We had a busy and warm November day on Monday. Starting out we brought our halloween pumpkins up the hill. It was a team effort to roll the ones up that didn't fit in the cart. The rest of the class helped push and pull the wagon. Once at the top of the bike track we rolled/raced the pumpkins down and then carefully climbed down ourselves. Settling into the bike track, we had a story about peace. While we finished up our snacks we shared with each other the places, sounds, things, feelings that make us feel peaceful. After this little debrief we headed off to search for diamonds (which were frozen in ice cubes) and dinosaurs. Some of the Squirrels became finders and some became 'chippers' - freeing the diamonds from the ice. This led into using our chisels on the remaining pumpkins. We brought out knives, saws and hammers. The soft pumpkins were a nice medium to practice our tool work and how to use certain tools safely. Entering into free-time an elaborate, imaginative game of kings, queens, princesses and castles evolved. At times the whole class was immersed, which was wonderful to witness. The squirrels also took the time to explore the bike park a little more, chase each other and have a go at climbing up to the top of the tree house.
The bike park has encouraged us to think about our environment and how we impact it. The mud at the bottom of the ramps and digging holes in the soft dirt that make up the ramps is very tempting. The squirrels are getting really good at knowing the spots they can dig and where the best places are to have a mud bath without harming the hard work of our neighbours that made the bike track. It's a vulnerable environment and the Squirrels are doing a wonderful job of learning how to respect it.
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