Our Classroom Today--April 5, 2011

The weather. is finally. FINALLY. improving.



Today we hit the zoo with our Tuesday friends. We started the day inside at the aquarium, watching the turtle swim, the rays eat, and the dolphins. We lucked into seeing an enrichment session with the dolphins. The little one is getting really big! She even knows a few tricks. There are currently only 2 adult dolphins at the zoo, as another one passed away in February. This was the first I realized this.



After the dolphins, we headed to lunch watching the monkeys. Then it was outside. And oh, how the kids loved it! Running, running, running. There could have been no animals on the entire path, they wouldn't have minded. We stopped for a bit at the park, further evidence that it was only being outside that mattered! Then we hit the farm, which has just opened for the season. Baby pigs, baby cows, lots of goats. There was more time spent playing in the grass, too.



We hoped to sneak a peek at the baby camel on our way out, but they were already off exhibit for the night. Yes, that is how long we were there. The zoo was officially closed, and we were just making our way out. Kiddo, Kutey and I were lucky enough to be standing on the path right next to the fence when they let the Wild Asian Horses through. Very cool! And fun to see some of the inner workings of the zoo!

We ran to the library on our way home, just to pick up a couple of holds. The kids were exhausted! But it was another fantastic day.

A purposeful trip to the zoo

After our outing to Orchestra Hall this morning, we at lunch at one of the kids favorite restaurnauts (that is not a misspelling. That is what they call them.) IKEA. Yes, really. IKEA. They love the meatballs. I love the bright, open cafeteria at IKEA. Who says homeschoolers don't eat in cafeterias?

After that, we went to the Zoo. Yes, a full day, but we had a lab to do for R.E.A.L. Science that involved going to the Zoo. I figured half the day was shot with the trip downtown for the concert (half hour there, 2 hours there, half hour home, three hours, the better part of the morning), we likely wouldn't get much done the rest of the day anyway, so might as well make it productive somehow. So to the zoo it was.

We started learning about mammals this week. The first lab in R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey has to do with descriptive names of animals. Our mission was to find as many animals with descriptive names as possible. We got bonus points if it was a mammal, and mega bonus points if we caught a mammal doing what only mammals can do, nursing young. Before we even started, Kiddo went through the list of mammals he knew had babies currently at the zoo--the snow monkey, the dolphin, and the other monkey (De Brazza's Monkey). He was determined to get the bonus points. Guess going to the zoo a zillion times this winter has benefits.

We only went through the tropics trail and the aquarium, we were exhausted by then. But we were able to find 29 animals with descriptive names--Red-ruffed Lemurs, Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Pipefish, Leafy Sea Dragons, and Asian Forest Tortoises, to name a few.


Love the Leafy Sea Dragons.

The De Brazza's Monkey isn't far into the Tropics Trail, so it was the first baby mammal we came across. The baby monkey is getting bigger, so it wasn't just clinging to the mother like it had been the past few times we saw it. It was fun to see the baby out exploring, but Kiddo REALLY wanted to see a baby nursing. Given that the other babies we might see are older, we waited. And waited. And waited. And finally. FINALLY! We saw it. Good thing, too, since we didn't see any of the other babies we thought we might.


Finally, you can see just how different the baby looks! That is an older sibling. The baby is starting to get a beard, like the adults, but is still a very different color.

Only 17 of the 29 descriptive names we found were mammals, which gave us the opportunity to figure out what they were given what we have learned.



Given it is Spring Break time for public schools, the zoo was a little crowded. We got a couple of odd looks when we were filling out forms for the lab, but it didn't curb the kids enthusiasm at all. R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey really is a fun curriculum, if I can just get myself geared up to actually do the labs!

Our zoo has a great deal of construction happening at our zoo, which is great. We'll soon have penguins, very exciting. We will also have a new reptile and amphibian area, which the kids are really looking forward to. In the meantime, we have construction. And exhibits like this:


How would you classify this animal? (I got a LOT of strange looks from people as I took this picture--crazy lady taking pictures of a ladder?)

Oh, and remember the upside down fish? It was back.

Our Classroom Today--February 8, 2011

It was bitterly cold again today. -10 F (-23 C). Windchill? -25 F (-31C). I don't like it when it is this cold. And I like to think that as a homeschooler, I don't HAVE to go out in this kind of weather. But sometimes, well, we go out anyway.

After waffling on whether or not it would be a good idea to go, we made our way to the zoo to meet our Tuesday friends. As we were pulling into the parking lot, T called to inform us that it was "French Day" at the zoo, and there were 500 people inside. Oh boy. The programming was scheduled to end at 12:30, however, and it was already 11:30, so we decided to tough it out.



It was crowded. It was noisy. It was...I want to say "a zoo!" You get the idea. We met our friends in the dolphin area, where we normally meet. But I could hardly find them there! We thought it might be quieter in the stadium, so up we went. Um, no, not quieter. But we watched the now 6 month old baby play, which was fun. And just as the kids were about done, the trainers came out for a training session. They aren't doing shows right now, but they are training the dolphins. It was fun to see some of the new things they are working on!

Then we went to lunch. The cafe was much quieter than the rest of the zoo, given that most school groups eat elsewhere. We took our time and by the time we came out, most of the groups were gone. We hit the animals of the tropics trail at about nap time.














T brought world maps with, so the kids could mark where the animals in the tropics came from. Kiddo and M, who are the oldest 2, loved this. They ended up both going through 2 maps, because they started one way but changed their mind and wanted to go complete the map another way. They had a great time, and learned a bit in the process!

We hit the aquarium on the tropics trail moments before it was time to feed the sharks. Well, at least I was told it was the sharks being fed. All I saw were fish eating.


I call this one "Feeding Frenzy."

We left just before the zoo closed at 4. It was a long, cold, windy walk back to the van, but we made it. Both of the kids fell asleep in the van as we drove home. The cold really wears them out!

Did you have a fun classroom this week?

Our Classroom Today--January 27

Today found us at the zoo, once again. We really are getting our money's worth out of that membership! We met friends there who we haven't seen in a while. There is a new baby in their family, so they haven't been out and about much.



I was particularly excited to hit the zoo again, because the last time we were there, I forgot my camera. I really wanted to get a good shot of the baby monkey, to document how different it looks from the parents. Unfortunately, though the monkey was there and came out and played a bit, my camera and I had a difference of opinion at that particular moment. I am in the market for a new one, I have reached my limit with this one's lack of manual user controls. It has also never been great in low light, and much of the time I have to shoot in low light. Combined with the fact that what appears on the LCD and what I actually see on my computer are two completely different things, and, well, you get frustration. All this to say, sadly, no monkey photos to share.



We did see the baby monkey, though. And the baby dolphin, born July 18. And another baby monkey that I didn't know was there! It was a baby snow monkey, born June 26. No, it isn't a tiny baby, it is 7 months old, but it sure was cute! We stopped a couple of volunteers to find out just how old the monkey was. We had a delightful conversation. One of them asked Kiddo if he homeschooled! The other one has a daughter who homeschools! Very supportive women. They not only answered the question (the best they could...they didn't know the exact date, but they said it was over 6 months), they also referred me to a variety of resources. They made sure we had seen the other baby monkey, and the baby dolphin. They also made sure we knew about the raptor show. Normally there is a bird show, but they are redoing a ton of space at the zoo, so they don't have a regular bird show. They bring out a few birds and talk about them, but there is no flying. We were coming from there when we saw the baby monkey. Great volunteers make our zoo much more enjoyable.



As I mentioned, we were coming from the raptor show. Kiddo had a chance to shine today, and he was very, VERY proud of himself. He answered two questions during the show--one about what other animals live in the rain forest (he answered monkeys), and what you call the toes of a raptor (talons). He also hung around after the show to ASK questions. The only bird that was new to him was the Spectacled Owl. The other 2, the Peregrine Falcon and the Red-Tailed Hawk, we have seen before, both at the zoo and elsewhere. Repetition, though, is good. Even better, he has gotten excited about the next unit we are doing in science, where we will be studying and classifying animals.



After the zoo, we ran a few errands, hitting the craft store for some red card stock and then a wild goose chase for cheap plants which may end up dead in our science unit. It is January in Minnesota. Plants are not plentiful, or cheap. I did almost buy a table top tomato plant at the expensive plant shop. The tomatoes looked so nummy!

We also went to the...CAR WASH! YAY! For weather warm enough to wash the car!!! I didn't even complain (too much) about the half hour wait for our turn! The car is no longer crusty! Yes, I consider the car wash part of our classroom today. If they are going to grow up in Minnesota, they have to learn when it is appropriate to wash the car and when such action would result in being frozen into the car before you arrive home.

What's your classroom?

Our Classroom Today--January 11

Did you know today is all ones? 1-11-11? I didn't think about it until a friend was going to a wedding, because of the date. Huh.

Anyway....

Today found us bundling up (though the high was in the low 20's! Still, bundling weather) and heading to the Zoo, where we held class here:



Again. The kids love this spot. And we love watching them here.

Other highlights of the day:
-A new baby De Brazza's monkey. Born on Friday Dec. 10, this was the first time we had seen it. So cute. It looks not at all like the parents! It will be fun to watch it grow and change. There is another one in the family group that is just over a year old, and it looks just like the adults, if a bit smaller.

-Watching the Colobus and De Brazza's monkeys play chase. The Young De Brazza's and one of the Colobus monkeys ran through the exhibit, ending with the Colobus monkey crashing into the glass just above the log there and sitting down, looking out at whoever happened to be standing there. The first time it was T and I, and it was a bit startling, but so fun!

-Seeing a leopard shark egg in the aquarium, unfertilized of course. Kiddo discovered it. He was bold, too, and went to ask the volunteer to come and see it so he could find out what it was. It is fun to see him becoming a bit less dependent on me for things like that! And it was a very cool discovery!

-New information on the floor by the python exhibit that tells how long the python is in a very visual way. This is really fun, since it is usually all wound up, leaving one to guess just exactly how big it might be. 14.3 feet, which we discovered is 18.25 of Kiddo's feet, roughly 3.5 of him, and roughly 4 Kutey's. Yep, that is a great addition.

-Seeing how much the baby dolphin, Taijah, has grown! We needed to go much more often to see her in the baby state!

-Hearing the Japanese Macaque vocalize. I have been going to this zoo since I was a kid, the monkeys were there then, and I think this is the first time I have EVER heard them. It was just one lone monkey, who looked really cold, making a lot of noise.

-The grizzly bears all snuggled in their den. They looked so soft and warm!

-Playful sea otters! They really seemed to want to play with us. They bobbed up and down in the water, followed the kids walking along the glass, and seemed to look right at us when we came in. So much fun!

-Fresh air, though this is one of those good and bad things. I love being outside, but this is Minnesota. And it is winter. It took my fingers and toes hours to thaw out (I have poor circulation, which makes it worse). I am still wearing a hat (yes, I am inside) in order to feel warm. So fresh air=good! Cold=bad.

There were a few things that weren't great today, like the high school groups that seemed oblivious to the fact that there might be others around them (one of them cut directly through our conversation, with plenty of room to go around. sigh.), Kutey getting overly tired and having a few meltdowns, and forgetting the camera (so the above picture is the exact same one form the last time we went. Oh well!) but in all, it was a great day at the zoo! I'm looking forward to going back with the camera to get some pictures of the baby monkey!

Where was your classroom today?

Our Classroom Today--November 16

We held school inside a log today!



Actually, the kids choose to hang out here, drawing in their notebooks. We did not direct it in any way, which is the best. The log is part of a newer exhibit at the zoo, it allows the kids to get closer to the exhibit. The log runs through an exhibit of monkeys--Black and White Colobus Monkeys and De Brazza’s Monkeys--along with Red River Hogs.



The funny thing is the Black and White Colobus monkeys like to lay on top of the log. From the inside of the log you can't see them! From the outside, though, they are very close! The kids started in an area in the base of an artificial tree where they could get up close and personal with the fish. They were all packed in there, all with their notebooks, all blissfully drawing various things. They moved, somewhat pack-like to the log and continued to draw. I love these days!

The kids did eventually tire of the log, and we moved on. When we reached the aquarium, we noticed this fish.



Over and over and over and over again it did that.

I admit, I was more fascinated than the kids. I think there is something not right about this fish. There were no volunteers or keepers around to ask about the behavior, but it is not normal fish behavior. I would call it the equivalent of pacing in a terrestrial animal, which is not good.

Our Classroom today--September 7

Today was the first day of school for most public schools in our area. That means that all of those places that are too crowded to go to during the summer are now pleasantly spacious. So today we hit the Zoo again. The weather was good--a little breezy perhaps, but not terrible. We spent a couple of hours watching the dolphins, sharks and fish. When I say that to some people, they wonder how on earth I get my kids to stay in one place that long. The answer? I don't. They choose to stay that long. We do bring along colored pencils and paper. That gives them something to do that takes a little longer. But they also just enjoy darting around with their friends, all trying to find the next cool thing to point out. It also probably helps that the moms get as excited as the kids when we see the moray eel, or when the ray darts up the glass unexpectedly.

The big excitement today, though, were the babies! The baby dolphin was born in July. She isn't on exhibit yet, really, but they are allowing visitors to go up into the stadium where you can catch glimpses of her in the back pools. So very cool! There is also a baby snow monkey, born in June, that is so fun to watch! The snow monkeys have always been one of my favorites.

The kids also adore the new play area at the zoo. After lunch, we let them play and play and play. We hit the Grizzly Coast exhibit briefly at the end of the day, darting out of the zoo just before their 4 pm closing time. I love that we can spend so much time at the zoo and still feel like there more we could have done. It is a membership well worth it for us!

Our Classroom Today--January 26

We hit the zoo again today. We had planned to learn a bit more about dolphins, always a favorite at the zoo. In preparation, I checked out books about dolphins, we watched a dolphin video, and I tried to prepare an easy dolphin copy book. Being a perfectionist, however, and wanting to be able to share it without worries about copyright, I didn't get it finished. Watch for it in the next couple of weeks. We'll be revisiting the theme at the beginning of March, I think, and then I'll have it all pulled together.

In the meantime, however, I picked up oodles of colored pencils at the thrift shop one day. I had enough to make 7 packets of 11 pencils each. Each packet has the same colors, so no fighting! Each child had their own packet, so they spent some time coloring various different things--though mostly at the dolphin tank and the coral reef exhibit. It is great to watch how they sit and focus as the animals swim by them! It was also great to have them be still for a bit instead of running through the exhibits. Sometime I hope to get them to sit a bit longer at the bird exhibit, because I find them fascinating.



I have but one complaint about the zoo. They have a beautiful coral reef exhibit (it used to be where the dolphins were housed). But they have a ton of fish in there that are NOT listed on their identification list! See that albino shark up there? We guessed it was an albino shark. It was confirmed when a volunteer happened to wander through the exhibit. But we were there for a REALLY long time before anyone came through to ask. Most people would not have been there long enough to ask. And there are several other creatures in the tank we would like to know about. They just need to have some sort of book they can add them to, so we can see and identify all of them. Kind of important when you are teaching kids...

In all, though, it was another great day at the zoo. Kiddo drew some very thoughtful pictures, and learned a bit more about some of the animals we have viewed for years.

Our Classroom Today--October 13

We had snow. And it is chilly. But that did not dampen our spirits! We headed out to the "other" zoo, Como Zoo in St. Paul. We have the privilege of having not one but 2 incredible zoos within a short drive. We love them both, for different reasons. We don't get to Como as often as we might, but that makes it almost more special when we do!

The kids spent a lot of time in the primates enclosure. There is a lot of activity there. Lots of animals. Lots of action. Our kids included. They would see something in one, then run to the next, only to head back to the first when something moving caught their eye. Exhausting for me! They also got to see giraffes, zebras, lions, tigers, and mountain lions. It is a relatively small zoo, so we saw most of it before lunch.

After lunch, we headed out to the playground, where the kids played in the now melting snow and got drenched. We changed clothes (I always carry a full change of clothes for each of them these days!) and headed home, once again, exhausted. Tuesdays are fabulous.

*While I like the variety of animals at the Como Zoo, I admit that one of the reasons we don't go there is that it makes me a little sad. The enclosures, while better than they used to be, still seem rather small to me. And sometimes the animals look just absolutely bored. Especially the gorillas. And I love the gorillas.