Look how big these Forest Kids are. They look ready for summer and then, first grade!

The Forest Kids know to wait at the edge of the forest for me. And don’t go in front of the helper! Today the helper was Olivia.

On our hike we found cherries at last! This isn’t Olivia’s tree, but she has been looking for them on her tree ever since she found out it was a cherry tree. These ones are not ripe yet.

On our hike Kinslee, Aisley, Alexis, and Ella also found these nuts everywhere. They were also not ripe, and very hard.

Sit Spot time (Olivia)

Jaydon

Mollie starting a new fairy house in her Sit Spot.

Aisley made a bench in her Sit Spot. I guess it made a good bed too!

We learned about making fairy houses today too.

We found quite a few of these caterpillars today (especially Kinslee, our animal-finding expert). They are not browntails and don’t give you a rash, but I mistakenly called them gypsy moths. In fact they are tent caterpillars, which I have also never heard of giving anyone a rash. However, we still didn’t hold the caterpillars. It was hard because they are so fun to watch.

Down the hill, many miners were hard at work today. Aisley and Reuben were mining for bones.

Jaydon, Malaky, and Henry were mining for zombies.

Remember when this ravine used to be so hard for us? 

Alexis’s mom showed her how to make a little house from sticks.

Aisley’s Grammy and Bumpa with her in her Sit Spot.

Beatrice’s dad and grandma with her in her Sit Spot– they must have seen something!

Josie way up in the tree.

We found lots of buttercups again, but Reuben found a different kind of plant. He thought it might become a dandelion because that’s what the bud looked like when he took it apart.

Ella and Henry discovered that our mud hole has orange stuff in it. Weird!

Olivia’s stick helped her cross the ravine. She is showing me the spiky parts on the bottom that dug into the bank of the ravine.

“The seed of a dandelion is a little piece of fluff. It dances on the summer breeze and settles in the duff. It seems so small and fragile, but man oh man it’s tough. I love my dandelions, I just can’t get enough!” from Annie Nixon’s song “I Love My Dandelions” which has become a class favorite.

Alexis, Kinslee, and Ella followed the stream all the way to its source!

Then they went up the other stream that joins. They found a big piece of metal and a hole in a tree. I think we will have to take the whole class up these streams to explore!

Olivia wanted to sit by herself in the stream, but Beatrice wanted to play. After I took this picture, Olivia went downstream to find a new place where she could be alone.

Reuben and Miss Corie were moving rocks so the stream would flow better.

Jaydon found a curved stick (I think it was a root) that is like a bow and arrow!

Which one is too small to be a Kindergartner? We also found out she likes to steal fruit from us! Thanks for letting us share Molly, Mrs. Mackenzie!

Josie’s “G-Ma” Mary / Mrs. Cunningham joined us today in the woods. She was lots of fun and we determined that she in fact DOES like butter.

The buttercups were out for the first time today! I think we all love butter.

The trees leaves are still getting bigger. Kinslee reminded me to check Hugh’s tree today– thinking of our friend!

Aisley’s Forest Plan was to find some acorns. She did and even found one that was sprouting. Also, check out her missing tooth!

Jaydon in his Sit Spot, but I wasn’t fast enough to get a picture without him noticing me. Check out all the lily of the valley flowers surrounding him.

A new discovery for us today was a lot of pill bugs (also known as roly-polies). We found them when we looked under logs.

Laughter in the woods is just the best! You can be as loud and silly as you want. (Kinslee was singing a silly song here, making Mollie and Reuben laugh over and over again.)