I’m not going to try and mask my enthusiasm for Day Three: Nature’s Classroom. Yes! We caught crabs using clothespins with bits of hot dog. YES! We dissected sea stars and pretended to be turtles. YES! We had individual bags of Doritos at lunch. YES! The rain stopped allowing us to tromp in the puddles! Yes! We not misplaced any raincoats or boots…well, that I’m aware of…yet.
It’s all the hallmarks of a successful day with my amazing class in Rhode Island.
We awoke to a drizzle but soon moods were brightened by the odor of bacon sizzling on the grill as we entered the dining hall. After breakfast, the students participated in field group braving the downpour to head out to the docks to try their hands at crabbing. Students also took a bit of time to reflect on some of their “firsts” here at Nature’s Classroom by writing in their journals about challenges or uncomfortable moments they’ve had while away from home. They also wrote down some of the highlights of the trip as well as one new thing they learned about a classmate.
This afternoon, the sun has emerged and the kids are currently outside working on a group activity about animal adaptation and species survival. Soon they will have a choice period of yoga or dissecting a sea star. Later on they will prepare for tonight’s big event…Thursday Night Live!—a variety show in the vein of SNL starring…the 12 of them! Each field group will have a chance to write and perform their own skits. Tim and I know from past years, this is one of the most memorable parts of the NC experience. Weather permitting, we’ll conclude tonight with a campfire and making s’mores.
Tomorrow we plan to arrive back at BCD by dismissal. Please be prepared to encounter wet and soggy belongings. It’s likely you might end up with some things that don’t even belong to your child—so do us a favor and wash them and send them in to me and we’ll have a lost and found fashion show in homeroom.
This has been such a tremendous week of growth and new experiences. At lunch the students at my table where talking about how much closer they feel to each other and to me and Tim. Once you’ve all stood around in pajamas together (girls and boys separately, of course), you can never go back, right? Even though it’s only been a few days, relationships have evolved and each person will be able to see his/her peers in some new way. I’ve loved being with them, and want to thank you for sharing your insightful, curious, and fun kids with me.
Best,
Jilly
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