News from the Outdoors:

The Nature Detectives were welcomed back to school this week when they discovered some tiny Fairy Crystals arranged in a spiral on the stage and at the Safe-spot. After some speculation, it was decided that the mysterious appearance of such crystals had to be the work of Fairies and Gnomes. While hiking, the detectives noticed more Fairy Crystals along the trail and they followed these clues to the lookout where a tiny gnome house and gnome were discovered! We played a fun game of hide and seek with the gnome and brought it back to the classroom to play with some more!

 

 

On Tuesday, the ever alert Nature Detectives noticed more fairy crystal clues as we hiked to the Pond, where they discovered another gnome, and a jar of wishing crystals to make wishes with!

While hiking with Miss Alex on our Naturalist Hike towards the Upper Fox Den and Deer Zone we not only found another gnome, but also explored the hillside were we discovered a Woodchuck (A.K.A. Groundhog/Whistle Pig) den! While on our PM Naturalist hike with Miss Alex the Nature Detectives even spotted the Woodchuck’s head peeking out of one of the fox den holes! 

Our gnome exploration continued on Thursday, as we hiked through the meadow, following a trail of fairy crystals to another gnome-home. Inside the gnome-home we found kindness seeds to help us think about all the different ways we can be kind at school and at home.

News from the Classroom:

It was another busy, exciting week in the classroom. We started things out by making a class book about our fun field trip to the Sugar Bush! We also got creative and made sparkly, colorful fairy dough!

Our Fairies and Gnomes theme could be found in all of our learning centers throughout the classroom.  On the butterfly carpet the kids played with gnome trains and our new tree stump and toadstool tunnels. The Nature Detectives also played with fairies in the playhouse, explored some colorful, sparkly potions in the discovery table, dug for fairy treasure and toadstools in the moonsand, and pretended to be fairy and gnome doctors for the animals in the dramatic play area!

The Nature Detectives also enjoyed some magical art projects too! They painted their very own fairies and gnomes to play with in the classroom and at home, and made magical bubble wands to cast spells and make bubbly rainbows! We also made kindness leaves to add to our kindness trees. The Nature Detectives designed their leaves, then added a kindness message to the leaf and added it to the tree. The kids thought up LOTS of ways to be kind!

The kids were surprised to discover a wishing well in the classroom on Wednesday and Thursday. The kids had fun lowering and then raising the bucket and see what magical items appeared inside!

Both classes had special family members come in for story time this week as well! It was so nice for everyone to get to enjoy a few of their classmates’ favorite books! On Mindfulness Monday we also learned a new way to be mindful by listening to our breathing.

Books We Read:

Flower Fairies Magical Doors…Discover the Doors to Fairyopolis

Our Trip to the Sugar Bush by the AM/PM Nature Detectives

Weekly Top Hits:

Rainbows

I’ve got Rainbows in my bubbles, yes I do

I’ve got Rainbows in my bubbles, yes I do

When I blow up towards the sun

They have rainbows everyone

I’ve got Rainbows in my bubbles, yes I do

***Fairy Dough Recipe***

1 Cup Scented Hair Conditioner

2.5 Cups Cornstarch

Food Coloring and Glitter

*Mixture should initially look too dry, but will come together with kneading.

(If mixture feels too wet, add more cornstarch)

Spoiler Alert:

Next week we’ll have more fun with Fairies and Gnomes!