Fifth Grade Faces and Outdoor Places

Can you match a name with a face?

In Art class fifth graders drew self-portraits as an exercise in getting to know one another as a community. When the finished portraits were displayed, fifth grade were joined by their reading buddies for a "Gallery Walk" where all grades 1-8 were up for viewing. I will be sharing portraits in my next few blogs.

 

Into the Woods: The Intermediate Team Spends the Day at Bushy Hill

Our first outdoor ed trip of the year was to Bushy Hill Nature Center where counselors taught us some basic wilderness survival skills that are the underpinnings of our Outdoor Education Program. Students learned how to build a debris hut suitable for survival in colder climates; to start a fire using a bowdrill and cedar tinder;  to identify edible plants such as cat tails considered "the restaurant of the forest," and the Eastern hemlock for its needles rich in Vitamin C; and finally, to weave cordage that is strong enough to be used for a fishing line! 

Today, as part of our debrief, the Intermediate Team created a Bushy Hill Grafitti Wall where they drew visual memories/souvenirs and used words to express what they had learned from their experience. Step into the woods with us through these photos.