Fun on the Farm

"Moooo:"

 I just dropped Issa off for her last day of camp. Needless to say, she has had a fabulous week! I am continually impressed by our museum, and I have loved listening to her talk about everything she has learn and done this week.

A week in review via lunch box notes (please forgive the horrible pictures; I was being sneaky so Issa wouldn't see them until lunch):

Monday:

 The first day was devoted to learning about farms in general. They learned all of the safety rules for working with the animals in the farmyard, how plants grow, the differences between fruits and vegetables, and how worms help plants. Issa's favorite part was getting to feed the pigs! She decorated a paper bag, hid a carrot in it, and then watched the pig root around until he got the carrot out. I loved listening to her explain that it was important to keep the animals' brains busy, too, and how they use these treat games to help do that.

Tuesday:

 It was goat and sheep day! Issa was most interested in the fact that sheep and goats don't have upper teeth, so they grind rather than chew their food. Who knew! She also "got" to muck the goat and sheep pen and feed them. She has loved caring for the animals! She also got to comb and dye some wool from the sheep there, which was very fun.

Wednesday:

 Chicken day! They also learned about other animals that come from eggs, explored the dinosaur trail to look for dinosaur eggs and characteristics of birds, and met a real silkie chicken! Issa got to clean the falcon's stall, and she loved spreading the new saw dust for him. This is an area the general public doesn't get to see, so she was extra excited. They also made egg crafts, including shell art from broken shells that they had dyed with fruits and vegetables.

Thursday:

 Cows, pigs, and bees were today's featured animals. They learned a lot about dairy farming and how milk becomes other things. She also learned how bees dance to communicate and led the family in a recreation of the dance last night. (It involves lots of figure eights and tail shaking.) The highlight was a bonus train ride, and she also got to muck the duck and pigs' stalls.

Friday:

 Today is the big barn bash! They will be reviewing all that they learned and saying goodbye to their new animal friends. I get to go early for a square dance and to taste the pickles and jam they made on Monday. I can't wait!

Issa has loved this week and is a little sad to see it end. In a moment that made this mama very proud, she asked to make each of her teachers a thank you note:

They are each two sided and feature all of the things she learned about. We spent a lot of time trolling the internet for the perfect pictures and even more time arranging them just so and adding the necessary fanciness. She was so excited to give them to her teachers today, and I am so grateful she had such a great week.