle on a floatation device in the middle. In our hour or so on the water, we noticed a flux of fish coming up to the surface as we floated in the middle. We also had the opportunity to fine tune our newly found skills with animal calls as Alejandro Apis and Jordan Blue Jay walked around the shore.
After the peaceful canoe trip, we wondered over to the farmstead where the astronomy class from Goshen college had turned the lawn into a makeshift observatory. The sky was clear and the astronomy students were both knowledgeable and welcoming. We were able to see the moons craters, streaks left from Jupiter's rotations, Saturn's rings and a myriad of other space beauties.
This morning, Tuesday, was my first day of teaching with a group of curious kindergartners. I paired up with Jordan Blue Jay, Cassie caterpillar and nine kindergartners on an exploring nature hike. Today we focused on using our senses to explore nature. We used our eyes to discover beautiful invertebrates in the Vernal pond. We used our hands to make friends with earth worms, our ears to listen to the music of birds, and our noses and mouths to taste potent garlic mustard. Some of the kid's decided to eat enough of it to supplement a mid morning snack. Through it all, the students were engaged, excited and having fun. Seeing students in this environment is new and refreshing. The learning opportunities are ample, but the fun is just as exciting to watch.
For this evening, we have plans to make homemade pizza and take a night hike. Let's see what other fun transpires at Merry Lea tonight!
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