Conservation and Co-op

Last week we went to the conservation department's monthly Discovery Learning class.  The topic was turkeys, which is fitting for the season!  I find Miss Laura to be the kind of presenter who speaks in a way that is easy for the children to understand, while still teaching them a great deal.  She also has a very calming voice.

Zayden was very....disruptive interactive during this session.  You know the kid who raises his hand when you ask something about the subject matter and he tells you that you had chickens but they are dead now - or some other random fact not related to the topic at hand?  He was that kid.  Ev was also having a fussy moment so I wasn't able to run interference for Zayden's exuberance as well as I should have.  He wasn't disruptive in that he spoke out, or was loud - he sat nicely and colored as he was supposed to, he just had a lot to say I guess, so anytime she asked a question his little hand shot up and he had something to add.

I'll be doing some pre-teaching prior to our next session to help him remember to be as good a listener as he is story teller.

However, I must be growing - or getting tired - because his random facts about chickens and what-not would have really bothered me with the first two kids and now I was kind of like "shrug" - both are birds, right?  LOL.  Luckily Miss Laura is good at smiling and moving on.

After the turkey presentation and craft, she took them downstairs to see the snake replica.

After the conservation department, we dropped by the store, and then went to the library for Story Hour for the oldest two kids.  We had done story hour for the younger two kids earlier in the week.  At both sessions my children were the only two in attendance. 😕 They enjoyed themselves but I find it strange in such a large town that no one else was there.

On Friday, we decided to head south and join up at co-op with our friends there.  Chelsie spear-headed it and did a great job organizing.
Ameliya and Zayden's classes were:
-Show and Share
-Recess
-Art (build a turkey)
-Cookie decorating

Xavier's were:
-STEM
-Art
-Recess
-Cookie decorating

Natalee's were
-Baking
-Art
-STEM

I spear-headed show and share and helped with the turkey decorating for the youngest group in between nursing Ev and just being a help where I could.  Mike was off work after a week of nights so he got to go along and did recess duty for both groups.

For the build a turkey I laid out the supplies and then explained the procedure to the children (ages PK-1) and then let them have at it, assisting where they needed me.  There were other parents around, too, giving helping hands.

I was so proud of Zayden's independence with his projects.  I helped him cut a bit but he traced his own hand (minus the thumb) and worked along on his own.  I love that he took the reigns.

Mia likes for her things to look a certain way so she brought me things and asked for help.  I never know how much to assist and how much to push her, but since she asked me to make specific things (can you cut this orange paper to be an opening triangle for the beak?), I helped her.

The big kids' painting class was led by Miss Charlotte.  They always enjoy her classes.

These are on our mantle for the season!

Natalee declared baking to be her favorite class!  I think I need to just turn her loose in the kitchen and see what happens.

Squeezing a piping bag is really good motor exercise, too!

Xavier loved art and STEM and recess...so basically he was just super glad to be there.

Baby buddies - Evalynn (left) and Kadence.  Kadence is one month older.

After classes, we all brought out our lunches we had packed and ate among one another.  Then, as we were cleaning up, the children all filtered to the open end of the room and organized a game and they played.  And played and played and played.  They included everyone who wanted to play - from 2 years to 14 - and they played until we called them for time to go, almost an hour later.  Tell me again about those unsocialized homeschoolers...? 😉

Our children left co-op with their love tanks filled back up, very grateful to have been among their friends for a few hours.  Thank you to all the area members who participated and helped.