Timberwolf Trail - Week 22 - 2019-20 Edition

If Punxsutawney Phil is correct and winter is in the way out, we will do everything we can to enjoy it. Forget the cold. Ignore the chill. Get outside, play and explore.

When we weren;t plahying and explorigninside, we were beginning a new picture book pen pal project with our new friend: Pat Zietlow Miller. This Wisconsin author has a number of amazing books that inspire and uplift.

In our indoor play time, we've spent time investigating the many artifacts in our nature center and starting to build an igloo with our collected recyclables.

We've also connected with a new bald eagle family closer to home. We are excited and hopeful for eggs soon.

In our play, we 've already starting talking about spring. If the kids are half as excited as I am, it is going to be spectacular. We basically live outside once Old Man Winter leaves.

Back inside, we continued our feathered friends unit by reading about and creating nests using various art supplies.

Feeling the need for more play, we headed back outside and noticed a number of saplings planted last year. This always gives us hope that spring is on the way.

With birds on our minds, I showed the class the snag that is at the back of our land. This is always been a great tree to observe if interested in woodpeckers. I also had a few students ask to take a look at some of our nest boxes to see if anyone had shacked up for the winter. They hadn't. . .yet.

Timberwolf Trail - Week 21 - 2019-20 Edition

Another week of winter learning in the books. With Groundhog's Day this weekend, we will wait and see if an early spring is coming, If the rest of winter is as fun as this week was, then I don't mind hanging out with Old Man Winter a bit longer.

We kicked off the week with a SURPRISE snow day Essentially,along with another kindergarten class, we spent the entire day outside painting in the snow, enjoying winter yoga, reading snow stories, building snow igloos and characters, and completing an animal movement relay.

Later in the week, we got a visit from our nature fried, DNR Dianne, to find and identify animal tracks around the trail.

We also continued our study of birds. This week, these junior ornithologists focused on vision, wingspan, and movement.

Another wonderful week ended with natural play. We all needed a little HELP to end or week and month so we Hiked, Explored, Learned, and Played outside.

Nature play is tough and exhausting work. I think they'd be up for more next week though.