Bugs!

So I have to admit that we are not very fond of insects around here. We don't like to find them, pick them up or even read about them much. And although we covered Life Science last year in school, I'm pretty sure that insects go the shaft. So when our local science and nature center offered a homeschool class on insects, I signed the girls up as fast as I could.

After an introduction about the characteristics of insects, the kids went to the "Critter House" to examine some insects close up. My favorites? The mealworms and the humongous hissing cockroach. That would be the nice creature seen in the picture above, that all the kids TOUCHED.

Next they went out into nature to find some insects. They observed in a grassy field and in the woods. Here are the girls thrashing the grass to find some specimens! In the woods, we found dozens of millipedes and ispopods (that's rollie-pollies for all you fellow non-insect lovers).

Kayla actually has a millipede on her spoon in the picture below, but when he started to climb up her arm, she dropped everything. Here it is post-drop, still OK we're happy to report!

My favorite part of the class was that the kids charted all of the insects they found on a giant graph on a flip chart. You have never seen kids so exited to mark an X on a piece of paper! Since the class, Kayla has decided we should graph almost everything. Her last analysis was of the colors of the fall leaves. Yes, she's 3! Both girls are loving science this year (and I didn't
even have to touch any bugs!).

Until next time,

Marcia

A Morning at the Apple Orchard!

This morning we went to Erwin Apple Orchard for Kayla's very first preschool field trip. Of course she's tagged along on many of Leah's and our homeschool field trips, but she was so excited to go on her very own field trip. After a brief battle about wearing her coat (which covered her sparkly pumpkin shirt) and despite chilly weather, a good time was had by all. Please excuse the huge montage of pictures, there were just too many good ones! After a hayride out to the fields, we picked apples and pumpkins. Then we returned to enjoy a treat of homemade donuts and apple cider; it was quite clear that this was the highlight of the visit for the three-year olds! Of course we had to bring home some donuts and cider to share with Daddy. :) And now we have to figure out what to do with all of these apples!

Kayla with her teacher, Ms. Renee

This afternoon Leah had her first Daisy meeting for Girl Scouts. She was a little shy going in as she's participating in a troop where most of the other girls already know each other, but she was beaming when she came out. It's been a long time since I was a Girl Scout - some things are the same (Make new friends but keep the old, some are silver and the others gold, ring a bell anyone?) and some way different (how about $3.50 for a box of cookies and no God in the pledge anymore?!). I'm hopeful it will be a good experience for Leah, although my suspicion is that the attraction to the group is primarily the uniform!

Tomorrow is an ordinary school day at home. Sometimes we get so busy that it's really nice to have quiet days at home!

Marcia