Falling Back into Fall!

by Jennifer DeVille and Kristin Royce

We had another amazing week at GFT!

Turtles at 10!

Ms. Rowan brought the kids even deeper into the turtle vibe this week by allowing them to not only “play” with them outside, but they were allowed to help with the general turtle maintenance.  We looked at the salinity meter for the terrapin tank and helped stir in the salt and change out the water for a fresher experience for Poppy.  The children were amazed at how the little maintenance truly enhanced and cleaned the whole environment.

SWR!

One of the questions we had when transitioning to the great outdoors was how we would transition some of what we loved about the one-room schoolhouse outside.  One beloved curriculum we used for spelling/reading/writing is Spell to Write and Read.  This cursive and phonics-based program uses the 70 phonograms in the English language as the basis of the program.  While there are LOADS of resources online if you’re interested, we have seen the work speak for itself with the kids.  If a child knows the different sounds that a letter makes, he is in the right seat to set him up for reading success for the rest of his life.  We started today with the phonograms and intend on building on the program as we move through the weeks.

The Fall Equinox!

We were so fortunate to be meeting on the first day of fall, otherwise known as the fall equinox.  Kelsey surprised us all in sharing that the fall equinox means that the number of daylight hours equals the number of night hours and that this happens only twice a year: the first day of fall and the first day of spring.  We took a hike and the students each chose symbols in their surroundings that reminded them of fall.  

We also took the opportunity to decorate mini pumpkins to welcome in the new season! 

Layers of the Rainforest

After experiencing the forest in our neck of the woods, we transitioned to taking a look at the rainforest.  The students enjoyed piecing together the layers of the rainforest as well as the different animals that inhabit the different layers.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Get to Know Towson Manor Park!

      It’s no secret that getting GFT up-and-running this year was no small feat.  It truly took a village, and we are so thankful for our partners in education: Holt Park and Nature Center and The Children’s Chorus of Maryland!

      One of the unique aspects of the site at Towson Manor Park is the climber-friendly, “big kid” playground.  This is an excellent space for the children to not only work on their balance; it’s the perfect problem-solving arena to work out how they will travel from platform to platform… and also make it back down to the ground as safely as possible!

     We also enjoyed poetry on the swings today, as well as math games in one of the canopies of the playground.  

     We look forward to rounding out the month, and thank you for coming along for the ride! If you’re interested in hearing more about our program, volunteer opportunities to offset tuition, or are interested in our welcoming and inclusive umbrella, please drop us a line here. We’ll connect with you soon!