Harvesting Spuds Tub 1

Today we harvested our first tub of spuds.
               
When the leaves turn yellow and start to droop it’s time to harvest.  Ours looked so shrivelled that I worried we didn’t water them enough and wasn’t sure if we would get any potatoes.
         
The children began pulling the plants.  After a few good pulls they came out but there were no potatoes attached.  Oh no, are there any potatoes at all?
 
           We began to dig and found a couple of little spuds.
           
          Then we began to dig deeper.  All hands in to help.
  
Yay we started to find potatoes.  They were deep, close to the bottom of the tub.
                 
               We were excited to get some big ones too.
               
                          Our yield from the first tub.

  
   Back in the classroom we washed and counted the potatoes. 
                       58 big, medium and tiny spuds.

   Today I decided we would fry them and make potato chips. 
         We’ll harvest another tub on our next day at school.

Learning From Each Other

Today was a great day.

StrongStart facilitators from the North Island came together to share thoughts, ideas, impressions and experiences from their centres.

We started by sharing provocations that we have used in our centres.

Here are a few.


We spent time working on our “Reflecting on Quality”booklet. 
It’s a tool, created through the Ministry of Education, to help guide
us plan our programs.
                

In the afternoon the facilitators from my district shared outdoor activities
that we did during the Canada's 30x30 Nature Challenge.

                         
     
It’s was inspiring and gave me that little lift I need to continue to offer a quality program, for my families, in the remaining weeks before summer break.

Painted Butterflies

             
Today we released our butterflies but before doing that we made a special snack.
   
        
Using coloured milk and small paint brushes the children painted a slice of bread.
  
     Then placed their painted bread into the toaster and waited.
  
             Using a cookie cutter they made their butterfly.
            
                 Enjoying our Painted Butterfly toast.
              
                  Saying goodbye to our Painted Ladies.

Bear Hunt Sound Walk

   
Today was our annual Picnic at the Gardens.  Here is this year’s version of Going on a Bear Hunt.

I cut up a book and laminated the pages for the families to read as they walked from spot to spot. 
   
 
          Ribbons to go swishy, swashy as the long grass.
      
 
Bottles of water for the splish, splash of walking through the river.
        
    
        Slinkys for squelch, squerch of walking through mud.
         
   
    Rhythm sticks for walking and tripping through the forest.
         
    
        Bubbles to make the Hooo wooo for the snow storm.
        
 
          Finally leading to a cave where you’ll find a BEAR!