
Thy leaves have ripened to the Fall
Tomorrow's wind,
if it be wild,
will waste them all...
Robert Frost
We are here! There! In October.
Like a switch has been switched.
Giant waves at the Lake from days of northeast winds,
drenching rains and days of mist like Seattle,
I'll take it.
On Tuesday, October 4, at 1:15 2nd Grade Room 205 had its first off-campus field excursion
to the Chicago River at Berteau Street.
We followed a map to this treasured place, did weather station,
did leaf rubbings of riverbank trees, learned and drew the flowers,
and took in whatever serendipity tossed us.
Wednesday October 5, Grade 5 Room 308 is off to Sauagansh
to learn about habitat fragmentation and its effect on biodiversity.
The students will explore and collect rare native seed.
Volunteers meet at 9:00, bus leaves at 9:30, picnic lunch at 12:15,
and back to school by 1:00. Join us!
Thursday, October 6, Grade 4, Room 307 travels to Sauganash to learn about
Communities of Plants. Did you know that natural area plant communities self-organize?
You won't find zig-zag goldenrod in the prairie, or blazing star in the oak woods. How do they do that?
Come and discover with us as we identify the dominant plants of each of Sauganash' ecosystems,
and explore, and collect seeds.
Volunteers meet at 9:00 a.m., bus leaves at 9:30 a.m., picnic lunch at 12:15 p.m.,
and back to school by 1:00 p.m.. Join us!
Friday. October 7, 7th grade Room 301 travels to Montrose Point to get oriented.
When I was there last week the waves smashed into the seawall and shot up 2-3 stories high,
the sound was a deep, mortar round thump, then high hat and cymbals as the water crashed down.
It was exactly like a natural, aquatic version of fireworks:
"Oh look at that one!"
From where Deb and I stood high on the revetment,
with the sun at our backs,
many of the explosives wave bursts were followed by a fine mist,
and graced with multiple rainbows.
I was just saying how you could get a better facial treatment,
when the Gonzo wave came all the way up and over the top of us,
rainbows no more,
we were soaked and freezing.
Now that's the kind of experience I want for our 7th graders:
life changing.
We take the CTA and leave school at 8:45 a.m.. Back by 2:15 p.m.
Join us!
Many thanks to Ron and Rick for installing the new bike rack outside the gym. Ride!