We Made It!

 

Good Morning Parents! The kids are all packed, had breakfast, and are on their final lesson of the week. Yes, we made it! We will have an early lunch at 11:30, load the buses, and depart Ferry Beach around 12:30. We should be back at Pine Grove anywhere between 1:45 and 2:15 depending on how smoothly things go here. If your child took medicine, please see us at school to pick it up. See you soon Pine Grove!

 

 

The Last Full Day Was Busy!

We have had a very busy day here at Ferry Beach. After our beach and dune lesson this morning and lunch of Pizza, students had lessons to choose today. Some of their choices were: Forest Olympics, Beach Relaxation, Shelter Building, Recycled Art, Cooking Apple-rhubarb tart (yes, it was delicious...thank you Robert), Hike to the State Forest, and others.

In the evening, the kids were on an Eco-Quest. Using different factors of Productivity, Disturbance, Nutrients,and  Diversity, plus a map of Ferry Beach, they had to find the Ecosystem on the property based on the different levels of the above factors. The students in my group did a great job and worked through each factor to find the correct ecosystem.

It has been a quite a week with many success stories. Your children are now in bed awaiting their final lesson tomorrow called Connections...Connecting all they have learned this week, so it all makes sense. Then we will load the buses, and we can all re-connect with our families. Good final night...I will hopefully post one final blog tomorrow before we depart from Ferry Beach. See you tomorrow Rowley!

Beach and Dunes

This morning after a breakfast of French Toast and sausages, the kids learned about the beach and dune ecosystems. They learned about the primary dune, secondary dune, and how they protect Ferry Beach. Many groups built the White Mountains in the sand and created the Saco River to see how the minerals and sand travel from New Hampshire here to Maine. Most groups also did a scavenger hunt to find Biotic and Abiotic items on the beach.

We also welcomed many visitors today. Ms. Lacey, Mr. Vadala, and Mrs. Ferarra all joined the beach and dune lesson. The weather today is absolutely beautiful!

Nature at Night

This evening students learned about nature at night. They played a bat and moth game, where a student is blindfolded in the forest (as the "blind bat"), and another student has a container with rocks. The child with the rock is the "moth" and it is simulating echolocation, the method of hunting used by bats. The bat tries to "locate" and grab his dinner just by the sound of the container with rocks. The kids had a great time with this game and each enjoyed being the bat or moth.

The kids also learned about rods and cones in their eyes. They were given a crayon and a journal. Next,  they wrote with the crayon what color they thougtht was in their hands. Tomorrow in daylight they will see if they were correct. Ask you child about why pirates had a patch over one eye when they get home, because many groups looked at a flashlight during a story in the woods while covering one eye. After the story was over, the flashlight was shut off. The eye that was uncovered has difficulty seeing in the dark, however, the eye that was covered by your hand can easily see in the darkness!

Just a few photos tonight from earlier in the day, and I will also upload some video shot earlier at the saltmarsh. (It takes a long time to upload videos!) Good night!

Forest Lesson

The afternoon lesson was about the forest. They learned about producers and the FBI (Fungi, Bacteria, and Invertebrates)  Later they played a game where half the kids were gray squirrels and the other half were red squirrels. They were each given 8 beans to hide for the "winter". Gray squirrels hide their food in several different places, whereas the red squirrel puts all their food in one spot. The kids were sent out a few times during the "winter" to find their food. They came back to their group and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each squirrel's method of hiding their food. The kids are active, having fun...and learning!

Back from the Salt Marsh

We just got back from the salt marsh where the kids learned about the different creatures that might live there. They also learned how the salt marsh is like a sponge and jumped on it to feel it shake (no, we did not have another earthquake). The sun is shining, the kids are happy, but some faces are a little muddy. Check out the photos and videos!

Sunshine over Saco

Good Morning! Just a few photos to share this morning. We woke up to a beautiful sunrise today, but apparently the earthquake affected the eggs for breakfast, as they were all scrambled! (Sorry for my bad jokes) Stay tuned for more photos this afternoon...should be fun as we are now off to the Salt Marsh!

Yes, We Felt the Earthquake!

Wow! The group I was with this evening was in a small building doing a quiet activity on Astronomy when the building began to shake and things on the walls rattled. It wasn't but a few minutes later that I began receiving text messages informing me that what we felt was an earthquake with the epicenter about 12 miles from Saco, Maine! The kids were pretty excited that they had "survived" the earthquake.
We then walked down to the beach to observe some constellations, continuing our Astronomy lesson. I am happy to report that no tsunami was spotted! But we did spot some "stars in the sand" or dinoflagellates, that light up when stimulated by digging. The kids are now tucked in bed with more experiences and stories to tell.

Day 2 is Underway

Well, we were not greeted by a beautiful sunrise over Saco Bay this morning as we have in years passed. However the rain showers have stopped, the clouds are breaking up and day 2 is underway. This morning for breakfast we began with cereal, then moved on to pancakes, sausages, and strawberries. Soon after we boarded the buses for the twenty minute ride to Biddeford to explore the tidepools. The kids had a great time and are currently enjoying some free-time. Soon we will go to the dining hall for lunch.

Good Night Ferrry Beach

After the kids came back from their afternoon lesson, many enjoyed some time on the beach or the volleyball court. We then were treated to a dinner of Tacos and all the fixings, along with cornbread and salad. This evening's lesson was Marine Lab where they learned about all the different marine life they may encouter tomorrow at the Biddeford Tide Pools.Currently they are tucked into their beds with hopes of a good night sleep. Day 1 has come to a close. Good night from Ferry Beach.

Safe Arrival

We made a safe arrival around 10:15. The kids have moved into their new rooms, had a practice fire drill and enjoyed a delicious lunch. On the menu was salad, clam chowder, turkey sandwich on homemade bread, and chips. The kids devoured their lunch and many at my tablehad never tried clam chowder. They loved it! Currently they are on their first lesson, The ABC's of Ecology where they will learn about Abiotic and Biotic factors and Cycles. I will upload the pictures of their smiling faces later when there is more time...and internet service. So far....so good!

 

Welcome to the Fall 2012 5th Grade Ecology School Blog! I hope your children are all packed and excited for our departure to Ferry Beach tomorrow morning.  The long range forecast for Saco, Maine looks favorable...see the link http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/saco-me/04072/daily-weather-forecast/338525

In class this week, we created a song in the unlikely event students experience any symptoms of homesickness. Look at the videos to see a sample of their songs. I think you will agree they had fun!