Eco Academy - Canoeing

The moon is giving off a huge pull this month so the tide was very high.  The water was coming up over the sea wall - but just barely.  It's about 3 feet higher than normal. 

 South Beach is on the news - flooding.

15 canoes and kayaks set sail today - and one motor boat

 We went out just a bit and found a tunnel in the mangroves.  Tech went first and led the group. Gray, Scout, and I went in last. 

 We paddled "through the woods" and over the stumps.  It was the first time for most of them.

We sang our canoe song and Scout taught Gray about mangroves.  The three kinds, their roots, seeds and leaves, and how they expel salt.

She remembered!  

Experiencing these classes is so much more effective in learning for her than sitting in a conventional classroom.

Scout caught a cuban tree frog.

It reminds me of the time we did it at John Pennekamp.

2005!!  HOLY COW! has it really been that long?!?

 

 

 

 

Eco Academy - Biomes

Today in our outdoor classroom, we learned about biomes and made our own.

 

 Here is Scout, putting hers together.

 

 For each class, the teachers put together a power point presentation and teach us about the topic.  Then, for the second half of class, we experience it.  This time, we made the cryosphere with a 2 liter bottle and some smoke and warm water. 

After putting the lid on, squeeze.

When you let go, the bottle gets very "smokey" inside. 

Congratulations!  You have just made a cloud! 

Now squeeze the bottle again.  This creates high pressure and the cloud immidiately disappears. 

Scout learned how storms are created from low and high pressure systems.  How's that for textbook!
She is learning so fast and remembering so much because she is EXPERIENCING it!!

 

Eco Academy - Plankton and Cell Biology

Today was FANTASTIC!
  
 Panama taught us how to make plankton nets from a 2 liter bottle and a panty hose.

Everyone worked together!  What a great family activity!
 

The teachers use a smart board to explain the lesson each week.  I had no idea that sea stars and jellyfish started out as plankton.  So do crabs and shrimp. 

Champ posted facts about plankton around the room and the kids learned all about them.

Then we went outside to catch our plankton.

 

We walked along the bank, dragging our nets slowly behind us to catch all the little guys.

 

Then we pulled our nets out of the water and took them inside.

We looked at the water under the microscope and discovered all sorts of drifters.

Panama found a tiny live shrimp.  He put it on the microscope for the class to see and we all sat in awe as we watched; pump, pump, pump.  The class erupted in applause.  It was so fascinating to see it's microscopic heart beating. 

The kids loved taking pictures of the great discovery. 

 Far more learning goes on in these classrooms than in a conventional one.  Each child is engaged and interested, and therefore absorbing the information like a sponge.  It is so amazing to hear my daughter repeat the entire class point by point to her dad when she gets home. 

She DOES remember!

 

THANK YOU DEERING!!! 

Eco Academy - Nature Journaling

Today we learned all about photography and taking pictures to tell a story.  Everyone in the class brought cameras and were trying to capture the moment!

 

It's really neat when the teachers take you places you couldn't otherwise go without their supervision. 

You get to see amazing things.

 

"Dancing Ladies" 

"Tree House"   

 I love how the trees make a beautiful canopy around you on Deering.  Their twisting and sometimes horizontal branches are so peculiar.

 

"Thirsty"

Just one sip could kill you.

 

Eco Academy - Interior Uplands

 For class today, Tech taught us all about topography maps and mountain ranges.

We copied a map of the United States onto a box top and created our own relief map.

We mixed water with glue and dipped toilet paper into it to create a paper mache'.

 

 The maps dried and turned out awesome.  Scout brought hers home to paint.  She knows where the mountain ranges are and also the lowlands now.

Eco Academy - Coral Reefs / Fossilized Reefs

Today, Champ, Panama, and Tech took us out to the Fossilized/Petrified Mangrove reef on Key Biscayne.  It's just a short walk from the area where we went for the baby sea turtle release.  The tide was so low the reef was very close.  Scout held onto my back while we swam, so we could stay together and because she didn't have fins to fit her tiny feet.

 

I took lots of great pictures of the reef - but just as we were leaving, it suddenly wasn't on my wrist.  I had just barely taken a picture with it too.  So I had Scout stand right there to mark the spot, and began looking through the deep sea grass.  It was no where.  Holding my breath underwater searching through foot tall sea grass growing on top of 6 inches of slushy mud wasn't very easy.   Panama graciously helped.  After 45 minutes, while the class patiently waited, in the sun, we had to abandon our fruitless search.  I felt just awful inside... after all, it wasn't even my camera, it was Ms Sherry's and I was taking pictures for the class.  During the search, the waves flipped me over and my hand landed on an urchin whose spines poked right into my thumb and broke off.    

 

Eco Academy - Interior Wetlands

Today we went slogging through the Everglades.  It's wet season so there was water. 

Panama got in the water first. The kids were a bit aprehensive.

Excited and nervous all at the same time.

Frequently the teacher, would stop and explain about the ecosystem and wildlife as well as the plants, what they were used for, all about their features and purposes, the stories of the seminole indians, and the dangers to be aware of while out there. 

The kids were excited when the water started getting deeper.  It was pretty mucky being behind so many people - you would walk along, sinking in mud 6 inches deep, then suddenly fall in a hole or trip over a tree trunk under the water.  It was outrageously fun hiking blindly!

Some plants attache themselves to the trees - they grow without water or soil - just in the air.

Sometimes it was up to Scout's shoulders.  She would climb on my back and we would slog until it got back down to her waist - then she was on her own again.  She is one of the youngest in the class.  You have to be at least 9 yrs old.  She just made it this year.

We walked past a large gator hole where I'm sure a very large alligator lives. Luckily we didn't see it.

I can't wait to come back with the family and do this again!