Albatross: 10 Facts About

The albatross is a large web-footed sea bird of which there are a number of species.

1. The bill of the albatross is straight and strong, the upper mandible hooked at the point and the lower one cut off squarely.
2. In color its upper parts are grayish-white and the belly white.
3. It is the largest sea bird known, some measuring seventeen and a half feet from tip to tip of their expanded wings.
4. The albatrosses are found at the Cape of Good Hope and in other parts of the southern seas, where they have been known to follow ships for whole days without ever resting.
5. They are met at great distances from the land, where they settle down on the waves at night to sleep.
6. Whenever food is abundant the birds gorge themselves to such a degree that they can neither fly nor swim.
7. Their food consists of small marine animals, carrion, fish spawn, etc. Only one large egg is laid, and that is placed in a rude nest made by scraping the earth into a ridge.
8. The young are entirely white and covered with beautiful woolly down.
9. Sailors regard the albatross with superstition and think that to kill one brings bad luck.
10. Coleridge used this belief as the foundation of his poem, The Ancient Mariner.

Learn More About The Albatross From The Web:

• The Amazing Albatrosses by Smithsonian Magazine
• 7 Ways You Can Help Albatrosses
• How to fold an origami albatross craft by Michael LaFosse
• A is for Albatross Preschool Animal Alphabet Craft

Adjutant

The adjutant is a species of stork common in India, where it is protected by law because of its habit of destroying small noxious animals and acting as a scavenger. The adjutant has slate-colored back and wings, with white body and a nearly naked flesh-colored neck marked with black. It stands about five feet high, and has an enormous bill and an inflatable pouch under its neck. It was called adjutant bird because of the pompous airs it assumes, such as might be shown by a conceited army officer.

More About The Adjutant From The Web:

• The Fall & Rise of Greater Adjutant Stork by Wildlife Trust of India
• Mongooses vs. Giant Storks 
• Greater Adjutant Storks and Other Birds Forage at A Landill in Guwahati
• Birds of India - Greater Adjutant Nesting Colony by David Stanton

Addax

The horns of an addax are beautifully twisted.

Addax or Addas, a species of antelope of northeastern Africa. The horns of the male are about four feet long, beautifully twisted into a wide sweeping spiral of two turns and a half, with the points directed outward. The addax has tufts of hair on the forehead and throat, and large broad hoofs.

More About The Addax From The Web:

• The Addax Will Soon Be Extinct! 
• Read more about the Addax Conservation Fund
• Addax Calf Born at The Brookfield Zoo

Animal Adventure Park Teach About Addax Antelope

Aardwolf

An aardwolf resembles a hyena.

       An aardwolf is a South African carnivorous animal, fox-like in size and habit, but having longer ears and a less bushy tail. It resembles a hyena in its sloping back and in its color, the body being gray, irregularly striped with black, but it has five toes on the fore feet, and the head is much more pointed and civet-like. It feeds on carrion, white ants and the like, but not on living vertebrates. It is timid and nocturnal in its habits, social but quarrelsome in its life, and tolerably swift in its pace, though usually trusting rather to burrowing than to flight.

More About The Aardwolf From The Web:

• Proteles cristata aardwolf from Animal Diversity Web
• Aardwolf - Animal of the Week from Ben G. Thomas
• Meet the Aardwolf: a cute animal you never knew existed!

Aardvark

       An aardvark is an ant-eater found in South Africa. It is a stout animal, with long pig-like snout, tubular mouth, the usual termite-catching tongue, large ears, fleshy tail and short, bristly hair. The limbs are short and very muscular; on the fore feet are four, on the hind five, powerful claws, used in burrowing and in excavating the hills of the white ants on which it feeds. It is nocturnal in its habits and is very inoffensive and timid. When pursued, it can burrow itself out of sight in a few minutes, working inward with such rapidity as to make it almost impossible to dig it out. Its total length is about five feet, of which the tail is about one foot nine inches. Its dwelling is a burrow at a little distance from the surface, and thence it may be observed creeping at dusk. The flesh was considered a delicacy by indigenous peoples.

More About Aardvarks From The Web:

• View slideshow at National Geographic Kids
• See aardvarks at Animal Tales on YouTube
• See a 3D paper aardvark by Picaruelo
• The Anteaters

See the baby aardvark at the Cincinnati zoo.

The Ostrich

The ostriches dining on cucumbers and milk.

The Ostrich 

by Burges Johnson

A QUEERER bird has ne'er occurred
Than is the ostrich, so I've heard.
Though women flock from west and east
To pluck him for their finery,
He differs much from man, for he
Don't care for plucking in the least.
(His hide is thick, his speed is quick,
And jiminy! how he can kick!)

His special pride is his inside:
It's double-lined with Bess'mer hide.
He has no fear of golden bucks
Or other dainties of that ilk;
He laughs at cucumbers and milk
O'er pie and Neuburg gayly clucks.
(There is no strife in his home life
O'er biscuit builded by his wife.)

His motto is, "I mind my biz,
Whatever troubles have ariz."
When, overcome with shame, he tries
To shun the glaring public light,
He thinks he's wholly hid from sight
If he has merely shut his eyes.
(That frame of mind you'll often find
Has currency with humankind.)

Ostriches play hide and seek.

 

The Gnu Wooing

"The Gnus Who's Who"

 
The Gnu Wooing 

by Burges Johnson

There was a lovely lady Gnu
Who browsed beneath a spreading yew
Its stately height was her delight;
A truly cooling shade it threw.
Upon it little tendrils grew
Which gave her gentle joy to chew.
Yet oft she sighed, a-gazing wide,
And wished she knew another Gnu
(Some newer Gnu beneath the yew
To tell her tiny troubles to).

She lived the idle moments through,
And days in dull succession flew,
Till one fine eve she ceased to grieve
A manly stranger met her view.
He gave a courtly bow or two;
She coolly looked him through and through:
" I fear you make some slight mistake
Perhaps it is the yew you knew!"
(Its branches blew and seemed to coo,
" Your cue, new Gnu; it's up to you!") 

Said he: "If guests you would eschew,
I'll say adieu without ado;
But, let me add, I knew your dad;
I'm on page two, the Gnus' Who's Who."
"Forgive," she cried," the snub I threw!
I feared you were some parvegnu!
'Tis my regret we've never met
I knew a Gnu who knew of you."
(This wasn't true what's that to you?
The new Gnu knew; she knew he knew.)

"Though there are other trees, 'tis true,"
Said she, "if you're attracted to
The yews I use, and choose to chews
Their yewy dewy tendrils, do!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The end is easily in view:
He wed her in a week or two.
The "Daily Gnus " did quite enthuse;
And now, if all I hear is true,
Beneath that yew the glad day through
There romps a little gnuey new.

The two gnus meet and greet.

Concerning The Slowness of The Sloth

A sloth hangs by the branches of a tree.

 
CONCERNING THE SLOWNESS OF THE SLOTH
by Burges Johnson

MY child, how doth
The gentle Sloth
Improve each hour where'er he go'th?
'Tis true that he,
Unlike the Bee,
Seeks not for honey ceaselessly.

He's not inclined
To slave, I find,
For others, like the faithful hind;
Nor as the ant
To toil and pant
He either won't or else he can't.

Yet there are chaps
Like him, perhaps,
Crushed down 'neath heavy handicaps,
And 'tis our place
The facts to face
And honestly to view his case.

Where'er he goes,
He always knows
He has no full supply of toes;
That's why he's not
Inclined to trot,
Lest he should harm the few he's got.

The very crown
Of his renown
Is walking branches upside down.
It is a ruse
That don't conduce
To hurry. Also, what's the use?

And if you'll look
In any book
You'll find him, if I'm not mistook,
Entitled thus:
Didactylus,
Or A-i Arctopithicus.

That name, I guess,
You will confess,
Would render you ambitionless!
So, goodness knowth,
That's why I'm loath
To cast aspersion on the Sloth.

A sloth dreams of sleep...

Two Illustrated Rhymes from The 1800's

Illustrated rhyme from St. Nicholas Book anthologies.

 "Angelina Titherington

Was not at all too smart.

She bought some cheese

and butter-beans

To make an Apple tart."

Illustrated rhyme from St. Nicholas Book anthologies.

"My little dog's 

quite clever,

When we go 

for a lark,

He's smarter then

than ever,

He'll bark and bark

and bark."

Toys At Night

Putting the toys back in the cupboard.

Toys At Night

by Fred E. Weatherly

Good-night, dear Dolly, do not fear,

For good old Dobbin's watching near,

And now and then he'll give a bray

And that will keep the ghosts away.

Good-night, dear Dobbin, stay awake

And watch o'er Dolly for my sake;

Don't let her fear - you understand,

But keep good watch in Cupboard Land.

Good-night, my dear old buther's shop,

Good-night, dear drum, and flag, and top;

When day returns we'll have such fun,

Good-night, good-night, to every one!

The Proud Miss O'Haggin

Silhouettes used to illustrate the poem.

The Proud Miss O'Haggin

by John Bennett.

The proud Miss O'Haggin

May ride in her wagon,

Her landau, or drag, in

The park all the day;

But she'd give all her leisure

And wealth beyond measure

For one half the pleasure

Down Haggerty's way,

When young Danny Gilligan

Drives Maggie Milligan

Down Murphy's hill ag'in

In his "coopay."

Choosing A Name

Name a doll of your very own!

Choosing A Name

by Charles Lamb

I have got a new-born sister;

I was nigh the first that kissed her.

When the nursing woman brought her

To papa, his infant daughter,

How papa's dear eyes did glisten!

She will shortly be to christen:

And papa has made the offer,

I shall have the naming of her.

Now I wonder what would please her,

Charlotte, Julia, or Louisa.

Ann and Mary, they're too common;

Joan's too formal for a woman;

Jane's a prettier name beside;

But we had a Jane that died.

They would say, if 'twas Rebecca,

That she was a little Quaker.

Edith's pretty, but that looks

Better in old English books;

Ellen's left off long ago;

Blanche is out of fashion

now.

None that I have named as yet

Are as good as Margaret.

Emily is neat and fine.

What do you think of Caroline?

How I am puzzled and perplexed

What to choose or think of next!

I am in a little fever.

Lest the name that I shall give her

Should disgrace her or defame her
I will leave papa to name her. 

The Cloud House

The Cloud House

by Adrian Mott

A little old man lived up in a cloud,
And he was as poor as he was proud.

When the sun came out, and the day was bright,
His dear little house was all shining white.

When evening came, and the sun went to bed,
His dear little house turned a lovely red.

When the stars came out, and they winked at him,
His dear little house was all grey and dim.

When the moon came out, shining soft and clear,
His dear little house looked ever so dear!

But the sun was so hot one very fine day
That the cloud and the little man melted away!
And where they melted to - no one can say!

The Hedgehog

The Hedgehog

by Edith King

The hedgehog is a little beast
Who likes a quiet wood,
Where he can feed his family
On proper hedgehog food.

He has a funny little snout
That's rather like a pig's,
With which he smells, like us, of course,
But also runts and digs. 

He wears the queerest prickle coat,
Instead of hair or fur,
And only has to curl himself
To bristle like a burr.

He does not need to battle with
Or run away from foes,
His coat does all the work for him,
It pricks them on the nose.

The Fowls

THE FOWLS 

by M. Nightingale

Black hens, white hens, speckled hens and

brown.

Clucking in the sunshine, strutting up and

down;

Very vain and happy they for were the truth but

known

Each thinks the loudest cackle in the farm-yard is her

own,

And each declares the egg she's left behind her in the nest

Is bigger and much better than the eggs of all the rest.

"Cackle-cackle! Cluck-a-club!

Cock-a-doodle-do!

The cock is king of Farm-yard Land,

But I am queen there, too."

White hens, brown hens, speckled hens and black,

With lots of little yellow chicks a-toddling at their

Back;

Father cock must come and look, his red comb on his head;

"Cheep at him, my pretties! Sir, be careful how

you tread!

Now are they not a lovely brood? Just see them peck

and run;

And see how my two soft warm wings will cover

every one.

Cackle-cackle! Cheepie-cheep!

Ah, Cock-a-doodle-do,

Although you're king of Farm-yard Land

I'm prouder far than you!"

Acorns

Acorns by Edith King

Oh, when the ripe acorns,
So smooth and so brown,
Get loose from their cups
And come pattering down,

What work is in store
For the girls and the boys,
First of all to collect them,
And then to make toys.

For they can make thimbles,
And tiny dolls' cradles,
And thorn-handled saucepans,
And egg-cups and ladles,

Extinguishers, flower-pots,
Baskets and rings,
And barrels and buckets,
And all kinds of things.

They can Stock a whole shop,
If they have any brains,
And use a small penknife,
And plenty of pains.

The Mole

The Mole by Edith King

The burrowing mole lives under the ground
Day in and day out, all the changing year round;
Like a train in a tunnel, in darkness he goes,
And makes his own track with his feet and his nose.

He lives upon worms as content as can be
For breakfast and supper, for dinner and tea,
Yes, just as they are, as a matter of course,
He gobbles them up, without cooking or sauce.

If you lived where he does, in a very short time
I fear you'd be covered completely with grime;
But though he works hard all day long for his meat
And has but one coat, he is perfectly neat.

It's not very often he visits the light,
Except when he's angry and anxious to fight;
Then he and his enemy leave their dark holes,
And in warfare there's nothing more savage than moles.

Their virtues are great, but their tempers are bad,
Biting and scratching, they scuffle like mad,
And over and over they roll in the ditch,
Until it's a puzzle to see which is which. 

But if they discover you watching the fray,
They leave off at once to get out of the way,
And burrow so quickly, scarce making a sound,
That before you count ten they're gone into the ground.

Silhouette Paper Cuts by Baroness Maydell

The two sisters by Baroness Maydell

A lady or a bride by Baroness Maydell

Sheet of Simple Valentine Clip Art

       We have some new crafts for St. Valentine's Day coming up in February on one or two of our blogs so these little hearts will sure come in handy. The same terms of use apply for this set of Valentines as does all of the clip art on our blogs. It is free for personal use or use in the classroom only folks.

This clip art is not to be redistributed from any other web resource. Just make a link to our post here folks.

Sheet of Simple Shamrocks

       We have some new crafts for St. Patrick's Day coming up in March on one or two of our blogs so these little shamrocks will sure come in handy. The same terms of use apply for this set of shamrocks as does all of the clip art on our blogs. It is free for personal use or use in the classroom only. 

This clip art is not to be redistributed from any other web resource. Just make a link to our post here folks.

Grasshopper Green

Grasshopper Green

by George Cooper

Grasshopper Green is a comical chap;
He lives on the best of fare.
Bright little trousers, jacket and cap,
These are his summer wear.
Out in the meadow he loves to go,
Playing away in the sun;
lts hopperty, skipperty, high and low -
Summer's the time for fun.

Grasshopper Green has a dozen wee boys,
And soon as their legs grow strong
Each of them joins in his frolicsome joys,
Singing his merry song.
Under the hedge in a happy row
Soon as the day has begun
lts hopperty, skipperty, high and low -
Summer;s the time for fun.

Grasshopper Green has a quaint little house.
It's under the hedge to stay.
Grandmother Spider, as still as a mouse,
Watches him over the way.
Gladly he's calling the children, I know,
Out in the beautiful sun;
It's hopperty, skipperty, high and low -

Summer's the time for fun.

How The Little Kite Learned to Fly

 How The Little Kite Learned to Fly

by Katherine Pyle

"I never can do it," the little kite said,

As he looked at the others high over his head;

"I know I should fall if I tried to fly."

"Try," said the big kite; "only try,

Or I fear you never will learn at all."

But the little kite said, "I'm afraid I'll fall."

The big kite nodded: "Ah, well, good-by;

I'm off "; and he rose toward the tranquil sky.

Then the little kite's paper stirred at the sight,

And trembling he shook himself free for flight.

First whirling and frightened, then braver grown,

Up, up, he rose through the air alone,

Till the big kite looking down could see

The little one rising steadily.

Then how the little kite thrilled with pride,

As he sailed with the big kite side by side.

While far below, he could see the ground,

And the boys like small spots moving round.

They rested high in the quiet air,

And only the birds and clouds were there.

"Oh, how happy I am," the little kite cried;

"And all because I was brave, and tried."

Poems About Birds...

Time To Rise

by Robert Louis Stevenson

A birdie with a yellow bill
Hopped upon the window-sill;
Cocked his shining eye, and said,
"Ain't you 'shamed, you sleepy-head?"

Seven Little Chicks

by Wilhelmina Seegmuller

Seven little chicks go,

"Peep, peep, peep,"

Hunting where the grasses grow

Deep, deep, deep.

Then the mother hen calls,

"Cluck, cluck, cluck,"

Wishing every little chick

Luck, luck, luck.

Once I Saw a Little Bird

Once I saw a little bird
Come hop, hop, hop.
So I cried, "Little bird,
Will you stop, stop, stop?"

I was going to the window
To say, "How do you do?"
But he shook his little tail,
And far away he flew.

Little Cock-Sparrow

Mother Goose Rhyme

A little cock-sparrow sat on a green tree,
And he chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he;
A little cock-sparrow sat on a green tree,
And he chirruped, he chirruped, so merry was he.

A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow,
Determined to shoot this little cock-sparrow.
A naughty boy came with his wee bow and arrow,
Determined to shoot this little cock-sparrow.

"This little cock-sparrow shall make me a stew,
And his giblets shall make me a little pie, too." 

"Oh, no!" said the sparrow, "I wont make a stew.
So he flapped his wings, and away he flew. 

There Was A Little Robin

by Wilhelmina Seegmuller

There was a little robin

Sat singing in a tree;

From early morn till dark he sang -

"The world was made for me."

Little Jack Frost

Little Jack Frost

by Charles Sangster

Little Jack Frost went up the hill,
Watching the stars and the moon so still -
Watching the stars and the moon so bright
And laughing aloud with all his might.
Little Jack Frost ran down the hill,
Late in the night when the winds were still,
Late in the fall when the leaves fell down
Red and yellow and faded brown.

Little Jack Frost walked through the trees; 

"Ah," sighed the flowers, "we freeze, we freeze!" 

"Ah," sighed the grasses, "we die, we die!"
Said little Jack Frost, "Good-by, good-by."
Little Jack Frost tripped 'round and 'round
Spreading much snow on the frozen ground,
Nipping the breezes, icing the streams,
Chilling the warmth of the sun's bright beams.

But when Dame Nature brought back the spring,
Brought back the birds that chirp and sing,
Melted the snow and warmed the sky,
Little Jack Frost went pouting by.
The flowers opened their eyes of blue,
Green buds peeped out and grasses grew;
It was so warm and scorched him so,
Little Jack Frost was glad to go.


Jack Frost
by Celia Thaxter
Rustily creak the crickets.
Jack Frost came down last night.
He slid to the earth on a star beam,
Keen and sparkling and bright.

Windy Poems

Little Wind

by Kate Greenaway

Little wind, blow on the hill top,
Little wind, blow down the plain;
Little wind, blow up the sunshine,
Little wind, blow off the rain.

The North Wind Doth Blow

 a Nursery Rhyme
The north wind doth blow
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then?
Poor thing!

He'll sit in a barn,
And to keep himself warm,
Will hide his head under his wing.
Poor thing! 

Blow Wind Blow

Author Unknown

Blow, wind, blow!
And go, mill, go!
That the miller may grind his corn;
That the baker may take it,
And into rolls make it,
And send us some hot in the morn. 

Winter Night

by Mary F. Butts

Blow, wind, blow!
Drift the flying snow!
Send it twirling, whirling overhead!
There's a bedroom in a tree
Where, snug as snug can be,
The squirrel nests in his cozy bed.

Shriek, wind, shriek!
Make the branches creak!
Battle with the boughs till break o' day!
In a snow-cave warm and tight,
Through the icy winter night
The rabbit sleeps the peaceful hours away.

Call, wind, call!
In entry and in hall!
Straight from off the mountain white and wild!
Soft purrs the pussy-cat,
On her little fluffy mat,
And beside her nestles close her furry child.

Scold, wind, scold!
So bitter and so bold!
Shake the Windows with your tap, tap, tap!
With half-shut dreamy eyes
The drowsy baby lies
Cuddled closely in his mother's lap.

October Wood

OCTOBER WOOD

Have you ever seen the glories
Of a dark October wood?
Have you seen the oaks and maples
Covered with a crimson hood?
Have you searched for nuts of brown,
When the frost was cracking nigh?
Have you tramped for bittersweet,
Out beneath an October sky?

Have you seen the golden pumpkins
When they lay upon the ground?
Have you stood beside the cornshocks,
When the fall comes slyly round?
Have you picked the clustered grapes
From their place upon the vine?
Have you seen the great, round moon
Rise behind a stately pine?

If you haven't seen these wonders,
Then you haven't lived at all;
You have missed a thousand pleasures
That are right within your call.
You have missed the joy of living,
You have missed a gift most dear
That Mother Nature on us bestows,
Each October of the year.

Halloween Signs

HALLOWEEN SIGNS

Have you ever seen,
Upon Happy Halloween,
How brightly the stars do shine?
Have you ever seen,
Upon Happy Halloween,
How stately is each forest pine?

The full moon above
Looks down on its love,
The beautiful world far below;
As it sails on high
In the blue-gray sky,
It sends down its brightest glow.
 

While the witches ride
And the goblins hide
All over the land and the sea,
The black cats prowl
And the night winds howl,
As the children laugh in their glee.

Did you ever know
A time could go
As quickly as Happy Halloween,
When witches and cats
And goblins and bats
Are everywhere sure to be seen?

Then hip, hip hurrah!
For Halloween
The delight of each girl and boy;
May ever it be
For both you and me
A time that all folks can enjoy!

The Unbeliever...

THE UNBELIEVER
[Recitation for a small child ]

I don't believe in ghosts, you know,
But still, the other night.
When everything was awfully quiet,
I had an awful fright.

Snug beneath the covers warm,
I'd been tucked an hour or more,
When I heard a rumbling racket,
Something like a muffled snore.

I wasn't scared, but, oh, my heart
Simply wouldn't stop a-jumping!
It bobbed about so in my bosom
That my very head was thumping.

Once again the grumbling, rumbling,
Sounded and it nearer seemed;
A light so white and scary-like
Upon my chamber wall gleamed.

Shadows seemed a-moving 'bout
And I felt a smothering fear
That I couldn't shake till safe
I was with Mother dear.

Now I don't believe in ghosts, you know,
And I'm not scared of any sound;
But I just don't take chances
When old Halloween's around.

My Choice

MY CHOICE

[Recitation for a lower-grade boy ]

Now, Christmas is a lot of fun,
When old Santa comes around,
And Christmas trees and holly
Deck 'most every store in town.
I like'to hear the lovely carols
And the tinkling of each bell;
But there's something coming now
I like more than I can tell.

Thanksgiving is a glorious day
On which to thank our Lord
For the blessings he has given,
From out his lavish hoard.
I like Grandma's good dinner, too,
On that bounteous fall day;
But there's another day, I'd pick.
If I were to have my say.

Old Halloween's the day I like,
With witches, owls and cats!
I like the shaky scarecrows,
With their queer old coats and hats!
I like the jack-o-lanterns,
With faces funny as can be.
In fact, I like, on Halloween,
Every single thing I see.

Is It?

IS IT?

Is that the wind a-howling
Round about my window pane?
Is that tapping, tapping made
By the steady drop of rain?

Is that rustling of leaves
I hear outside of the door?
Was that some one walking
On the upstairs bedroom floor?

Is that some one a-crying,
Or was it just the hoot of owl?
Was that some one moaning there,
Or was it just the wind's howl?

These and other questions
About things heard and seen
Keep a-crowding in my mind
Each year at Halloween.

The Merry Breeze

The Merry Breeze

by Enid Blyton

Round about the orchard went the merry

little breeze,

Playing with the butterflies and teasing all

the bees,

Sending showers of apple-blossom down upon

the ground,
And spilling half the dew-drops from the
grasses all around.

He ruffled up the feathers of the ducks a-sailing
by,
And hustled all the lazy clouds that floated in
the sky,
He swung the beeches to and fro, then darted
off again
To dry the shiny puddles scattered down along
the lane.

The chimney smoke he twisted in the queerest
kind of way,
Until at last the little breeze was weary of his
play;
He crept back to the orchard, where the
daffodillies peep,
And there it was I found him lying, curled up
fast asleep!

The Hiawatha Paper Cuts Restored

       Below are the Hiawatha paper cuts restored for those of you who are teaching Native American studies to your little ones, enjoy.

       The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 epic poem in trochaic tetrameter by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which features American Indian characters. Read more...

       Read the original poem by Longfellow here.

The wigwam of Nokomis.

Nokomis nursed Hiawatha.

Nokomis bound Hiawatha's cradle with the sinews of the reindeer.

Hush! the Naked Bear will hear thee!

The owls spoke their native language.

The birds hid their nests.

The birds sang to Hiawatha.

The reindeer, Hiawatha talked too.

I am Adjidaumo, the squirrel.

The warriors and the women all praised the hunter.
They called him Strong-Heart, Soan-ge-taha.
They called him Loon-Heart, Mahn-go-tay-see.

Hiawatha is running by the Big-Sea-Water.

Free Paper Cuts of Sheep

Perfect for arts and crafts projects in the Sunday School or classroom. Use them in personal craft too.

Vintage Paper Cuts for Fall

Here are a few old-fashioned paper cuts for Fall. A turkey,
haystack and pumpkins for personal craft projects or the classroom.

Paper Cuts for Halloween of Black Cats

       These little black cats may be used in the classroom and in personal crafts.

Paper Cuts of Thanksgiving Turkeys

       Thanksgiving silhouettes/paper cuts of turkeys for the classroom and personal crafts.

Our Nature Table and Center

"Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink the wild air." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

        The two things I love most about this area of our room is that it's mostly been built by the students. It houses their treasures (as they deem them) which they constantly show off to one another. And second, behind each of their nature finds is usually a story or memory of some special outing they had with a friend or their family---which they're always eager to share! Many of them even chose to write their personal narratives about their nature related adventures at the beginning of the year.

       Many of our treasures don't stay for long though as the children are constantly bringing in new finds and there's only so much space! Here have been some of the favorites though so far this year...

       One student brought in a birds nest, so I found some quail eggs online to order to go along with it. We've had sea shells from various summer vacations, parts of bee and wasp hives, butterfly wings... and the list truly could go on.

       Probably by far the most favored part of our nature center is our class pet toad, Frodo (because The Lord of the Rings was a tad to long of a name). Frodo also has a book (class community journal) about all of his many adventures authored by the students. 

 

       We also keep a small--yet most used--part of our class library dedicated to nature related books. Here have been some recent favored books from it:

The center also houses the students' phenology journals and nature study sketchbooks:

"We need the tonic of wildness... At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature. "~Henry David Thoreau

Provocation: Abraham Lincoln and Cabin Building

       In addition to our social studies curriculum, where we learned about George Washington, we took some of our morning work time to also explore more about Abraham Lincoln's life to celebrate President's day. I set up a provocation for the students where they were asked how they would design and build a log cabin. To aid them, I set out the following materials: books on Abraham Lincoln and a Eric Sloan's book American Yesterday--which has tons of illustrations on early American houses, a few drawings of log cabin plans and blueprints, the My Plan paper, Lincoln Logs, and a Presidents Field Guide. 

       Here were a few of their creations they built based off of the plans they drew...

       The students then brought their plans to our morning to meeting to share with one another and discussed what worked and what didn't work when they were building their cabins, as well as what sorts of items they would house their cabins with and why. 

       Later on, we extended our learning by taking the book Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books to further practice our ability to infer the meaning of unknown words when reading: