Friday, October 23, 2015

It's Friday!

We have completed breakfast and are all packed and ready to come home! Many kids have mixed feelings about leaving. They are glad to be coming home, but sad they are leaving such a great place and experience. See you soon Rowley! That's all folks....

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Last Night Eco-Quest

What a night! The kids ate salad, bread, wild rice, and chicken with broccoli...and of course after a dessert quiz they had chocolate cake. Their last evening lesson they were on an Eco-Quest. They had to use their new skills and knowledge that they gained this week to solve a riddle. The groups were all successful in this endeavor and had a good time coming to their conclusion. We then gathered together to create an indoor thunderstorm, followed by a song titled, "Nothing out there is going to eat you!" They are in bed resting for our last day tomorrow. I will try one last post after breakfast, and we will be back in Rowley between 1:30 and 2:00. Good night for now.

Beach and Dunes or Forest Lessons

For lunch today, the kids enjoyed salad, potato soup, and pizza. This afternoon, those students who went to the beach yesterday went to the forest, and those that had their forest lesson learned about beach and dunes today. It was a beautiful day to build the White Mountains and create the Saco River that carries the sand to create Ferry Beach. The students also learned how seasons affect the shifting sands and the impact the jetty plays. Back at the forest, the kids played a game to learn how different squirrels (red vs. gray) adapt and prepare for winter. Students also learned the ingredients of soil. Now they are on free time and are very active! They will be tired when we return tomorrow.

Student Choice Lessons

Today students had different choices of lessons they could sign up for. Some choices included a hike to the State Park, Beach Engineers, Beach Zen Gardens, Nature Games, Nature Art, Saltwater watercolors, and my personal favorite...The Ferry Beach Spa! The kids had a great time in these activities and they continue to smile!

Happy Birthday Ricky!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

We are over the Hump!

It has been another busy day here at Ferry Beach. At supper, the kids enjoyed salad, bread, mixed vegetables, and pulled barbeque pork. One team had their Astronomy lesson, while the other team did Nature at Night. The beach lit up again this evening when the kids scraped the sand looking for dinoflagellates. The kids are in bed, asleep, resting up for our final full day here. Good night.

Beach Day

The beautiful fall weather continues and it was perfect for the beach. The team I joined this afternoon learned all about this ecosystem and how it was created. Some groups created the White Mountains and the Saco River that brings the sand to create Ferry Beach. Other activities included digging like a clam and trying to bury yourself fast enough so a predator cannot grab you. Most groups finished up with a scavenger hunt or a skit. The kids are energetic and enjoying the outdoors. (There are a few pictures at the end from the saltmarsh)

Happy Birthday Norah, Jordan, and Owen!!!!!

Good Day Sunshine!

We were greeted to a beautiful sunrise this morning over Saco Bay. After breakfast of cereal, scrambled eggs, blueberry crisp, and fruit salad, the kids went on their morning lessons. I joined the groups that took the bus to the Biddeford Tidepools. The other group learned about the Saltmarsh ecosystem. (I will download pictures from that group later today)

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Lights out!

The weather this afternoon was beautiful! Kids have been out in lessons and enjoying their free time. Dinner this evening was salad, rice, bread, mixed vegetables, and chicken. The table I ate at had three bowls of the chicken! They are also devouring tons of fruit, the only snack available here. The evening lessons were Marine Lab, for those that did not have it last night, and Astronomy. It was fun watching kids create marine animals with three different adaptations they needed to survive in the tidepool. I also saw groups learning about the planets in our solar system, and they had to create a skit or commercial to convince people to move to their planet...of course the skits were out of this world! They are comfortably in bed and resting up from their busy active day. Good night...lights out!

Abiotic Adventures or Forest Lesson

After a lunch of salad, clam chowder, and stromboli (which the kids at my table devoured!) one team went on the forest lesson and one team went on an abiotic adventure. One group I saw had all the ingredients to make dirt, and they were quite successful at making it! However, they were unable to make soil...that of course requires time. The group was instructed to return to Ferry Beach on October 20, 4015 to see their soil. I may be retired by then.

Saltmarsh and Tidepool lessons

One team walked to the saltmarsh and learned about this ecosystem, while the other team traveled by bus to explore the Biddeford Tidepools.

Good Morning!

The kids are all up and have enjoyed a breakfast of cereal, French toast, and sausages. One team will soon be off to the Biddeford Tide Pools, and the other team will venture off to the saltmarsh. Day 2 is underway!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Nature at Night and Marine Lab

Since we brought a large group of 5th graders, they are split into two teams. One team had a lesson on Marine Lab, where they learned about snatchers, slurpers, sweepers and more types of marine life they will encouter on their trip to the Biddeford Tide Pools tomorrow morning. The other group had a lesson called Nature at Night. The kids learned about animal adaptations that help them survive at night. They played a game called Bat/Moth, where kids were blindfolded, as the bat, and used a plastic egg with sand and gravel inside. One kid was the bat and shook his egg, while the other student played the moth and responded by shaking their egg. The bat was using "echolocation" to find his prey. The kids also learned about night vision and how eyes adjust to the darkness. A candle was lit while the kids kept one eye covered and the open eye on the candle while their educator told a story about the pirate Blackbeard. After the story was told, the candle was extinguished and the kids noticed that the covered eye could see very well in the dark, while the eye on the candle could not. It is why Blackbeard wore a patch! Later we walked down to the beach and scratched the sand and saw the dinoflagellates light up! The kids in the groups I saw were amazed this evening at things they had never experienced before. It is now 9:42, they are safe in bed. Good night from Ferry Beach.

It's a Chili Day at Ferry Beach!

We have arrived safely! Your children have been to their dorm rooms and have made up their beds. Then they had dorm orientation and learned all about the dorms including a practice fire drill. After, they went out and enjoyed some free time before lunch. Our lunch today began with salad, and of course, Chili! We then ate some delicious pulled pork fajitas with all the fixings. I went around to all tables and the food seemed to be a hit with the kids. Soon they will begin their first lesson: The ABC's of Ecology. Day 1 is in full swing!