Roots glorious roots!

One of the best smells on Earth IS earth if you ask me.  That moist, rich, brown humus never fails to make my olfactory senses swoon with delight. 

The scent of soil brought me into the 440 class today where Vida was leading a conversation about soil and roots during circle time.  They noted the various kinds of roots and the differences among a variety of plants.

Following this conversation we gave one of our potted friends a new home complete with fresh soil.

The children helped to settle the plant into it's new pot.

Vida and I continue to investigate how our efforts to nurture and draw attention to the natural world around us will foster an attitude of sustainability.  If you have ideas, let me know.  I

In the meantime take a deep breath the next time you find yourself in a garden or forest and pause just long enough to revel in the scent of soil.

Who lives in trees?

The folks from Nature's Educators came by today and brought with them a few friends to further our study of who lives in trees.  This Colorado based, non-profit company cares for animals that are unable to return to the wild.  These animals help to educate the community, ensuring a deeper understanding and love of the natural world. 

Goldie the Tarantula was the first to visit the children. 

The children were initially reluctant to meet a spider but Goldie quickly won them over.

We learned how Goldie might use the small hooks on her feet to climb the bark of trees.  Despite having eight eyes on the top of her head, Goldie cannot see much beyond movement and shape but what she lacks in vision she makes up for in tactile acuity.  Goldie feels the world around her using her feet and hairy body to "see" her surroundings and find her next meal, sensing the vibrations and movements of her prey.  This gentle and beautiful creature challenged our preconceived ideas about spiders as "yucky" or inspiring fear.

Next, we met Arabis, a gorgeous Great Horned Owl who lost an eye in a car crash before coming to live with Nature's Educator's.  

Arabis' "horns" aren't actually horns at all.  They are called plumicorns and even scientists are unsure about their purpose. 

Arabis hunts for food primarily at night so her wing beats are incredibly quiet.

In order to look at the world around her, Arabis has to turn her whole head. Her eyes don't move in their sockets, as this child demonstrates.

 Finally, Monty the Burmese Python was introduced to the enthusiasm of an eager crowd.

 We learned that snakes shed their skin and often live in either trees (aboreal) or on the ground (terrestrial).

Curios and ready to welcome another risk, the children lined up to touch Monty's scaly body.

It was an absolutely wonderful day!
I invite each of you to investigate who is living in the trees surrounding your house and let us know what you discover!
I'll see you next week for more fun in the studio.

A Fresh Beginning in a New Year

The studio has transformed again to meet the needs of a new year and to reflect our questions and observations from our time with the children.  Here are a few photos of what you might see walking through the studio in the weeks ahead:

And some of the younger members of our community have begun visiting our studio space alongside the other children.

It was another wonderful week of learning and teaching alongside the children.