October's weather was all over the place! The Forest Friends, despite being new to outdoor school, managed rainy days, icy blast days, grey and windy days with wonderful flexibility. Flexibility - not all smiles and giggles, but strength and adaptability. And there were a LOT of mittens going on...and off...and back on again. Sometimes we wanted to go home. Sometimes our friends made us angry. And believe it or not, these trickier times were the moments where as a teacher and a guide, I saw the most learning taking place. Learning about empathy, grit, patience, and courage. Learning about deep breaths, needing space, and "red zones".
But, fear not - we also learned plenty about change in nature (is there any more visual reminder of "change" than fall?) and critters that were making changes as the cold days set in quickly.
Each week of school, I weave in a creature of the week through our books, explorations, games, and art time. Our creatures for the month included Ospreys, Honeybees, Red Fox, Canadian Geese, and Spiders. At the end of the week, each child takes home an animal card to add to tier personal field guide. I make the cards each week in Google Slides - check back soon for a post on how I make the cards using free resources, including a download for the Animal Card Template!
