Hi everybody!
First of all, let me say that my cup runneth over once again with your generosity and kindness. The basket full of gifts and cards, bread, eggs, and chocolate, and special notes is just beautiful! I have enjoyed my year with the HomeSchool so much. I told Ki Sarah it has been the cherry on top of my career sundae! Each of my HomeSchoolers is so precious to me and I hope to continue visiting with you all and watching you grow.
This past week we gave presentations to the class on our mammal take-home projects. Christopher told us about grey wolves. Ollie told us about jaguarudis and Brolin shared with us about margays. Cooper and Helene taught us about wild horses. Mike helped us understand giraffes. And Ki Sonya shared her research and stories about river otters. We studied the world map and globe to see the national parks where these animals can be found, and each of us shared a story about our mammal.
Students colored the covers of their masterbooks containing all their artwork and project work. We sang the Floating Down The River song and a new old song, Choo'n Gum, sung by Teresa Brewer in 1950. We celebrated Ollie's 8th birthday with gifts and song and a big card. Her parents made a fruit pizza and we ate it with sparkling limeade. We delivered a thank you gift basket to Ki Jasmine for serving as our wonderful school director this year.
We simulated a marine mammal rescue at HomeSchool Beach. Students came upon a whale. We called the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, talked to the whale in gentle voices to keep him calm, soaked beach towels in the creek and place them over his body to keep him cool and keep him from getting sunburned. We rubbed sunscreen and aloe vera around his eyes and blow hole to protect the most sensitive skin. We dug out the sand from under the whale's body so that there would not be so much pressure on his internal organs. Finally we played in the creek.
Next Tuesday, Elsu will tell us about sun bears, Bear will teach us about hippos, and Lucan will tell us all about deer. We will do the monthly water quality monitoring on Little Noonday Creek and do a creek cleanup. Wear swimsuits, shorts, and t-shirts to school. Bring water shoes, rubber boots, extra socks, and a change of clothes. Students will take home their masterbooks and portfolios this day.
Next Thursday, school will dismiss at 12:30pm. We will walk the entire length of the creek from Panda Mansion to Homerun Trail to Kindy Beach to the Beaver Marsh. Wear swimsuits, shorts, and t-shirts to school. Bring water shoes, rubber boots, extra socks, and a change of clothes.
We have a new date for our Hike with Prancer at Pettit Environmental Preserve. We'll meet on Saturday, July 13th, 10:00am to 1:00pm. Pettit is a 70-acre preserve in Bartow County (between Cartersville and Dallas). It is only open to the public one day a month. Use Douthit Bridge Road, Dallas GA when using GPS. It takes me 30 minutes from my home in northwest Kennesaw. I take Cobb Parkway to Acworth. Take a left from Cobb Parkway onto Blackacre Trail which become Dabbs Bridge Road. Turn right onto Harmony Grove Church Road. Turn right onto Cartersville Highway/Highway 61. Take an quick right onto Douthit Bridge Road. Then follow their small signs. It becomes a dirt and gravel road through dense woods.
Text me when you get to Pettit Environmental Preserve to let me know you're there. Admission is $3.00/person with a maximum of $10.00/family. We will walk the 1 and 7/10-mile loop trail around Dellinger Lake. The trail is rough in some places and does not accommodate strollers. Leashed dogs are welcome. I'll text everyone by 8:00am that morning to cancel if there are thunderstorms.
Quote from a child: "If someone has a yard sale, then after is there house on just dry dirt?"
Quote from Shirley MacLaine: "Rare indeed is the child who has parents with love so wise, and understanding so objective, as to happily balance needed limits with the freedom to grow and develop the child's own talents, to allow realization of its full potential."
With great respect and gratitude to some of the best parents I've ever known,
Ki Sonya
