“In wildness is the preservation of the world.”
-Thoreau
Each day, Ms. Connie directs our focus to new ways of seeing. We look closely for squirrels and chipmunks and find hatless acorns and split black walnuts, freshly gnawed middens–evidence of their presence. From Milkweed dripping white to the green brain of the Osage Orange to the fallen azure of Jacob’s Ladder, we study flower, fruit, and seed. After some conversation on the day’s lesson in a clearing near the woods, twelve children, moms, and trailing dads begin their silent hike–into the forest, crossing a creek bed by way of a fallen tree, perhaps stopping for a while in the hidden classroom, a log on the forest floor with room for all to sit, beneath the shade of Maple, Oak, and Mulberry.
After kicking through the crush of Ash leaves, later we rest on fairy’s carpet to munch a snack of ants on a log and tell stories of our adventures–those past and those yet to come.
Tags: family fun · learning · nature · photos4 Comments
4 responses so far ↓
What a great idea. This is such a wonderful time of the year to observe Nature getting ready for her Winter sleep. The education these children are getting now will stay with them for the rest of their lives. What could be more important.
This is so cool! I wish i could have had this experience. Freire would be so proud!
Aubrey, thanks so much for the comment. It’s never too late for all of us to take it outside and learn from the world around us. I have to find a way for us to take our COM class outside. That would be nice. Thanks again! –Mike
[...] resumed our “Fridays in the Forest” yesterday. We participated in this program this past fall and loved it. So we’re there again, each Friday spending some quiet time with fellow [...]