We shared what we are thankful for during Gratitude Circle. Then we began discussing the topic for today: Where does electricity come from/How is it made? We talked about how Georgia uses 40% Natural Gas (imported through a pipeline from other states), 24% Nuclear (we have 2 nuclear plants and 2 more being built), 25% Coal burning (we do not have an active mine in Georgia but again import it from other states), 4% Biomass (burning wood/animal waste), 3% Hydro-electric dams,

We started with Gratitude Circle (sharing something we are thankful for). Then we discussed today's topic: Cradle to Cradle Design for the products we use. We listed all the resources needed to make a breakfast of eggs. Some of the resources included: soil, sun, water for the chickens, people for collecting the eggs, trees for the cardboard box, gas to transport it to the store and then home. Then the electricity ot gas for cooking the eggs which we will talk about more tomo

This morning we did a quick game to learn each others names. Then I showed them the obstacle course and let them run through it. This week's theme is the Big Picture and today's topic was plastic pollution. So we discussed what plastic is made of, how it is made and where does it go when we finish using it. To collect each part of the "Life cycle of a water bottle" the explorers needed to complete 12 tasks (Among Us Game style) before the Imposter ejected all the crew. They

After Gratitude Circle, we started our next challenge. There were tubes with clues in them that needed to be knocked over by bow and arrow or a ball launcher. Once all were knocked over, the scrambled clues led to another page in the codebook which gave a clue to head South. They then found red ribbons with clues to unlock a metal box. In the box was a map with a star on it. This led them to a treasure chest with the supplies needed to complete the next challenge: making pai

After Gratitude Circle, we finished adding the mammal information to their animal classification books. Then they figured out the next riddle that led to the Reptile Challenge. Acting as prey, explorers had to cross the field and collect three food tokens without getting "eaten" by the Predator (the endangered Eastern Indigo Snake). If they got tagged they had to answer a question about reptiles to re-enter the game. Then they went to garden with Ms. Melissa. They loosened th

We started the morning with Gratitude Circle where we shared something we are thankful for. We reviewed the major causes for endangered species (H.I.P.P.O). After discussing invasive species, we went on a Scavenger hunt for Invasive and Native plants. They successfully found all the invasive (ex: creeping charlie, wisteria, japanese honeysuckle, chinese privet) and native (ex: ebony spleenwort, muscadine, virginia creeper, dandelion) plants needed for the codebook. Then they

We started the rainy morning playing Picari in the greenhouse. Picari is a two-player abstract strategy game from the Zuni Native American Indians or the Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest. It is a cross between tic-tac-toe and checkers. Then they had garden class with Ms. Melissa. She showed them her hydroponics growing center and discussed how it works. Then they helped pot "baby" plants to go in the greenhouse. After snack, they played an Invasive vs. Native plants

We started off with a "Meet my Friend" game to learn each others names. Then we went to the obstacle course for a few minutes. After everyone ran through the obstacle course at least once, we discussed Food chains/webs. Each explorer randomly selected a resource, producer, consumer, or decomposer and had to find someone else in the circle that was connected to their card in some way (either predator or prey or the producer they eat). Then they passed the string to that select

We started the morning with a Gratitude Circle. Then we jumped straight into finishing the ending of their play "The Witches of Cherrywood". Then we discussed the topic for today: Water pollution and the Water Cycle. After a quick review of the watercycle, we talked about how the cycle is more like a web than a perfect circle. A water molecule may travel through an ocean animal or plant, which is often not included in the general watercycle lesson. Explorers rolled dice to se

After Gratitude Circle, we began discussing the topic for today: all the different ways we use plants. For thousands of years, from medicine to paper and on and on, humans have used plants to help them survive and prosper. Then in teams, they worked together to match an item with the plant used to make it. When their team got a correct answer, they got to move on the Connect Four board against the other team. Some examples were: Echinacea for snake bites, bamboo for furniture