Ag Camp

School was officially over May 23. 

Last week was a lazy week. Some reading. Some thinking. Loads of HGTV watching.

This week is "Back to School." The Ag Camp way.

Our students have the option of coming to camp (one week, 8-12) at school. We volunteer to run centers. This year we are lucky to have 6 centers that the kids rotate through.

1. Kitchen: so far they have made strawberry jam, cinnamon rolls, dog biscuits.

2. PE: cup stacking, Wii, Minute to Win it.

3. Wheat weaving: stars and I'm not sure what else.

4. Painting: (This is my center.) We have been working on a cow painting. Tomorrow is a watercolor (I have yet to decide the subject.)

5. Soybeans: making products from soybeans like lip balm, bath salts and hand lotion.

6. Tie dye and garden: they tie dyed shirts on Monday, and then harvested potatoes and onions from our garden.

Tomorrow is our last day of doing the centers, because on Friday we will sell it all at our Farmer's Market. We will walk the two blocks to the convenience store and set up shop. We will be open until we are out of products.

I am totally in love with our cow paintings.

The idea came from Art Projects for Kids. (I love that site, go check it out!)

And because we are selling this art, each child did their painting on a real piece of canvas!

Day 1 (Monday): Draw the cow following my directions. The kids used a pencil. Then went over all lines with a Sharpie.

Day 2 (Tuesday): Paint the cow.

Day 3 (Wednesday): Add Mod Podge to seal the painting.

 (I love this picture.)

This is my cow. I HAD to do one, right? As an example? I loved it.

I'm kinda looking forward to next week when I can be lazy again...

Ag Fair 2013, It's a Wrap

My kids have been working on their ag fair projects for a little over a week. They have been studying butterflies. 

They have been memorizing lines. They have practiced alone, to our class and to the other first grade class.

Today was the big day. We were open from 1:30-2:30. The kids did great! See...

 Ways Butterflies are Helpful to Farmers

The Lifecycle of a Butterfly

Predators of Butterflies

Types of Butterflies

Ways to Attract Butterflies (how to create a butterfly garden)

Then I drove home. 

I knew I was tired, but...

I pulled the van into the garage, let my son out, and closed my eyes. Just for a moment.

But, 30 minutes later, I woke up with my mouth catching flies. 

I took a nap in the van, in the garage. A first time for everything. I recommend naps in the van. Not a single child interrupted me!

Not done yet, we had another ag fair session from 6-7. When I arrived at the school my class was already full!

So much work, but so worth while. I think my friend summed it up when she remarked on the student's independence.

Today, for those 2 hours, I sat back and watched. Smiled. Marveling at each student and his or her contribution to the presentation. I'm glad the grown ups had cameras. Today was a good day to document.

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We finally got around to our final quilt for the year. I think this is my favorite. (But I say that each time we make one.)

Tomorrow is Friday. And "Muffins with Mom" at school. I will so be ready for a weekend!

We Made Butter

Our school had visitors (Kansas State Representatives and Senators) today. And that means, we strive to have lessons that are more project-based in nature.

So, things are usually a little different, but always good. (The report after they left was that we impressed them, and they did not even stop in my room! Way to go other teachers!)

The other first grade teacher and I tried to figure out what we could do. Since I'm reading Little House, I thought it would be cool to make butter. She immediately took my idea and made it HUGE. We scaled it back and then proceeded. 

Oh, were the kids excited to get started today. Before we began I had a quick chat with my aide/friend. She was glad to be in my room, because she had been pinning making butter. I am sure lucky to have her. You'll see why.

1. Pour the cream (heavy whipping cream) into pint jars. 

2. Make a prediction how long we would have to shake. (10 minutes and 203 minutes were two predictions.)

3. In table groups, shake, shake, pass the jar, shake, shake, and repeat for 20 minutes.

My aide and I also shook a jar. Crazy to hear it slosh, and then go quiet. This is when she said, now it's whipped cream, keep shaking.

The plan was that the other first grade teacher would make butter and bread with her kids and share half the loaf with us, to eat as a snack. Her kids must not eat much, because my kids could definitely eat through a whole loaf for a snack!

My aide had the idea that we could add chives to the butter. So she walked to our green house, cut some chives, washed them and snipped them. Love her so much! Here is a cool note--when my aide was in first grade she had a teacher. DUH, I know. Her teacher then, is an aide in our school now. And when she was in first grade her teacher led her class in making butter. What great memories. Perhaps this group of 22 will have some good memories in 15 years.

Now it is time to separate the butter from the buttermilk (and talk about solid/liquid--a state science standard).

See the butter?

Next, add some chives and stir. No pictures of that. Or of the bread that we ate it on. We had so much butter that we also had it on saltine crackers and the dinner rolls that came with lunch. It was tasty and the kids got to eat as much as they wanted. 

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We celebrated another birthday today. He is a little cowboy and goes to rodeos and rides horses and probably hunts. His treat was a disguise. 

Can you see the frog on the cupcake? Adorable.