Fabulous First Graders: Music Program and ODC Field Trip

Well, can you believe it? The school year is complete! It just flies by, doesn't it? The last week of school was a doozy! We had a music program, a field trip to the Outdoor Discover Center, and we finished the year off with our PTO sponsored Last Blast! This post includes the music program and the ODC photos. I will get the Last Blast post finished in the next day or two!

Thank you for sharing your child with me this year! We grew into a family and every single one of them was loved and will be missed! Thank you to the parents as well for all the support at home. Growth could not be made by leaps and bounds without the follow through at home. Thank you also to the many parents who came in to school weekly or biweekly for WEB, joined us on our field trips, helped with end of the year assessments, and so much more.

Enjoy your summer! Please take time to read and practice math facts and do a little writing a few times per week to avoid the 'Summer Slide'. It makes a huge difference if kids do just a little bit each day or at a minimum 3-4 times per week. If you have not gone through your child's backpack yet, please take time to check for a summer idea packet, which was sent home last Friday. Also, on most Mondays from 10-11:15, children are invited to come in to the library at school to work on Xtra Math and IXL on the Ipads, and to play math games! I'll see you there!

Enjoy the MANY pictures in this blog and check back for the Last Blast post in a day or two!

Waiting for the program to begin!

Singing their first number.

Kairi, Claire, Lilly

Ariyah

Sierra, Jessica, Sam and Hannah playing the Maracas

Jordan, Teagen and Sierra

And now the Outdoor Discovery Center trip...

We began by going over the rules and procedures for the day.

We began our trip outside. Our guide pointed out various plants on the trail. She talked about how the ODC changed from fall, to winter and finally to late spring!

We then proceeded to the Birds of Prey area! This was a new area we had not seen in the fall and winter. Our guide asked us to search for a bird who weighed as much as a carton of eggs, one that ate meat, and the only bird that was not injured in order to join the exhibit.

Horned Owl. Each weighs about the same as a carton of eggs.

The kids were very excited to see two bald eagles!

Both Bald Eagles were injured when they were hit by a car (many of the other birds were too)

The American Kestrel was not injured. This bird was taken in by people as a small bird and imprinted on humans, which made it dependent upon them for food. Because it is in the falcon family, it normally hunts for food. When the people who tamed him tired of him, they released him into the wild. He did not know how to hunt, so he had to be placed with the ODC in order to survive. Another reason never to keep wild animals as pets!

The turkey buzzard is also a carnivore.

Our next portion of our experience was inside the center. The kids had a few moments to check out the animals (turtles, fish, snakes, lizards) and the table of objects to touch (feathers, snake skins, bones, antlers and more). Then we went into another room where our guide showed us a rabbit named Willow and a box turtle!

Here comes Willow!

Each child got an opportunity to touch Willow.

Next we had the chance to touch a box turtle! Our guide said it is rare to find one in the wild!

We then went back outside and were taken to a pair of kiddie pools. Inside the pools, there were tadpoles of many sizes, froglets (baby frogs) and frogs as well as various water bugs.

Finally, we visited the pond we saw in the fall and winter. The kids were reminded what changed at the pond during each season.

Here are a few pictures of parents with kids and Miss Nykamp as well! Thank you for joining us on our fun trip! Thank you to the Outdoor Discovery Center staff for the awesome experience they provided for us each season this school year! Thank you also to our superintendent Mr. Tebo, for offering and organizing these wonderful adventures for Hamilton Community Schools first graders!