Taking full advantage of the Indian summer temperatures, we set a goal to have as many of our academic lessons outside as possible! First up was a mindful math activity where students were told to put themselves into groups- without talking! Each time the rules of the group changed, like each group must have the same number or nobody could have the same first initial. We counted the members of each group and used that information to make addition sentences like 7+7=14. We stayed out on the stage for writer’s workshop where we used our brand new journals to express our feelings, look for a more indepth blog on this activity coming soon. For social studies we introduced maps of communities and listed the buildings and geographical features that are shown on these maps. Armed with sidewalk chalk we went back outside to create our own community map on the black top. Students enthusiastically added houses, stores, roads and even ponds to create a neighborhood! As part of our study of living and nonliving things, our science investigation focused on bulbs. Each child was given a tulip bulb and asked to predict what it was and if it was alive. After many thoughtful predictions (like garlic) and a heated debate on whether these objects were alive, I finally announced the bulbs’ true identity and explained that they are dormant, not measurably living but waiting for the right circumstances! The last outdoor activity of the day was the kindergarten tradition of planting tulip bulbs along the front walkway. Look out for these heralds of spring to pop up later this year!