A Trip to Kalona: Where did students keep their water bottles?

As is tradition when Willowwind Friends attend the Kalona Fall Festival - it rains. However, on Friday, September 23rd the sun shone brightly over the rolling corn fields along Highway 6 as a picturesque blue sky and white fluffy clouds created a crisp Autumn day that was perfect for 1st through 4th graders to absorb the sights, sounds and, most of all, smells of Kalona.

As we made our way students squealed in seeing a handful of Horse and Buggies, horses grazing in their fields and oh so many cows lazily looking up from their morning snack as we drove by. The most talked animal siting from the car trip was, of course, the amount of dead raccoons we saw along the highway. Ah, life's first lessons with road kill.

While at the Kalona Fall Festival we enjoyed a morning snack of homemade Apple Butter, freshly baked bread (still warm and steamy in its bag) and to top of our Morning Snack - hot Apple Fritters. Friends were surprised to see bits of apple tucked inside their fritter and compared the chunky texture to that or our Roasted Sweet Pepper Salsa that we made with Chef Gaby. The children discovered throughout the morning that the inviting aromas of corn popping, pies baking and cider brewing really tempt your taste buds into thinking you are hungry.

Throughout the morning the Racerunners made comparisons of an Iowa Community 150 years ago with theirs of today. Their conversations were insightful as they tried to imagine themselves in the shoes of a Kalona Kid in 1850.

Racerunners discussed the size of a home for five people and were in awe of how it was smaller than our Willowwind classroom. In the home there was one lumpy mattress with a rather uncomfortable looking trundle for the children. We noted the candle molds, the lye soap, the bowl that was used for a sink and the oven that was used for heating, drying and cooking. Friends asked why the house wasn't painted and why there wasn't a sofa.  However, the most asked question of the Kalona House - where is the bathroom? How would we take a warm bath, go to the bathroom or wash our hands (note: in 1850 we would NOT have been using hand sanitizer).

While at the Post Office we wondered how many people got their mail at that location? Inside the local grocery children were surprised to see so much tobacco and discovered that lanterns must have been the most used source of light as there were so many for sale. This market certainly did not look like their local Fareway or Co-op. There were no brightly colored aisles or advertising logos - simply some shelves with tools, supplies and cash register.

The most exciting room for the Racerunner Friends to compare was of course the school. They found a lot of similarities. Students had coat hooks, lunch pails, a record player, a classroom set of books (although not nearly as colorful as ours), the alphabet and a teacher (that Caroline insisted looked just like me in her high collar blouse and long skirt). However, the differences were much more intriguing. We have a white erase board and in those days there was a chalk board. The Straw School used a wood morning stove to heat the classroom and heat their stew for lunch. There were all sorts of tools such as the rug beater (for cleaning rugs), a piano,  individual desks, and a chair in the corner with a funny looking Dunce Hat. 

"Ms. Brooke, what in the world did they use that for? Was that like their Author's Chair where they read Daily News?" 

Not quite. Instead it was a place for Time Out.

"Ahh. THAT doesn't look like fun." 

The most confusing part of the look into the Straw School classroom were the holes in the desks. Luca and Erika could not figure out how in the world students fit their water bottles into such a tiny hole. As we looked around the room we noticed that the children had tin cups hanging next to their lunch pails, and they had to go to the creek or a nearby well for water. So those small holes inside the desks COULDN'T have been used for water bottles. Instead they were used for inkwells that the children would dip their pen in for practicing handwriting, completing math tasks and writing stories. That, the children decided, was the biggest difference from our Willowwind Classroom of today.

We ventured over the Corn Mill where machines, powered by individual motors, shucked corn for Corn Meal that was to be used for corn cakes and other foods prepared in the house stove. We saw water pumps, vehicles including a horse pulled plow and sleigh for the winter, and watched a blacksmith in action. Our friends enjoyed the Bale Making Operation the most. The kind gentleman running the machine let our kids sit on the truck with him as he worked to put pieces of straw into a machine, clip as necessary and meticulously worked to make miniature bales of hay. The kids wondered: do miniature horses eat these straw bales? Not quite. The gentleman explained to us that the mini bales were used for many things including decoration. However, he was making many mini bales as apart of the Texas Cattle Relief Efforts. According to this man the mini bales are easy to ship and he can send many to the farmers who have been hit by the drought and can't feed their cattle. The kids thought this was a wonderful mission.

We ended the day in the Corn Mashing Pit where our friends kicked off their shoes and went full throttle into a tub of corn kernels. They buried their bodies, filled their shirts and sleeves and wriggled through all the while laughing and screaming. Meanwhile that bright blue sky was still overhead, shining down on us as we wrapped up our time at the 2011 Kalona Fall Festival. No doubt about it we were hungry and tired as we headed back to modern day classroom, in our modern day vehicles with our nicely prepared lunches and...water bottles.


Check out more pictures from our time at Kalona Fall Festival underneath the photos tab! Many, many thank-yous to Amanda Coiner, Katherine House, Matthew Wallis, Mick Wightman and Brian Codd for spending the morning with our friends engaging in discussions and explorations about the Kalona Community - and for driving our most precious cargo to this event. Looking forward to seeing all of my friends and their families at the Willowwind Harvest Festival on Sunday, September 25th.

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Sniffles

It is that time of year again when friends are living with runny noses, scratchy throats and stuffed up heads. As friends trudged through their day I heard lots of "sniiiiiffs," saw lots of tissues being used, witnessed adamant hand washing and comforted some tears. Congratulate your children on using such great germ prevention techniques such as sneezing into their arms, blowing their noses (and throwing the tissue away) and washing their hands. As the cold season gears up please work together to pack vitamin rich meals and get plenty of rest at night or with a cat nap. If your child is running a fever or has vomited they must wait 24 hours before returning to school. If you feel a day of rest would benefit allergy suffering or cold harboring, please don't hesitate to call.

Here is to happy healthy kids!

Curriculum Night Discussion

It was great to visit with so many Racerunner families on Thursday evening. Thank-you for coming on Thursday evening to learn more about Singapore Math, our ever evolving technology and working portfolio goals, and finally, your child's classroom.

In this discussion I took away many questions to ponder of our year and our goals as family, classroom and student.

1. How do we ensure each child is being both challenged and feeling successful in their math, writing, and reading development? 
2. What measures are in place to hold each child accountable for their learning? 
3. How do we develop routine and experience to create an environment in which children nurture their own inquiries and their ability to question? 
4. What does a balance between self and external motivation truly look like?
5. What do children want from homework?

On Friday morning I had the most wonderful discussion with our friends. While reviewing our math homework I discussed with students how to best complete their homework. Many students enjoy working on the homework while parents are nearby cooking or working. Other friends prefer that their parents sit with them as they work to understand what each question is asking.

Students learned from this week that they must work on the homework each evening because Thursday night was not enough time to complete the packet. They also learned how to mark confusing sections with a question mark, and they shared their strategies together during Math Discussion at the rug.

I reviewed with students that the homework is due at the end of each week and that they must  attempt each section so that Homework Review on Friday can be the most productive! When children have voice and space to contribute to their learning routines, they have so much more ownership and self-motivation.

I invite all families to review the Curriculum Tab on our website to see Standards and Benchmarks and a yearlong curriculum map. If you have experiences, literature or ideas to contribute to these areas of inquiry, I invite them.

It will be great to see you on Sunday, September 25th from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Willowwind Harvest Festival.

Running to Harvest at Echollective's Organic Food Farm

The Scene

• 13 students ready to harvest 
• 13 lunch boxes, snack bags and booster seats
• 13 pairs of rubber boots, a set of rain coats, and an umbrella
• 6 adults 
• 5 cars
• 3 sets of directions
• 2 very dusty gravel roads
• 1 excellent GPS (thank-you Kurt)

The Journey
As we set out on the road toward Mechanicsville, Iowa destined to read Echollective Farm on this crisp and damp day, friends made all sorts of wonderings. Friends were sure we would see sheep, pigs, horses and a cow or two. They were desperately hoping we would see a dog like "Fly" - Max's Border Collie. They also hypothesized that they would see a tractor, hoe, cone flowers, sunflowers, tomatoes, onions, corn stalks and a lot of ladybugs. Turns out our friends were right on track...

The beauty in a trip like today is that students actually got to live with the earth beneath their feet for awhile. We ate in a Prairie clearing on damp grass and Kelly the resident pooch sniffed around for forgotten compost. As they ate they each made the tiniest noticings - a cricket nearby, a grasshopper hiding, and the clouds moving away as the afternoon shed sunshine and blue skies on our picnic. Following a circle discussion with Derek, a resident Echollective farmer, we made our way toward the crops. Today was a gift to each child as they would run in the field, play in the dirt, grab a long piece of Prairie Grass to twirl in their hands, choose a bouquet for their hair and absorb the aroma of leeks, basil, and soil was as though.

Derek took the students on a journey of a Food Farm as he spoke about all of the decisions that are always evolving with a group of farmers. He described the importance of balancing the monetary responsibility of driving food to Iowa City for restaurants such as 126, Motley Cow, Atlas and The Wedge or The IC Farmer's Market and New Pioneer Coop to their growth ratio. Derek explained the idea of "aesthetically pleasing" vegetables that we purchase. His big questions is "How many holes CAN it have to sell at the Farmer's Market?" From money wonders to leaves with holes, Derek also described the weather and how that might influence their harvesting season. Tonight, for example, frost is coming 2 to 3 weeks early. However, preparing for frost is simply part of the job. A job that protects tender plants from getting frost bite - and turning black. We are hoping for a cloudy and cool night since the clouds serve as a warm blanket between the plants and the cool Autumn air.

Today students got to take away valuable knowledge. First and foremost they discovered where the food that they find in their lunch boxes - actually comes from before it sets up shop at Fareway, Coop or the Farmer's Market. Most importantly, however, friends came away with a new definition of Farm.

We talked about the word organic and what that means. I was so proud... friends were able to talk about locally grown concepts of healthy, non-sprayed foods. Derek added to our discussion by stating his dilemma in spraying foods or not spraying them. In that we learned about biodegradable tea sprays that help feed the soil and plants for a more thorough crop harvest.

And then...they were off! In our harvesting today we picked sweet, red peppers, Dinosaur Kale, purple kale and leeks. We were able to see onions, tomatoes, egg plant, jalapeno and ... one orange tractor. How I wish you could have been surrounded by the wonderful aromas of fresh vegetables readying themselves for Harvest.

To end the day we enjoyed snack in a circle, discussed our harvest success and dined on Sungold Tomatoes - a gift from Derek. This week we are looking forward to sampling an Autumn Snack with Chef Gaby such as Kale Chips and Fresh Salsa (Emma's suggestion). We will also work to preserve tomato sauce for lusciously warm noodles and sauce once winter sets in.

Although harvesting, Derek and Kelly the Dog were all interesting parts of our day, none fascinated these Willowwind friends more than the insect habitat that naturally made its way among vegetables, hearty soil and Prairie Grasses. Today friends held Cabbage Lopper Worms (they like to make holes in Kale Leaves), and Tomato Horn Worms (who love to suck all of the tomato juice out of tomato plants - and then turn into Luna Butterflies), grasshoppers the size of a 1st grader's hand, and crickets - all shapes and sizes. We also learned that true ladybugs are considered "good bugs" for plants because they keep the "bad bugs" away.

This experience, that used all of our senses to the very core,  redefined our definition of farm. It allowed them to see how soil provides the nutrients to grow seeds into flowers and finally vegetables.Today  students were apart of the process that prepares food for their table and their bodies.

Thank-you for journeying with us throughout the year. It is much appreciated. A huge thank-you to Chef Gaby, Mick, Matthew and Kurt for allowing us the opportunity to go the farm, explore, smell, taste and ... of course...be curious kids!

Why does the Tooth Fairy avoid rainy nights?

The tooth fairy has been all a flutter in Iowa City the last few weeks. Diggory lost a tooth a few weeks back, Muriel lost her tooth while vegging out with Margaret after ballet and Emma was working so hard to understand Number Bonds today that the loose tooth came right out! As is tradition in the Prairie Racerunner Classroom, when a friend loses a tooth they choose a toothbrush, proudly wear their "I LOST A TOOTH" sticker and take home The Tooth Journal. Muriel wowed us this morning during Morning Meeting as she read her Journal entry all about losing her top tooth on Saturday morning. According to Muriel's post her Tooth Fairy likes to make holes is children's pockets and sometimes, as Muriel discovered, take entire pairs of pants along with teeth if left under the pillow.

This discussion created a low rumble of laughter as friends talked about what the Tooth Fairy does in their home. Erika noted that the Fairy loves to leave letters - even if written in Fairy Language. Addy shared with us that the Tooth Fairy, when it is a busy time of year, sometimes can't make it to your house on the night said tooth is lost, especially if there is a storm. So once the rain storm passed, Addy was happy to report that the Tooth Fairy did indeed come to his house, take the tooth from his tooth box and made her way out. Diggory confirmed Addy's story as he added, "It's true. If a Fairy gets wet, she can't fly anymore - so Fairies have to fly on dry nights only."

To wrap up the discussion Muriel reminded students that we know the Tooth Fairy is real because she leaves a trace of Fairy Dust all along her path - in that rare moment of quiet - Caroline whispered "You're right. I can see some on your eye Muriel." With big, bright eyes Muriel responded with "I know!"

It was a Morning Meeting that is rare and genuine as students used their imaginations to compare, discuss and dream all things Fairies and the Land of Lost Teeth.

Thanks Muriel, for sharing such an important Tooth Journal piece and thank-you to friends for engaging in a great discussion during Morning Meeting.

Stay tuned for new pictures on the Prairie Racerunner website - coming soon!

Take care friends.

Ms. Brooke

Prepare to Harvest!

This is a big week at Willowwind and in the Prairie Racerunner Classroom! I look forward to seeing you on Curriculum Night, Thursday, September 15, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. This is not an open house event, but rather a chance to see your child's classroom and hear about our classroom and community goals for this year and beyond. It will also be a time for you to ask me general academic questions regarding routine, expectations, and studies. Our friends have been busy preparing a Prairie Mural for you to see on your visit.

We will talk more specifically about your child's progress during our upcoming PEP Goal Setting Conferences. Teachers have set aside Thursday, September 22 (2:30 to 5:00) and Thursday, September 29 (2:30 to 7:00) for these conferences. If you have not e-mailed me with a time and date preference, please do so soon so that we can adequately prepare for this 20 minute meeting.

On Wednesday we are heading to Mechanicsville, IA for an afternoon of observing local Iowa farmers and harvesting our own produce! Chef Gaby will lead us in choosing the most scrumptious locally grown products as we prepare for a future  autumn cooking session and plan preserves for the winter. This field trip experience will enrich our study of  Growing Things, habitats and the life cycle that we have already observed in our Tadpole Pond, Zucchini Flowers outside our classroom and at Kent Park. We are still in need of drivers for this particular field trip, so if you are able to spend the afternoon with us from 11:30 to 3:15 please e-mail me A.S.A.P.


Spelling Tests were a huge success this week! This was a trial run to get students acquainted with the routine and they did beautifully. Throughout the week you might find friends doing a blind sort with a partner, playing a game with their words or pasting words in a notebook. Please remember that the spelling words come back and forth to school each day so that your child can participate in daily word study both at home AND at school. Graded assessments will come home Monday evening as well as a new Word Sort for the week.

Here is to a great week of integrated studies that allow your child to identify their passions and expertise. The fluidity that has become our classroom community is magical and I am excited see the relationships, questions and studies that are developing from this crew.

Thank-you!

This is the education that you dreamed about for your child

This morning started as usual. Buckley, my loving terrier companion, was most perturbed by my persistence that he wake up and go for a walk. Then it was coffee (this morning I went with 2 cups), some calendar items, and I was out the door to Willowwind. In my mind I was reviewing all things meetings, spelling routine, up and coming literature circles, and Jared's Celebration Circle in honor of his 7th Birthday today. Then my friends came through the door with a contagious energy. They were fully equipped with hiking boots, full water bottles, long sleeved t-shirts and sun hats. I heard tales of scrumptious lunches complete with berries, peanut butter sandwiches, orange peppers, Greek yogurt, plum cots. In the air...the fresh scent of sunscreen. The Racerunners could hardly wait for 8:35 when we were to meet our Partners in the GD space to board... the bus (a rare treat in Willowwind culture). It was clear that this day would be anything but usual - in fact - it was going to be extraordinary.

As we made our way through Iowa City, Willowwind Friends could be heard for miles singing their favorites "Don't Stop Belieiving" and "Obladee." Once we arrived at Kent Park, on what seemed to be a day made just for us with a slight breeze, warm sunshine and perfect 70 degrees, friends formed a circle to start on their snack and listen with eager ears as Brad spoke with them about  the plan for the day.

First we went on a tour of the Prairie. We discovered plants, animals and Prairie Facts. Did you know that early Prairie Settlers used moss, Prairie Grasses and mud to build their homes because trees were not in high supply? We discovered a Gold Finch eating on thistle, walked alongside crickets, centipedes and a very courageous Daddy Long Legged Spider. We searched, high and low, for Prairie Dogs. Soon we discovered that Prairie Dogs prefer Short Grass Prairies found in the Dakotas over our Tall Grass Prairies in Iowa.

Following our Prairie Tour, each partnership set off to do some Silent Hunting. We followed a deer path toward the pond (although some friends claim it MAY be an ancient dinosaur path to a drinking hole). There we climbed rocks, got muddy and followed a large hawk hunting in the sky and tiny water birds hunting in the sand. When we are silent, our eyes are much more keen to all that is happening around us. We could have watched all morning long.

Other friends braved the tall Prairie Grasses trekking through thorn bushes and thistle to discover all that was crawling and growing in the midst of a Prairie. Our senses were overwhelmed with sounds, fresh scents and pure sites.

After a leisurely lunch with our partners sitting among the Prairie Grasses, friends romped around the grasses as though they were right alongside Laura Ingalls Wilder and her dog Jack. We didn't need jump ropes, paper airplanes, soccer balls or play equipment - we had the Prairie.

The rest of the afternoon we conducted research determining the biodiversity of Prairies to Cut Lawns. Then we spent some time with Brad learning about Fox Snakes, the four venomous snakes that live in Iowa, Bull Snakes, Prairie Mice and Coyotes. The highlights of the Prairie Animal Presentation: petting and holding the Fox Snake (even Ms. Brooke touched him, but allowed Christine to do the holding), watching a Bull Snake hiss, and discussing the recent siting of a Puma (A.K.A. Mountain Lion) in Ms. Brooke and Debbie's neighborhood just last week! FYI, Mountain Lions are NOT to be confused with the more common neighbor - The Bobcat. As we prepared to return to Willowwind, friends spent time exploring the pelts of fox, beavers, coyotes and even bear. They enjoyed looking underground at a root system and found that hickory and walnut make excellent sources of paint and food.

As Ms. Michelle and I loaded our tired but content friends onto the bus we heard signs of success: "Can we stay longer?" "Can I come back tonight with my Mom?" and "Can we come back tomorrow?" Well, Prairie Racerunner Friends, we will absolutely return to Kent Park for further Prairie Investigation, seed collection and Prairie Planning for our own restoration at Willowwind. Meanwhile, we will spend time in Writer's Workshop and Literacy this week creating a Prairie Mural, pondering our questions, practicing our Prairie Play and engaging the authentic treasure of this day as we read, write and reflect on all that we experienced.

This was a special moment - a rare gift in today's definition of education. This is the hands on and organic environment that we only read about as Educational Theory. This was experiencing, discovering and questioning  in motion - just what school should be.

Thanks for helping to make today such a success families. You are awesome and I am so fortunate to learn alongside your children.

Farewell to the Frogs

The Prairie Racerunner Friends welcomed a new member to our community on Friday afternoon. We look forward to showing our friend the ropes. Welcome to Addy and his family.

On Friday the Racerunners discussed all of the changes happening in the Tadpole Pond since Monday. Due to their regular feeding schedule and time spent in the sun, the tadpoles were growing larger and many had already developed their hind legs. After a week of observing, wondering and researching, we now know that once tadpoles complete their metamorphosis into frog they will need access to insects, water and land. So we decided that over the weekend I would release them into a local pond so that they could have healthy living conditions. Our class thanked the tadpoles for their help in our tadpole inquiry and bid farewell for a three day weekend. On a particularly rainy Saturday afternoon I prepared the frogs (because most of them had developed into frogs) for their departure.

This week we continue our inquiry into the life cycle and Prairie Restoration as we head to Kent Park for a day of investigating local plant and wild life as well as participate in seed collection. Be sure to dress for the outdoors with proper shoes (no flip flops please), protective hats and clothing, and sunblock. We will enjoy our daily snack and lunch at the park so please send hearty and healthy choices on Wednesday.

I hope that you were able to enjoy the Labor Day Weekend with its beautiful rain, crisp sunshine and cool breezes. It is weekends like this that remind us why we are so fortunate to live in Iowa. Side note: During Daily News last week, Erika reported that Iowa City was voted as one of the healthiest cities in the U.S.A. Go Iowa City friends!