Teaching Log #3: Tree Time

It's still early August, but I'm starting to think about school now.

Had a meeting Tuesday here with my assistant and the other teacher who works with her (also second grade). Today assistant (J.) and I met again, in the classroom.

There will be a lot to do later, like right before school starts, but I don't feel the need to do any more real planning at this point.

I'm psyched to be working with J. because she's also a nature-lover. She works at a kennel in addition to her work at the school. We decided together today that we'd like the class to have a special tree that we visit regularly. We'll make it part of calendar time. So at least weekly we should check in about the weather and about what's happening out there with the tree. We also want to put a tree on the door of the classroom. And since there are little windows in the door, we want to make them look like knots in the tree bark and have a squirrel peek through. Let's see how much is imagination and how much can actually materialize.

We went ahead and chose a tree because there are only two in the classroom. We got a leaf down and it has this funky fuzzy thing on it. I went to the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center to ask about it. The guy didn't know a lot, at his own admission, but he says it's some kind of oak tree. (I feel like I should have known that.) He gave me a number I can call and send the leaf to get more detail on what kind of oak and if this is a fungus on it or whatever.

Anyone want to take any guesses on what it is before we get a verdict?


I found myself looking very closely at the leaf, and thinking who in my life I'm learned from to do that. There aren't many people in the world that look that closely at leaves and try to understand them. Now that I've picked up on it, especially from people like Emarcy, I want to be a role model in doing this with the kids.