Science and Senses

Spring is coming! Kite weather not far behind!

These days I've sent students outside to their regular "spot" (by the pond, beneath the trees, etc.) to observe everything they can observe about this area--changes, animals coming in and out, tracks & traces, sounds, smells, feels, weather, a guess at wind speed & direction, a guess at humidity and temperature, etc.

I've also had them go out each day and find the following:

• 5 things you heard.
• 2 things you smelled.
• 5 things you saw that you might easily have missed.  This was the best exercise--this had them moving slowly and intently.
• 5 adjectives to describe five different "feels"--pliable twigs, crusty snow, brittle mushrooms, dusty lichen,  etc.