A Day In The Life

Time for learning, exploring, connecting & RECHARGING.

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

8:45 - 9:00AM

ARRIVAL

Upon arrival, students stow their backpacks and solve the morning brain game.
These challenges consist of word plays, math questions, logic puzzels, and scientific investigation.

9:00AM

MORNING MEETING

Morning meeting takes place at the circle in the Nature Center yard. Students and staff greet each other in various way; funny voices, different languages, etc. The daily greeting is chosen by the group leader of the week. After morning greeting, the day’s schedule and plan is discussed and the morning’s brain game reviewed.

9:15AM

OUTDOOR STEM LAB

Tap maple trees: tree id; trunk circumference & tap placements (personal references vs standard measurements); layers of a tree; depth of taps).

10:30AM

CREATIVE CONCEPTS

Nature Art: plan & sketch your maple tree design. Will you create with paper, clay, wood, paints, etc.? What aspects of the tree will you include and why?

11:30AM

LUNCH/FREE PLAY

12:15PM

LITERACY IN NATURE

Share poems and prose about maple trees and sugaring from various cultures. Continue writing your own poetry or short story.

1:00PM

NATURAL HISTORY

Investigate tools used for sugaring over centuries, how the process and product have evolved over time. Tour Bushy Hill Sugar Shack & assist with boiling/bottling.

1:45PM

ENVIRONMENTAL ED

Fire Challenge: Prepare your firepit; using bow drills and teamwork, create a coal to start your fire.

2:15PM

SOCIAL IMPACT

Sustainability: Visit the farm to check on worm compost system and to turn the outdoor compost.

2:45PM

CLOSING CIRCLE

Guiding questions: What was the "rose" of your day and why? What is your "bud" for tomorrow (what are you looking forward to)? Pass the IALAC bead to acknowledge random acts of kindness from today.

3:00PM

DISMISSAL