week 4 theme: spring (and rocks)
We have had a rockin’ couple of weeks spent together at the Nature Center! Last week, we listened to the story Skunk’s Spring Surprise by Lesléa Newman. It was about a skunk who wakes up from hibernation only to feel forgotten by her friends because they were not around to greet her when she woke up. To her surprise, skunk’s friends were actually busy throwing her a spring party–complete with a talent show. It was silly! We talked about how we know spring is near: the sun is shining more, the birds are singing, and the ground is covered in mud and melting snow.
This led to the question, “Where does mud come from?” We started with what we know: the snow is melting, which makes the ground wet. Ms. Paige asked us where water usually goes–it either flows toward a body of water or it seeps into the ground…but the ground is FROZEN right now! Because the water cannot seep deep into the ground, it mixes with the soil on top, creating mud!
We trekked across the ice and mud to visit the Rock Beach on Fox Den Trail. Here, we enjoyed throwing and skipping rocks across the Boardman River. Ms. Rachel B. challenged us to look for colorful rocks–we found the whole rainbow and even learned about different shades of the same color. This made for even more fun as we searched for the coolest rocks. During our search, we discovered fossils. Old corals from long, long ago (when Michigan was under water!) have turned into Petoskey and Charlevoix Stones! Here is an article discussing the difference between the two.
Charlevoix (left) and Petoskey (right) Stones
week 5 theme: snakes (and more rocks)
This week, we listened to Verdi by Janell Cannon. It is about a yellow and black snake that does not want to grow up! The snake, named Verdi, fears turning green because it means becoming old, lazy, and mean. If he turns green, he will not be able to move quickly, climb high, or roam far. However, after a fall from a tall tree, Verdi is taken care of by the old, green snakes and learns that being green is not what it seems.
Outside, we talked about why we cannot find snakes right now. They are burrowed in the ground, waiting for the snow to melt and the sun to stay out all day. During our hike on Fox Den Trail, we found a hole in the ground that might belong to a snake! It could also be the home of a mouse, mole, chipmunk, or other small animal. We wanted to wait for the animal to come out, but then realized that nine kids and two adults surrounding the hole might be a bit scary to a small animal, so we continued on our way. We had so much fun at the Rock Beach that we had to save our snake craft for next week (Ms. Paige and Ms. Rachel B. will not forget!).
