On Tuesday, we were so excited to jump right into learning about the animal we sponsored at the Wildlife Learning Center. Teacher Karla even brought in a special stuffed animal that looked just like our very own Malala at the WLC, which made the experience even more meaningful for the children.

The children spent the day learning all about Ring-Tailed Lemurs, where they live and what they eat. They were amazed to discover that Ring-Tailed Lemurs live in only one place in the entire world: Madagascar! The children also learned a new vocabulary word together: omnivores. The children discovered that Ring-Tailed Lemurs are omnivores, which means they can eat many different foods, from leaves and fruit to caterpillars. They were especially fascinated to learn that lemurs have two tongues, which they use to help groom themselves.

To bring all of these new facts together, the children participated in a teacher-directed painting activity where each child created their own Ring-Tailed Lemur. Step by step, they carefully painted their lemurs, starting with an olive-toned body, then adding gray ears, eyes, and big smiles. Finally, they painted the lemurs’ distinguished dark hands and the classic black stripes on their feet and tails. We even listened to the Madagascar soundtrack while doing it. The children were so proud of their beautiful lemur paintings! 🎨

Thursday finally arrived, and we were so excited for our field trip to the Wildlife Learning Center! Thank you, parents, this special trip truly would not have been possible without your support. We are so grateful for all the cans you helped collect and bring to school. The children loved checking in every other week to measure how close we were to our goal of $50. This project was such a meaningful one and truly showed the kindness and generosity of our Country School community.

During our visit, we had the chance to meet many amazing animals. Our presenter, Casey, taught us so much about the different animals the Wildlife Learning Center cares for and protects. Everyone payed such close attention. 

We met Jake the Harlequin Macaw and Catcher the Scarlet Macaw, who eat fruits, nuts, and seeds.
We also saw Twiggy Smalls the Walking Stick, a tiny insect that loves to eat leaves.
Next, we met Leah the Skink, a Solomon Island prehensile-tailed skink. Casey showed us how her tail can grasp and grab onto things, and we learned that she also enjoys eating leaves.
We were introduced to Machu the Chinchilla, who eats berries and grasses.
We also met Walter Junior the North American Porcupine, who enjoys carrots, corn, and lots of vegetables. We learned that porcupines have quills made of keratin and that they often live in trees in places like Canada, Oregon, and Washington.

One of the most special moments of the day was when the children eagerly held our hands and guided us over to the large enclosure where our sponsored lemur, Malala, lives. It was so exciting for everyone to finally see her in person! We watched her nibble on leaves and even sunbathe to stay warm on the chilly morning. As we explored, we learned so much more about so many other animals. At the end everyone got their own certificate of adoption for Malala. It was such a joyful and memorable moment for the children to see the animal they worked so hard to support. 💚