ECO.: Becoming Squirrels!

In December 8th, we went outside for an ECO lesson where we focused on becoming squirrels.  We started the lesson with a sharing circle, where everyone shared a nature note and/or something that makes them feel thankful.  Next, we played a tag game where the squirrels were the prey being hunted by various predators, such as coyotes, owls, and foxes.  Then, we went into the woods to eat snack and listen to the Native American tale about How Chipmunk Got His Stripes.

For our main lesson, we had to think like squirrels to gather lots of food to fill our "cheek pouches" (Ziploc bags).  Students did a great job finding areas with lots of cones underneath coniferous trees.  Shouts of "jackpot" were frequently heard from our very busy squirrel students as they gathered their food.

In the afternoon, we weighed each bag to find out how much each person had collected and we graphed our results.  We learned that a second grade "squirrel" would need to collect and eat about 3.5 to 4 pounds of food a day.  When we added up our total collection of food from each of the "squirrels" in our class, it still only weighed 2 pounds and 7 ounces.  We gained a new respect for these busy squirrels and how hard they need to work to gather enough food to survive!

The next day, we worked on a new entry in our ECO journals, drawing and writing about squirrels.  We also read part of a book about squirrels to learn more information about them, especially what they eat, what types of nests they build, and how they prepare for the winter. 

Thank to Darci who joined us for this busy, hands-on lesson in the woods!  We appreciate your help!