Monday, June 23, 2014

Great meeting today for all Rangers who were able to attend!  If you missed it, no worries, just please try to find Mr. Gasper tomorrow--he will be looking for you too!  You need to get your first challenge from him before school ends.

Today we covered all the nuts and bolts, got to reconnect and meet new Rangers, asked questions, shared stories & memories from last year, and even spent a few minutes exploring in the courtyard.

The excitement is there and we are so very excited to get started!  Below are a few highlights from today.

NOTE TO PARENTS:  Please be sure to read through all information carefully!  One purpose of this blog is to have a way to communicate between home and our program.  Always feel free to email any questions/concerns to Mr. G's school email address.  The social aspect of Urban Rangers is powerful.  Students see themselves as belonging to their small group, and a larger group, and a community.  This takes careful attention to respectful and positive interactions between all of the adults and all of the children involved.  Our hope is to facilitate a positive experience for all!

Happy last day of school Rangers!

already finding snails!

and more snails!

and flowers!

This was a rather grisly and shocking discovery--the decaying carcass of a squirrel.  Nature is real life, and we all know that's not always pleasant.  As scientists, we took a few minutes to study this specimen, noting specific observations and making hypotheses based on those observations.  Everyone showed respect toward this little animal and let it be.  We also took this opportunity to discuss why it wouldn't be OK to touch a decaying carcass, (i.e. germs!!!), and we expect the courtyard to be groomed, cleaned up, and ready for Monday!

And yes, still more snails!

In the art room, Rangers spoke about some of the changes we made last summer and wondered what would look different today.  This planter was mentioned specifically and several Rangers headed right to it as soon as we got outside.

Another big highlight and curiosity was the excavation site from last summer.  Lots of questions and ideas shared about this!

Although our time was short, there were many discoveries and a rush of excitement in the air today!  To quote Mr. G, as we reflected on the meeting later, "As soon as we got outside, the magic was right there."