Spud Harvest 2013

 
We were very excited to get out to the garden this morning to harvest our first tub of spuds.  The plants are drooping now but were still taller than some of the little ones.
     
We dug in to feel for potatoes.  But soon decided it would be easier to pull off the tops first.
 
Once the tops were off we started to dig again.
 
Many hands made quick work at finding the spuds.  We had to dig deep down to the bottom of the tub.  There may be some still at the very very bottom.
 
As we dug we found some of the original seed potatoes that started this adventure.
      
We took our bounty into the school to count them.
 
After a good scrubbing, using toothbrushes, we counted them.  Our first tub produced 42 potatoes.
 
            
After sorting them by size we determined there were more medium sized potatoes than large or small.

Time to cook.
  
       Cut and boiled potatoes for our first taste test.
     
  
From raw to boiled, from garden to taste.  Tomorrow we’ll make potato bread.
Next  week we'll harvest our second tub with our grand friends.

Going on a Bear Hunt

We held our annual Teddy Bear Picnic this week and
I set up a bear hunt again.  But this year it was an
activity that families could individually participate
in all morning not as a whole group.  It worked much
better this way.
 
When they entered, they first had to go through
swishy-wishy tall grass.
 
There were mixed feelings from the children, some were
hesitant and slowly made their way through the streamers. 
While others excitedly went through again and again.
  
Next was the wibbly-wobbly bridge.  And it was wobbly!
 
Each child carefully crossed the bridge in a way that they
felt secure.
 
Next came the Ooey-gooey mud – have to walk through it. 
Squish, squish, squish.
     
Because it’s almost summer time here and no snow in the forecast,
I replaced a snowstorm with a bubble storm.  It was the most popular
part of the whole bear hunt.  There were lots and lots of bubbles all
being caught and popped and floating throughout the gardens.
 
I found a great bubble storm maker (gun) at walmart
(it came with batteries, yay).  It produced lots of bubbles
fast.
 
             
If I was to do this again I would try to find a bubble
blower that could produce the same amount of bubbles
but didn’t require me to be there to work it.  I missed a
lot of the Teddy Bear picnic because so many children
kept going on the hunt.
 
Finally the cave, a dark and tiny cave.  Is there a bear inside?
 
       
                 Many were curious. 
                 Most would peek inside. 
                 Some would not go in. 
   
One brave soul woke the bear and brought him out.

Ocean Discovery

          
Grace, for her main practicum project, has to do a two week project.
We decided to focus on the ocean.
 
I encouraged her to set up an invitation for the children to start thinking
 and talking about what they know about the ocean.
 
The children took some time to check out the sea creatures that Grace
had set on ocean blue fabric.
  
They looked through the books provided and then she encouraged
them to draw which creature they are the most interested in.
 
As they drew, Grace talked with them about their pictures and discovered
that most of the children are interested in starfish.
 
She’ll use this information to plan activities for the next two weeks.

Oh No Computer Crashed

Unfortunately the hard drive on my computer has packed it in.  Not only that but has decided to take all my photos and files with it.

I'll be back posting in a few days when my computer is back and I have had a chance to transfer photos from my work computer.

Take care (and remember to back up YOUR hard drive).

Maureen

Snail Slime Painting

 
We cover the garden with mesh when we are playing somewhere else.
But on the mesh we’ve noticed that the snails slide, upside down and leave
a slimy trail behind.

   
What can we use that will leave a clear shiny trail like a snail?

 
                                 Corn syrup!
We bring one of the snails to the art table to see how it moves
                   and what it leaves behind. 
      
     It moved very slowly and changed directions,
                      so we did too.

        
   We returned the snail to his garden for lunch.
     
And I returned to clean up the wonderfully slimy art table.