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!

Yearbook 2012

Hi Guys - Since we don't Facebook much, nor call, nor write... you're probably wondering what in the heck we've been up to.  Here is some highlights of our year -

January - Gray and I went to Las Vegas to celebrate our 17th anniversary.  We saw the Blue Man Group (which I highly recommend), saw the Grand Canyon via Helicopter tour, and took a tour through Ethel M Chocolate Factory.   Can I just tell you... Ethel M is the BEST chocolates EVER!!! 
Gray's brother, TopGun, flies tours into the canyon, so we had a double awesome time with him as our pilot.  We didn't get any special treatment cuz we were with a group - but it was great to hear his tour dialogue.

GRAND CANYON - Helicopter Tour

 

I took the Young Women to the Beach to watch the Sunrise for our New Beginnings activity and to introduce this year's theme: Arise and Shine Forth. It was momentous for our family because it was Shelby's first Young Women's activity. She is 12 this year!

These are all my young women of the Sunset Ward - leaders too!

 

 

This spring Shelby rode her first big roller coaster!  The Manta!

This year we also harvested a wonderful garden in our backyard.  We love eating our own foods and we grow bananas, peas, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, herbs, cucumbers, coconuts, monstera, avocados, mangos, mulberries, and barbados cherries.  We also have chickens and rabbits...yum, yum.

GRADUATIONS in APRIL

In April I took a trip to Utah to congratulate my brother, J, and Marcela graduating with thier Bachelors Degrees. Marcela was one of my young women when we lived in Mexico City.

In May, to celebrate our birthdays, we took a cruise around Miami Bay - we took Gray's mom, Sand, on the tour to see where all the celebrities live.  Scout was playing with my hat.

Each month we drive to Orlando with our friends, the Browns, and visit the Temple.  We take turns watching the kids, then all go to Sea World afterwards.  In June Shelby turned 12 and was able to come with the adults to the temple to do baptisms.  What a blessing it was - she had her mom, her dad, and her Stake President, with her.

ORLANDO TEMPLE - Shelby's First Time

 

In July we went to a cabin in Sundance Utah for a family reunion. We did some rock climbing in Rock Canyon above BYU. We also rode the Alpine Slide in Park City

When I visited Logan to pick up Shelby from her first Retreat for Girls - the Tarrs took me waterskiing.  Yep - just like riding a bike!

 

After that, summer ended and school started.  Scout started Eco Academy so the rest of the year is represented in individual posts.  That takes up most of my time.

 

Hope you come visit us soon!