Normally, our monthly posts highlight students and staff engaged in outdoor learning and exploration. This year’s winter weather has been especially cold, giving us a little extra time at home—and the perfect opportunity for nature learning and academic growth right in your own backyard.

Let’s keep learning and exploring—developing wonder and encouraging wander- at home and on campus.

In the Light of the Silvery Moon

Take a look at the calendar below—have you noticed that there is a full moon is tonight? If it weren’t for the wind, I’d certainly be out in the woods, quietly creeping around and soaking in the beauty of the snowscape. The glow of a full moon on fresh snow is truly otherworldly.

If you’re able to bundle up your cuties and take a short walk tomorrow evening, I promise it’s the kind of experience they won’t forget—quiet, luminous, and full of wonder.

For those who’d rather ponder the moon indoors, take a look at the chart below. It’s a helpful tool for tracking the moon’s phases over time. I’ve also included a handy little ditty to help you decide whether the moon is waxing (growing brighter) or waning (growing more shadow):

“If it’s white on the right, it gets bigger every night.”

Monthly Moon Journal- Elementary Students

Consider starting a Moon Journal with your student. Each night, take a quick peek at the sky, or better yet, step outside and take a look together.   Invite your student to add a page to their journal, drawing what they observe.

For younger students, black construction paper with a white crayon works especially well for capturing the moon’s glow—but truly, any paper and drawing tool will do. The goal isn’t perfection, but noticing change over time and building the habit of looking up.  Lower elementary students might like to add a sentence or two describing their observations with grade level vocabulary.  I see, I observe, In the sky, At night are all great sentence starters for our youngest writers.

Older students and adults might also enjoy giving a Moon Journal a try. Nature-based restoration doesn’t only happen during the day or deep in the forest. Taking time to notice the natural world—using all of your senses—is a powerful way to slow down and reset your nervous system, especially in the quiet of a cold winter evening.

For teens and adults, this practice can also become a moment for introspection: a chance to reflect, decompress, and simply be under the night sky. Establishing a simple, month-long routine helps build regulation and reinforces the benefits of consistent time spent noticing the natural world. 

In upcoming posts, we’ll explore how the ancient nature based season of Imbolc offers relevant lessons for us even today—about transition, renewal, and paying attention to small but meaningful changes.

Monthly Moon Journal-:  Upper Elementary - Middle School

Older students and adults might also enjoy giving a Moon Journal a try. Nature-based restoration doesn’t only happen during the day or deep in the forest. Taking time to notice the natural world—using all of your senses—is a powerful way to slow down and reset your nervous system, especially in the quiet of a cold winter evening.

For teens and adults, this practice can also become a moment for introspection: a chance to reflect, decompress, and simply be under the night sky. Establishing a simple, month-long routine helps build regulation and reinforces the benefits of consistent time spent noticing the natural world. 

In upcoming posts, we’ll explore how the ancient nature based season of Imbolc offers relevant lessons for us even today—about transition, renewal, and paying attention to small but meaningful changes.The Celts are an ancient Europen, pre-Roman people who lived closely with the land and natural cycles.   Their traditions refer to this lunar cycle as one of particular importance.  Falling halfway between the winter and spring equinox, it marks Imbolc—a time associated with a time of introspecition.  

Creative Critical Thinking:  Roll an Insect Activity

I have no doubt that this activity will be a fan favorite for both students and adults! Ms. Leland created a creative roll-and-draw insect activity that challenges students to learn about insect anatomy and then design their very own imaginary creature.

Start by opening THIS video for a brief lesson on insect anatomy, along with a drawing tutorial to help you get started. Then, watch the second video HERE for PART 2 to see Ms. Leland’s insect creation come to life!

Once you’ve designed your new insect, take it a few steps further. Think about how the body parts you assembled would impact your insect’s life. How might these features serve as adaptations within its environment?

You might:

• Write about your insect as if you were a naturalist.  Describe a day in the life of your being.  Highlight its adaptations and comparing and contrasting  hem to real insects that you have studied.

• Create a Pokémon-style card collection featuring its traits and powers.  Perhaps you could call your friends and create a game together!

• Develop a fantasy story where your insect is the main character.  THIS is a document that I use in writing classes to help develop interesting characters.   It's useful for grades k-8, however the younger students may need to talk it through with an adult.

Ms. Leland offers even more extension ideas, but truly—the possibilities are only limited by your imagination!  Please write kathy@bromptonschool.org if you would like to share your character descriptions or insect creations with our community.  I'll pass along our Nature Connection Google Classroom code so that can upload your work!

Bird Identificaiton:  Be a Citizen Scientist

Just before the snow arrived, we were gearing up for a schoolwide focus on bird identification. Project FeederWatch is a popular citizen science program presented by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and offers a wonderful way to introduce our community to the birds that share our habitat.

Each April, participants submit tally sheets that become part of an official nationwide record of bird species. Our long-term goal is to participate in this study as a school; however, it’s important that we grow our learning one step at a time.

Let’s begin by setting individual learning goals. Before April 29, challenge yourself to learn deeply about one new bird every two weeks! How deep your learning goes depends on your time, interest level, and self-discipline. For example, you might explore a bird’s coloration, beak shape, songs and calls, nest type, egg color, communication, migration patterns, or behavior—just to name a few!

Set a goal for yourself, choose a few topics to master, and celebrate with us when you reach your goal. Teachers, families, and community members are all welcome to join in.

Every two weeks, we'll regularly provide facts and resources on one or more of our local birds.  The goal is to gain confidence with identification, little by little.  We'll kick things off with the Chickadee- want to join the challenge?  Write me at kathy@bromptonschool.org and we'll add you to our Brompton Bird Challenge list.  We can't wait to celebrate with you when you've met your personal goal!  

Watch the video below and let's learn something new!

The shadows are growing long as the day fades.  The temperatures are expected to plumet towards single digits this evening.  Our concern mounts for all beings trying to survive this brutal weather, but I can't help but wonder, how do the tiny birds make it through?  Check out this short video from All About Birds and reflect on what you have learned with a writing activity below.

Exploring Design thorugh Oragami

Build a Chickadee Nesting Box

Would you like to help students build a nest box and mounting pole for chickadees? Whether you’re interested in tackling the project on your own, working alongside students at school, or donating needed supplies, we’d love to hear from you.

If you choose to mount a nest box at your home, would you consider sending us photos or a short video of your process? Sharing your experience will help our community learn from one another.

All About Birds offers an excellent nest box building plan, which you can access below or download directly from their site. They have all sorts of invaluable information about nesting boxes and maintenance HERE.  

Below, we’ve also included ideas for using these plans as a meaningful vehicle for K–7 math learning, connecting hands-on building with geometry, measurement, and problem-solving.