Spring has Sprung

March 27, 2026

The Sunnies(3,4,5s)

Maple Syrup Time

Maple sugaring is a year-round curriculum, with the most intensive portion of the process happening in the late winter and early spring. Children and teachers worked together in the fall to notice, identify, and label the sugar maples around campus as we learn to see the difference in tree buds and bark structure. We also used maple tree parts in different ways, including our Stick People stories, leaf rainbows, and leaf necklaces. In the winter we hauled wood chips for cozy blankets on tree roots and wondered what maple trees might dream about.

We visited Grandmother Maple and Beetle, her neighbor, often, sharing stories and songs. When the temperature shifted, becoming freezing at night but warmer during the days, we knew it was time to begin tapping! Throughout the past few weeks, we have been following the steps from our Downstairs-written song "That's the Way We Make Syrup," as we tap the trees, collect the sap, and boil it down into syrup. We will continue to check in with the maple trees, as their spring leaves emerge and we use our maple syrup bounty from this year in cooking projects. In a spiral curriculum such as this, where students visit topics or subjects again and again over time, students can deepen their thinking and experience complexity as they come back to their learning with new insights and skills each year. We were so glad that you were able to join us for Maple Fest to see the children's learning in action!

Click here to read more about Maple Syrup Time with the Sunnies

The Flower Patch Kids(5,6,7s)

Spring has Sprung!

Spring has sprung! It may be a bit chilly still, but the sun, the plants, and the wildlife are winning the battle against our wonderfully snowy winter! Our Flower Patch Kids have been busy noticing the changes they can see, feel, and hear outside. More birdsongs each morning brighten our day, as well as spring peepers chirping in the evenings. Colorful crocuses, snowdrops, and winter aconite are blooming and daffodil leaves are pushing up. Ladybugs who have been wintering in our classrooms are waking up and we gently put them outside on the fire escape. In the past week, we've moved back to our lean-tos in the afternoon to celebrate recent birthdays with treats, and we even spent one Choice Time morning outside.

This week kids spent time happily getting reacquainted with our outdoor spaces. Now that we are spending our mornings outside, we've been getting really up close to the flowers and doing some observational drawings. The new season has been the inspiration for several journal prompts. "What are the signs of spring?" "If you were a seed, what plant would you grow into?" "What do you like to do on a rainy day?" and more to come! Also, we found a cozy (but empty) wren's nest that was built inside the Hydrangea's lean-to. Truly a model of engineering and resourcefulness, as we noticed string, paper and bits of plastic woven into it!

If I were a seed I would grow into a blackberry bush.

A sign of spring is bees.

If I were a plant I would be a tree because I like to give apples to people.

Click here to read more about Spring Time with the Flower Patch Kids.

The Bluebirds and Cardinals(7,8,9,10,11s)

Creek Journals

This week in the Carriage House, both the Bluebirds and the Cardinals have found a moment to settle in for some creek time with their journals. It was so great to see the excitement on the Bluebirds’ faces upon reading the Welcome Message that we would be creek journaling that morning. Some kids exclaimed, “Creek Journal 6! That’s how many we did last year!” followed by, “Each year we should do more Creek Journals than we did the last year”. We got our gear on, our pencils sharpened, and with journals in hand, we began our hike down to the water. The sound of the rushing water inspired focused minds, and creative entries. After journaling, a few volunteers read their entries to the class in a sharing out circle. We realized that a handful of kids noticed a particularly playful stick in the water that looked like it was dancing. We said goodbye to the creek by doing the “dancing stick dance” together before heading back up to the Carriage House.

Since the Bluebirds got to begin their day on Wednesday with the calm and invigorating energy of the creek, the Cardinals were then able to end their day that way. Using the afternoon Flex Time, which is a longer block of time than in the morning, these elders challenged themselves to really slow down and notice the details in their surroundings. Upon our arrival to the creek, joyful cries of "My tree! My tree!" could be heard from several, as they took their spots beside the water's edge. It was heartwarming to hear the kind of greetings you would expect to hear when being reunited with a dear friend you haven't seen in some time being used to greet their special creek spots! Creative writing in nature is one of the best ways to regulate and decompress after a long day, and the Cardinals took full advantage of this opportunity.

Click here to read more about the Bluebirds and Cardinals are Welcoming Spring

Rainbow Club

We are so pleased to announce that we have revived our Upstairs Rainbow Club at Randolph School. Led by Angie, Jules and Renée this optional monthly meeting is a place for kiddos in the Upstairs(ages 5-11) to gather and talk about issues related to family, identity and respect. By guiding children through converstaions about these topics we aim to develop inclusive language and model creating spaces where everyone can feel like they belong.

If you have more questions you can email Angie, Jules and Renée @randolphschool and they would be happy to share more information.

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