Today we began the notefacts on our NH research topics, and we really got into it! Our topics include all kinds of NH animals, people, history, and places. We’ll be sure to post our progress.
NH studies
wow, just wow
Many thanks to all who breathed energetic life into NH RiverDay 2010.
Curiosity
Look what was visiting our house this morning! Click on the picture to see it even closer!
He was larger than I expected, for I haven’t really observed too many walking sticks around our yard. I suppose they are so good at camouflage that we walk right past them most of the time without seeing them! We noticed tiny stripes going around each part of its body, which look just like tree bark markings. It also had very long antennae and a pincer-type behind we want to read more about.
So what stimulated your curiosity today? Tell us about it in a comment!
Junior Park Rangers in Action
Off to Belknap Mill!
We became mill workers on the assembly line
to bring to life the Industrial Revolution in New Hampshire.
Danbury Interviews 2010
Every year we interview knowledgeable community members about the history of Danbury. This year’s guests were fascinating, and we can’t wait to write about what we learned. We are so thankful for our community and for all the people who share with us.
Our RiverDay Moccasins
As a response to NH RiverDay’s Native American workshops, Mrs. Plante-Renaud led the class in creating their own moccasins. A storytelling session around the “campfire” was the grand celebration at the completion of the project.
Unrestrained Joy
Snowflakes
by Emily Dickenson
I counted till they danced so
Their slippers leaped the town,
And then I took a pencil
To note the rebels down.
And then they grew so jolly
I did resign the prig,
And ten of my once stately toes
Are marshalled for a jig!
Do you remember? Do you still feel that leap in your spirit when you spot the first snow of the season?
One of the many New Hampshire thrills is snow flurries in the fall. We have had two other snowfalls already this year, but today was the first snow during a school day. Grasping the zest of childhood so that I never forget, one of my teaching traditions is to stop whatever we are doing when the first snow arrives, grab our jackets, and zip outdoors to look upward in awe.
“You have five minutes to welcome the snow however you wish!”
Invisible snow angels?
Can you see the teeny tiny flakes captured in this titian beauty?
Surely you are smiling with us . . .
. . . and maybe wishing you’d been there cavorting with us?
.
(photograph by Snowflake Bentley)
Snow Flurries
by Raymond A. Foss
There were snow flurries in the air today
early for my liking, snow flurries coming
in small singular spirals, falling through the air
spun by their shapes, the tug of the wind
sitting in the office, watching them tumble
by my window, pause in the conversation with client
marvel for a moment at the ballet before me
forward scouts for their brethren to follow
later in the season when fall yields to winter
soon enough they will come, in legions
DES Very Fun Birdwatching
by Alex and James
“Wow! What is that big blue bird by the birdfeeder?”
“Let’s look in the bird identification guide.”
One of our favorite parts of our room is the giant window along one whole wall. We have birdfeeders right outside our window. We observe the birds as they come to feed, and today our first chickadee came.
We went into our field guides, using the index to find a picture of the chickadee. The field guide told us they are strong birds that eat a lot and fluff up so they can survive the tough winters. It even told us what their song sounds like!
If you don’t know the name of a bird you are looking at, look at the pictures in the field guide until you find the kinds of colors, beaks, shapes of bodies or other characteristics that match your bird. We found the blue jay that way. We used our observation skills to help us.
In our class bird journal we write down what we see outside whenever there is something new or noteworthy. So far we have seen three bluejays, two chickadees, one chipmunk (also known as Chip), and about three crows. Chip ate the most, but he’s hibernating now. We were really interested in knowing when the first birds came so we can compare it to other years. This year is later than usual, so we’re wondering if that means there is still really good food in the forest or if it’s because Miss Blessing put out the food later than usual to discourage any bears from visiting.
Chick-a-dee-dee-dee!
