Friday, September 15th

The KW crew is already thinking about nature and the possibility of trips to area parks.  Even before lunch today, children were talking about Volta Park.
   Prater - The shortest way is my house to Volta.
   Elle - It's just a few corners to Volta from my house.

Right after lunch, we went to the front steps.  We asked the children where we might find nature.  Elle mentioned a secret spot in Volta Park.  A few children thought their backyards were good places to encounter nature.  Prater mentioned Montrose.
  Kate - What is nature?
  Elle - Discovering new stuff outside.  It has to be outside because that's where there are bushes, squirrels, and all kinds of creatures.
   Prater - Yeah, because God made all animals and people.
   Elle - And people are chimpanzees.  They came from chimpanzees.
  

We soon noticed elements of the natural world very close to where we were sitting.  We decided to explore more of the neighborhood, and Prater pointed the direction we should take.

As we walked, children made numerous observations, asked relevant questions, and formed theories.  Here's what we talked about as we walked:
   Elle - My sister smelled a really bad stink and I told her that's just nature and nature is part of the world.
A little further along, we walked past a man using a leaf blower.
   Max - It smells dusty.
And then we found ACORNS!
   Kate - Where do acorns come from?
   Elle - An oak tree.
   Prater - Ellee, I found chipmunky's food!
   Vivienne - I'm finding a lot.
   Kate - Do you think nature is different here than in Montrose Park?
   Elle - It is, the acorns are smaller here.
   Max - Acorns still work when they're in water.
   Grace - I put an acorn back together.

We collected acorns and also some rocks....
    Grace - (Holding a rock)  This is a special one.  It might be a tooth.

Along the way, we saw flowers and leaves.
     Vivienne - I see nature..... leaves,
      Max - Maybe when they're (the leaves) are dead, they change color.
     Elle - Leaves turn brown on the bottom and the leaves fall off and the tree crumples apart.
     Prater - (Holding a "spiky" leaf) Guys, do you want to talk about this leaf?
     Max - How many leaves are in nature?
     Jill - I don't know, what do you think?
     Max - Five million.

These conversations and observations give us so much to think about.  We look forward to all the discoveries that lie ahead.  Enjoy the slide show and have a great weekend!
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