Although today the temperature was only -4 degrees Celsius, were you prepared for the cold? Did you feel warm and bundled outside in the snow this week? Did you check your layers and make sure you were toasty warm? We glued our paper thermometers into our nature notebooks and talked about our favourite temperatures. At least a few more weeks till spring according to the groundhog Wiarton Willie! We took a survey, did you agree with this prediction? Do you remember what the temperature of the water was near Cedar Hideaway? What was the temperature of the entrance way today?
Gathering around our firepit, the Turtles started the day with a morning check-in. Pileated Woodpecker was eager to share a story about his magic snowball, complete with lots of writing and some intricate drawings. He noticed that the melted snow he had collected last week at Nature School was not clear but “dim” and that the magic had been released. A great story and a great way to start our chat about eating snow! Why is eating a lot of snow not good for your body?
What are some things we can find in snow that surprise you? Did you see some of the snow fleas when you were digging with Dragonfly? Yuck, hope no one ate those! Or the spider we found in the snow on a picnic bench!
Off to the trails! Were you able to tiptoe quietly in Birds’ Fly Way and see some of the winter birds up close? Thanks for pointing out the blue jays at the feeder, Catfish! Meet you there! In search of the deer bed we saw last week, Water Strider, Catfish and Snapping Turtle found more deer tracks! Where were they sleeping last night? Lots of scat but no deer bed where we found one last week.
Determined to find more signs of deer, our own Deer, Hawk and Cardinal went on a search into the field and followed some deer tracks leading to an area where they had been digging for food! Lots of tracks led to this spot! What kind of food could you see exposed? Where do you think the deer are hiding when we are in Mystery Forest? Are they watching us?
During our wander time, footprints were everywhere including those of a raccoon! What shape were the prints? Is a raccoon a bounder, waddler or a hopper? Monarch wondered where the orange snow came from in Mystery Forest?
On our way out, did you see signs of deer or rabbits munching on twigs? Which animal snaps off the branches and which one gnaws the branches at an angle? Catfish found a hole in the snow close to these branches. Did a rabbit make this or a squirrel?
After our morning adventures, Grey Squirrel met us in the library with some stories to read. “Snowflake Bentley” illustrated a man’s love for snowflake designs and the book called “Snow” described all the fun you can have in it. How did you decide on the snowflake design you made? Did you use one of the books, the snowflake tablecloth or your imagination? There were so many different snowflakes, all unique in their own way! Hope you tell your families how you made them!
After lunch, Cardinal read the story “I Am Afraid Said The Leaf”, a story about things and animals in nature feeling supported by others. Have you ever felt lonely or afraid? Did you have someone special make you feel less alone? Think of ways you can make someone feel special and supported at nature school? What would you say or do? Have a conversation with your family and brainstorm some ideas!
Time to bundle up and head for Sunrise and Butterfly Hill. Thanks for sharing toboggans with your friends! After a super fast trip down the hill thanks to the icy snow, the Turtles headed over to the Herons’ Shelter (or maybe it should be called “Heron Hideaway” as suggested by Grey Wolf) to help insulate it using spruce branches. We loved your shelter Herons, hope we helped protect you from the wind and the cold!
A few students also thought it was a good spot to pretend to be deer and make their own deer bed!
Off to Cedar Hideaway for a game of Frostbite tag! At the end of the game, did you have 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 clothespins? Did you have to go to the warming station during the game because you had deep frostbite? What does frostbite look like on your skin? No one ended up with any actual Frostbite today!
Before we knew it it was time to get back to the Hall to meet our families. On the way back we saw our Mute Swan friend floating on its own in Mill Pond. Do you think the swan feels lonely and would like a friend? Why is it always alone? What call or song does a Mute Swan make?
The questions, wonderings and mysteries continue. Can’t wait to see what we discover next week at Harrington!
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