The Last Day, 2016

Well, we have come to the end of the week and our time at Nature's Classroom.  The students don't want to come home because they are having such an awesome time. I'm not saying there weren't times when students got a little teary eyed because they missed home, but I'm sure there will be tears when they get on the buses.

In case you are wondering yes, I got them again with some delightful heavy metal!!

After a delicious breakfast of pancakes and sausage we just couldn't quite make ZORT.  They did, however, have the lowest ORT of the season, 1 pound.  They should be proud of that.  I remember that some years there would be up to 12 pounds of ORT.

Since this such a short day this post will be short.  The kids are filling out thier evaluations about their thoughts and feelings on the program and NC staff.  After this they will head out for thier final field group for about an hour, eat lunch, and then board the buses for home.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this blog and seeing the pictures. Hopefully, the pictures eased some of your minds worrying that your child wouldn't survive without you. The kids really did have an awesome time and I'm sure will tell you all about it.  Below are some pictures from my favorite activity, Dragging the Bags and Fixing Sleeping Bags in the Middle of the Road.

Is there Valet service here?

Waiting for the Bell Hop.

The struggle is real!

No, no! Fold it the other way.

This looks like a good place to stop. 

Day 3, November 16, 2016

It only took two days but I was able to get them this morning with their "wake up" music.  It was a nice blend of screaming guitars and drums.   I think today's reactions were some of the best I've seen. It still a little wet here but they do say the sun will come out for the long hike today.  I hope so because the woods will be WET!!  What is the long hike? Well, to put it in a nutshell, it's a hike that is long. 4 hours long.  The kids will learn about various aspects of nature and make smores so it's also a delicious hike.

The students had their fourth class of the week today.  A few of the chooses were pig dissection, ice wars, building a burma bridge, wood furniture, and Zen stuff.  Walking around from class to class the kids are so engaged and interested.  However, I would have to say that the dissections are probably the most interesting.

The long hike was a success.  No one was lost and no one was hurt.  Although, they did come back a little bit wetter.  Luckily they had an hour and half transistion time to relax and dry off.

Dinner tonight was a delicious blend of cheese tortellini with just the right amount of sauce.  As a side dish we had peas, I know weird with pasta, and the ever present pasta companion, garlic bread. I think many of the kids made a meal out of just the garlic bread.

Tonight is the night hike.  The students go out with their field group leaders with out any flashlights and experience the darkness in many different ways.  Some build fires and others use wintergreen life savers to create sparks.  The kids seem to really enjoy this night.

Watch the Boys get woken up!!! Click Here.

Look what we built, a burma bridge

MMMMM, breakfast 

Playing UNO with Rick the Dog

Day 3, November 16, 2016

It only took two days but I was able to get them this morning with their "wake up" music.  It was a nice blend of screaming guitars and drums.   I think today's reactions were some of the best I've seen. It still a little wet here but they do say the sun will come out for the long hike today.  I hope so because the woods will be WET!!  What is the long hike? Well, to put it in a nutshell, it's a hike that is long. 4 hours long.  The kids will learn about various aspects of nature and make smores so it's also a delicious hike.

The students had their fourth class of the week today.  A few of the chooses were pig dissection, ice wars, building a burma bridge, wood furniture, and Zen stuff.  Walking around from class to class the kids are so engaged and interested.  However, I would have to say that the dissections are probably the most interesting.

The long hike was a success.  No one was lost and no one was hurt.  Although, they did come back a little bit wetter.  Luckily they had an hour and half transistion time to relax and dry off.

Dinner tonight was a delicious blend of cheese tortellini with just the right amount of sauce.  As a side dish we had peas, I know weird with pasta, and the ever present pasta companion, garlic bread. I think many of the kids made a meal out of just the garlic bread.

Tonight is the night hike.  The students go out with their field group leaders with out any flashlights and experience the darkness in many different ways.  Some build fires and others use wintergreen life savers to create sparks.  The kids seem to really enjoy this night.

Waking up the boys

Look what we built, a burma bridge

MMMMM, breakfast 

Playing UNO with Rick the Dog

Day 3, November 16, 2016

It only took two days but I was able to get them this morning with their "wake up" music.  It was a nice blend of screaming guitars and drums.   I think today's reactions were some of the best I've seen. It still a little wet here but they do say the sun will come out for the long hike today.  I hope so because the woods will be WET!!  What is the long hike? Well, to put it in a nutshell, it's a hike that is long. 4 hours long.  The kids will learn about various aspects of nature and make smores so it's also a delicious hike.

The students had their fourth class of the week today.  A few of the chooses were pig dissection, ice wars, building a burma bridge, wood furniture, and Zen stuff.  Walking around from class to class the kids are so engaged and interested.  However, I would have to say that the dissections are probably the most interesting.

The long hike was a success.  No one was lost and no one was hurt.  Although, they did come back a little bit wetter.  Luckily they had an hour and half transistion time to relax and dry off.

Dinner tonight was a delicious blend of cheese tortellini with just the right amount of sauce.  As a side dish we had peas, I know weird with pasta, and the ever present pasta companion, garlic bread. I think many of the kids made a meal out of just the garlic bread.

Tonight is the night hike.  The students go out with their field group leaders with out any flashlights and experience the darkness in many different ways.  Some build fires and others use wintergreen life savers to create sparks.  The kids seem to really enjoy this night.

Day 2, November 15, 2016

Every year I wake the kids to some type of heavy metal music to really get them "motivated" in the morning.  Today, they were all up by 6:45 playing UNO.  What gives?  Hopefully I'll be able to get them one day this week.  Today looks to start off cloudy with rain eventually moving in.  Tonight our schedule has changed because of the impending rain.

This morning the kids witnessed the ultimate in survival.  Two bald eagles were trying to get a duck near the shore.  The duck kept on going underwater to avoid the eagles.  This went on for about 5 minutes and the eagles gave up and flew off.  The kids were amazed by what they saw, as was this author.

For classes today they were able to choose from Farm to Table, Soap Making, H20 rockets, Huckin' Stuff, Rollercoasters, and Thor!!.   The kids are so excited for these classes.

Lunch today consisted of pizza and Cesar salad.  Needless to say to didn't have to much ORT left over.  What's ORT you ask?  Ask your child.  It is a goal they are trying to achieve here at Nature's Classroom.  Also, we celebrated Mr. B's birthday.

The rain has moved in most of the classes have moved indoors.  As for the staff, we have too. Callahan School started writing their own blog this year.  You can check it out here: Callahan's Nature's Classroom Blog

For dinner we had Taco Tuesday.  The kids ate it up. Pun intended.  Unfortunately, the rain drove our transistion time indoors so the kids just hung out and played cards. Some opted to dance.

During Back to Basic Night the kids were introduced the way things used to be done before the advent of the internet and modern machinery.  They learned how to play games using wooden blocks, draw using ink and a stick, use pieces of straw to make a necklace, and how to throw a javelin (not a real one).

Positive Share 

Kid vs. Teacher

Football

Necessary Selfie

First Day, Monday, November 14, 2016

Holy Smokes, it could not be any more gorgeous up here. The sun has been out all day and right now it is 62 degrees.  The sun is shining off Lake Ossipee with the mountains in the background.  This is an Ansel Adams moment.  It looks like the rest of the week is going to be in the 50s and relativity sunny.

Thank you parents and guardians for getting your children to CVS this morning for send off.  The ride up was uneventful.  The kids watched Wreck it Ralph and talked. Some slept.  Once we hit Camp Cody the cheers erupted.  The kids exited the bus and headed straight for the field.  Once they were put into their field groups with the other schools, Lincoln-Thomson and Callahan, we all headed into the dining hall.  For lunch we had grilled cheese sandwiches, french fries, and tomato soup.  They also have a salad bar that many of the kids went for. So you don't have to worry about your child eating up here.

The class choices they had for today were, egg drop, wild edibles, rock skipping physics, haiku, shelters, and animotion.  After they are done with the classes they have transition time where the students can relax, play games, talk, and just basically hang out and be kids.

Dinner tonight was Chinese chicken, rice, and sauteed veggies.  The kids seemed to really like it, even the veggies.

Egg Drop

Tonight the kids are participated in a Science Fair.  Some of the things they learned about are why money doesn't burn easily, how flour can catch fire, why warm water reacts faster with Alka Seltzer than cold water, and the reaction between yeast, hydrogen peroxide, and Dawn dish detergent.

Hopefully this will not be a late night!!

Can flour catch on fire? Why yes it can.

Learning about chemical reactions