January 25, highlights

In our Nature Camp these last couple of weeks, we have somehow overcome the flu season (fingers crossed), not without difficulties. Our campers have been in and out of the classroom, but have managed to keep up with the learning, and I have to say, some seem to have grown taller with those fevers!
In the camp, we have introduced a new number routine, comparing three numbers and figuring out how far they are from 100, or how much would those numbers be if we added 100, 500, 1,000 or 10,000 more. We have also started investigating subtraction with regrouping, using our handy "hundreds, tens and ones" mats and manipulatives. In Language Arts, we have been working on opinion writing, and read tons of non fiction readings, finding evidence from the stories about facts and opinions. In Science, we have been working with soil erosion from water, and have done some messy but cool models of plateaus and canyon formations. In Social Studies, we have been preparing our continent boxes, and will start next week our journey around the world. And during our meditation breaks, we have been practicing our core practice, breathing, three times a day, following some guided meditations, and learning more about our filter system in our brains, and how to, in order to pay attention, we need to filter out a bunch of input from the outside. Take a look at these pictures. This time I took some pics of the campers during our mountain breathing exercise. Ask the campers to show you how to do it, it will help you relax!