After obstacle course and Gratitude Circle, we played a few team building/theatre games like "Mirror" and "Who is the Leader?" Then we did a dress rehearsal of their original play "The Land of Chaos". Afterwards, we hiked to the white house and learned about light and how rainbows form through refraction and reflection. After talking about the Electromagnetic Spectrum and focusing on Visible light, we also talked about how a rainbow occurs and how it is actually a circle not an arch (the semicircle is what we see because of the horizon). Then we went outside into smaller groups to try and refract sunlight with various tools (prisms, CDs, water and mirrors) The explorers were super excited wh

After archery, obstacle course and Gratitude Circle, explorers finished writing their original play to be performed tomorrow for family and friends. Then we hiked to the white house for a lesson on plant adaptations. We talked about and looked at examples of how plants have adapted to survive in their environment. For example, many plants in the Tundra have acquired adaptations to help them stay warm like growing low to the ground and having fuzzy stems. After covering each biome(Tundra, Grassland, Temperate Forest, Rainforest and Desert) and examples of how the plant/trees have adapted to each location, the explorers designed and created their own plant/tree. They had to randomly choose a

After obstacle course and Gratitude Circle, we went to do some more organic gardening with Ms. Melissa. First the kids chose a crop to harvest (tomatoes, blueberries, corn, or cucumbers). Then we had a mini brunch feast on all the freshly harvested crops plus some yellow squash Melissa cooked that morning. After enjoying this fresh snack, we harvested some yellow squash and corn. The corn husks and a few stalks will get fed to the chickens and some goats down the street! Then we took a water break and hiked up to the white house. During snack, we learned about electricity in nature. We did a simple demonstration to learn about atoms and how electricity is the movement of electrons between at

After archery and running the obstacle course, we did Gratitude Circle. Then we wrote a couple scenes for our play and hiked up to the white house and had snack while learning about local animals. We talked about common wild animals and their tracks that can be seen throughout Northern Georgia. Some included wild turkey, racoon, white-tailed deer,grey squirrel, red fox, worm snake, king snake, copperhead, coral snake, water snake. We focused on snakes a lot because for our art activity we wet felted snakes with sheep's wool. Wet felting is a process of combining layers of wool with warm water and soap to create felt. Then we learned about Rube Goldberg and some of his funny machines he drew.

After playing "Meet My Friend" to meet and learn about each other, I showed them the obstacle course and let each one have a go on it. Then we did some Organic Gardening with Ms. Melissa. We planted squash and protected them from the chickens. We also planted pumpkin seeds and as we found worms we fed them to the chickens! Afterwards, we hiked to the white house. Then we ate snack and created art inspired by microscopic images. We looked at various microscopic images on the monitor and through the microscope. We looked at a fly's foot, inside a grape, butterfly's wing, frog liver and many more! Then they chose one that inspired them and they created their own artwork from it. Afterwards, w

After Gratitude Circle, we went to GT to see what new clues or map pieces she might have left for us. We got the last piece of the Great Map! We also got the key to the West. It didn't have any markings on it like the other keys. When we put the Great Map together it had a riddle in the middle which we had to solve to know where to go for the Beaver King's Flute. After hiking and searching we located a huge Treasure Chest with a lock on it. The Guardian Guild had to figure out how to open the lock to get to the Beaver King's Flute. the discovered that each key had markings that created code for the lock. To our surprise, in addition to a large Beaver King's Flute there were also small Beave

After Gratitude Circle, we went to Grandmother Tree to see if we had any more pieces of the Great Map or clues to help us get the Beaver King's Flute and defeat The Winter King. We got a note from GT telling us we helped save Beatrice Bird's life and she gave us the Southern part of the Great Map. We also got a bag from Beatrice Bird with 3 coded scrolls to help us on our quest. The Guardians broke off into 3 teams to decode the messages. The messages from Beatrice told us that the last piece of the West is guarded by the Earth/Soil spirits and we would need to create an original song for the Earth. We were given instruments(a kalimba, dulcimer, drum and maracas) and the message told us to s

After Gratitude circle and the Obstacle course, we wrote the rest of our play and practiced. Then we went to Grandmother Tree to see if there was a piece of the Great Map or any new clues for our quest. First, we got the Northern piece of the Great Map from the Gnomes!!! They were thankful for all the chores we did for them so they gave us the Northern part of the Map that they were guarding. When we put it with the Eastern part of the map the center still didn't make sense where the Beaver King's flute is located so we still need the other two directions of the map (South and West). Grandmother Tree also told us that the Water Spirits that keep the water flowing and clean heard about our q

Today we started with a gratitude circle where we go around the circle and each say something we are grateful for. Then we chose Guardian names and learned the secret Guardian handshake. Afterwards, we went to Grandmother Tree to see if she left us a response. We got a letter from her explaining that the only way to defeat the Winter King is to play a special flute carved by the Beaver King which will wake up the Summer Spirits and lift the spell he placed on the land. She said we need to collect all four parts of the Great Map to find where the Beaver King keeps his flute. She gave us the first part of the map which was the East and she told us she knew of one other part in the North guarde

We started the day with a game called "Meet My Friend" to learn each other's name. Then we went to the wood warrior obstacle course and those who wanted to went through the course once. While we were at the course, we found a box that had a note from the Forest Elves in it. It was asking us to become members of the Guardian Guild so we could help save the forest from the Winter King's spell that was put over the land. So we embarked on our first quest (to find Grandmother Tree by finding and following clues on paper that had to have dirt rubbed on it to see). Can you spot the next scroll we were looking for in the greenhouse in the picture below? The Forest Elves told us only Grandmother Tre

After archery and running the obstacle course, we did Gratitude Circle. Then we practiced our original play and hiked up to the white house and had snack while learning about Rube Goldberg and some of his funny machines he drew. We also looked at examples of simple machines (lever, pulley, inclined plane, screw, wheel and axle). Then the explorers challenged themselves to create a "Rube Goldberg Machine" that included at least 3 simple machines and 5 steps with the end goal of getting a marble in a container. Some wanted to work on their own and others worked as a team. So they split into groups to build individual parts that we would later put all together into one large machine.Then they g

After archery, obstacle course and Gratitude Circle, we played team building and drama games like "Mirror", "Who's the Leader?" and "Group Environment". Then we finished writing our play and hiked to the white house for a lesson on plant adaptations. We talked about and looked at examples of how plants have adapted to survive in their environment. For example, many plants in the Tundra have acquired adaptations to help them stay warm like growing low to the ground and having fuzzy stems. After covering each biome(Tundra, Grassland, Temperate Forest, Rainforest and Desert) and examples of how the plant/trees have adapted to each location, the explorers designed and created their own plant/tre

After some archery practice and running the obstacle course, we gathered for Gratitude Circle. Then we played some team building and drama games to strengthen awareness, concentration and creativity. We also did some more organic gardening with Ms. Melissa. Afterwards, we hiked to the classroom to learn about local animals. We talked about common wild animals and their tracks that can be seen throughout Northern Georgia. Some included wild turkey, racoon, white-tailed deer,grey squirrel, red fox, worm snake, king snake, copperhead, coral snake, water snake. We focused on snakes a lot because for our art activity we wet felted snakes with sheep's wool. Wet felting is a process of combining l

Before Gratitude Circle, we practiced our archery skills. Then we played several team building and drama games to get us in a creative mood and start writing our play together. We played awareness and focus games like Fire Protector and Stealing the Focus. Then we started picking characters and creating an outline for the plot. After that, we went to the white house and learned about electricity in nature. We did a simple demonstration to learn about atoms and how electricity is the movement of electrons between atoms. Explorers were given labels of Proton, Neutron and Electron and had to form an atom. Then when heat/friction was added, the electrons had to find a new nucleus to join. This m

After playing "Meet My Friend" to meet and learn about each other, we did our first Gratitude Circle and some Organic Gardening with Ms. Melissa. We planted squash, pumpkins, spinach and melons. Then we watered garden beds and repotted some pumpkins that campers planted two weeks ago. Then we took a taste testing tour of the herbs and picked a carrot to wash off and eat. Afterwards, we hiked to the white house. We saw a fawn on the trail. Lucy left her carrot and leaves for the fawn to eat. Then we ate snack and got ready to hike to the creek. At the creek, some explorers swung on the vine, others caught water beetles and some mad a mud bog to play in! Then we went back to the white house

After Gratitude Circle, we went to GT to see what new clues or map pieces she might have left for us. We got the last piece of the Great Map! We also got the key to the West. It didn't have any markings on it like the other keys. When we put the Great Map together it had a riddle in the middle which we had to solve to know where to go for the Beaver King's Flute. After hiking and searching we located a huge Treasure Chest with a lock on it. The Guardian Guild had to figure out how to open the lock to get to the Beaver King's Flute. After a couple tries they got it and to our surprise there was a small Beaver Flute for each Guardian to play and lift the Winter King's spell. I played the larg

After Gratitude Circle, we went to Grandmother Tree to see if we had any more pieces of the Great Map or clues to help us get the Beaver King's Flute and defeat The Winter King. We got a note from GT telling us we helped save Beatrice Bird's life and she gave us the Southern part of the Great Map. We also got a bag from Beatrice Bird with 3 coded scrolls to help us on our quest. The Guardians broke off into 3 teams to decode the messages. The messages from Beatrice told us that the last piece of the West is guarded by the Earth/Soil spirits and we would need to create an original song for the Earth. We were given instruments(a kalimba, dulcimer, drum and maracas) and the message told us to s

After Gratitude circle and the Obstacle course, we wrote the rest of our play and practiced. Then we went to Grandmother Tree to see if there was a piece of the Great Map or any new clues for our quest. First, we got the Northern piece of the Great Map from the Gnomes!!! They were thankful for all the chores we did for them so they gave us the Northern part of the Map that they were guarding. When we put it with the Eastern part of the map the center still didn't make sense where the Beaver King's flute is located so we still need the other two directions of the map (South and West). Grandmother Tree also told us that the Water Spirits that keep the water flowing and clean heard about our q

Today we started with a gratitude circle where we go around the circle and each say something we are grateful for. Then we went to Grandmother Tree to see if she left us a response. We got a letter from her explaining that the only way to defeat the Winter King is to play a special flute carved by the Beaver King which will wake up the Summer Spirits and lift the spell he placed on the land. She said we needed to collect all four parts of the Great Map to find where the Beaver King keeps his flute. She gave us the first part of the map which was the East and she told us she knew of one other part in the North guarded by the Gnomes. We had to follow the mushroom signs to find the Gnome Villa

We started the day with a Name Game to learn each other's name. Then we went to the wood warrior obstacle course and those who wanted to went through the course once. While we were at the course, we found a box that had a note from the Forest Elves in it. It was asking us to become members of the Guardian Guild so we could help save the forest from the Winter King's spell that was put over the land. So we came up with Nature Names (mine was Light Rabbit), made a pledge to protect the forest and all its creatures. Then we learned the Guardian handshake and embarked on our first quest (to find Grandmother Tree putting together a map with clues). The Forest Elves told us only Grandmother Tree k