Specialty Class Highlight for February 2024: Earth Education and Farming

In Environmental Education, the weather has helpfully allowed the students to be exposed to all the natural elements regularly. After the week of deep freeze, the students were able to walk on the ice in the marsh. They have experienced water freezing, crystalizing, and melting. The sunshine has warmed us here and there. In and around all the weather changes, the students are busy planning and building different projects we are working on.

In First Grade, we are feeding the squirrels with the nuts we collected. The students first count the nuts they are giving to the squirrels one at a time and then two at a time, etc. This is an enjoyable opportunity to practice math. Besides that, we go on hikes to places that to muddy to traverse during the warmer months, opening up our campus more readily for our students. We played some games and went through the obstacle course, as well.  

Second grade continues to work on the school compost. They turned the beautiful, composted soil onto a new spot for a flower garden Ki Ieva is planning with them. These flowers will be used to dye the wool for next year. The highlight is at the end of the lesson when we are finished working and playing some games. 

The Third graders are honorary farmers by now. They do their tasks very quickly and diligently. We started to work on planters that we use to plant seeds. The students divided into pairs, took some scrap wood pieces and figured out how to measure, saw, and hammer the pieces together. We also planted some garlic, and as I’m sure the parents found out at pick-up, the students tried to eat some raw garlic. A healthy lesson learned!

Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth graders are working on the wooden water wheel. This is a very complex project that allows the students to engage in different levels of their development. Sixth Grade is doing geometry in Main Lesson, and during EE class, they are measuring the circle and dividing the planks that will create the circle. Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade, then continued to plane the planks. They also started angling the sides using axes and are getting close to starting to connect the pieces. 

 A big thank you to Top Tier Trees Company for allowing us to harvest different varieties of wood from their backyard stockpiles for our different woodworking projects.  We have some amazing cherry, pear, pecan, and hickory wood that the students are using to make spoons, balls, candle holders, etc.

Warmly,

Matan

Specialty Class Highlight January 16-20, 2023: Environmental Education

Hello Families,

Coming back from the long break, the students were very eager to start working on the new projects and continue the old.

In first grade, we started giving the nuts we had previously collected to the squirrels and chipmunks. The students are working on their numeric skills by counting how many acorns the squirrels are getting every time. The students also started working on making bird houses.

In second grade, we are continuing to work on the compost. We also started collecting clay from the riverbank and sifting it so we can make things from it. The students figured out that if we mix the clay, the sand will sink down and so we can harvest the clay on top.

In third grade, the students and animals were very excited to be reunited. The chickens even started laying eggs again. Besides the farm work, the students worked on cutting the kudzu vines that are surrounding the trees and choking them in the summer. The students also finished the parts for the wheelchair and wagons. 

In fourth grade, we finished the interior of the bunny house and now the students are working on putting the panels on the exterior. The students also started to prepare the space where the bunnies will go. They are digging holes for the posts and moving gravel.

Matan



Specialty Class Highlight November 2022: Environmental Education

Dear Garden School families,

During the past month, the grades students have been keeping very busy doing a variety of activities around campus.  They have been at work in the garden, on the farm, and in the forest. 

After harvesting their own clay, the first graders molded various animals. They found some bamboo sticks and used them to build houses for the city they are creating. We also passed by the farm to pet the chickens.

The second graders have distributed compost buckets for every class. Once a week they collect the buckets for each class. They continue to be responsible for the community compost and are very excited whenever the wheelbarrow is full and heavy. The second graders are also working on building a new compost pile since the first pile is almost full. Keep those food scraps coming!

In third grade, the students are observing the different seasons and how they affect the animals. For instance, the chickens stopped laying eggs a couple of weeks ago. The students harvested some vegetables from the garden and made a salad. We also had a class cookout over a campfire and made some delicious soup using our garden’s veggies complemented by fresh vegetables brought from home. Additionally, the students finished the garden for Joyful Beginnings. Our younger friends have planted violets in the wooden planters. The third graders are now building a path that will lead into the forest and allow people with wheelchairs and wagons to access the forest.

The fourth graders are busy working on their rabbit house. It is shaping up very nicely. The future rabbits even have two doorways built into the hutch! Please help your child to continue to use their skills at home to saw or split wood. We cannot wait for the rabbits to join our farm. 

The fifth graders are wrapping up their work on the structure of the pizza oven. They learned how to make the roof just with bamboo and earth. This roof will be strong enough to hold the bricks and the dome and hopefully the pizza itself.  

Kindly,

Matan


Specialty Class Highlight September 2022: Environmental Education

Dear Community,

I was really excited to start the year and to get to know the students. The forest is a magical place that invites creativity, imagination and creation. From woodworking and building projects to farm and garden chores, your children are engaged in a wide array of purposeful hands-on activities.

First Grade 

In first grade, we listened to a story about a magical town called Mountaintop. The town houses the baker and his children, the potter, the weaver and many more. Your students are now working on building the town. They have gathered clay and are currently creating the farm animals that will populate Mountaintop.

Second Grade

The second graders have been put in charge of the community compost. They will be able to use the composted fertile soil for their third grade gardening projects next year. The students deliver the wheelbarrow to the compost every day and return it to the parking lot. (Currently the community fills half a wheelbarrow each day. Hopefully we will get to three wheelbarrows a day in the near future!) Besides that, the students work on creating an herb garden next to the parking lot. 

Third Grade

Our third graders began the year with farming and gardening, and taking care of our goats, donkeys and chickens. We are currently taking a break from farming and are creating an herb garden for the Joyful Beginnings program. In addition, we are playing various games such as mastering an obstacle course (that includes a fallen tree), walking backwards,and jumping on one leg.

Fourth Grade

The fourth graders began the year by researching rabbits and rabbit habitats. Then we designed a rabbit hutch that we are going to add to the farm. The students are learning to use saws, hammers and clamps in the process. The fourth graders will be put in charge of caring for our bunnies once they join the farm. 

Fifth Grade

In fifth grade, we are busy transforming the earth from the play area into a pizza oven. Your students started with digging and learned what's good clay for building. We add some water from the creek and a bit of hay to the clay. Students then mix the clay with hay and water using their feet. After that, they shape the earth to create bricks and arrange them. We hope that by the end of the year, we will be able to invite you all for a taste of pizza.