We truly had an Epic Rain Adventure at Morse Hill!

We started with a full value agreement, where we discussed and committed to:

1. Find the fun in unfamiliar or new activities.
2. Offer constructive, concise, positive feedback to others if we want them to change their behavior.
3. Follow the Platinum Rule: Treat others how they want to be treated (ask them!).
4. Keep ourselves and others safe, physically and emotionally.
5. Know when the group’s needs are more important than your needs and when your needs are more important than the group’s needs.

Our next tasks were to achieve more skill with compasses by entering headings, putting the red in the shed, and finding reference points. Then we mastered pacing by walking with consistent strides. We found buried treasure, then went on a scavenger hunt.

Our next task was to learn to tie ropes and use them to assemble rafts. The rafts had to be sturdy because we were about to paddle them out onto Lake Wyola!  Success!

Mrs. B and Mr. Stewart also paddled around the lake and gave high-fives to Mike and Owen in the canoe.

Our last stop was the high ropes course for a ride on the Sling Shot!

Even Mrs. B got a turn!

First we built compasses to discover where north was. We magnetized paper clips, then needles. We tried suspending them with thread and floating the needles on small pieces of cork. Floating worked better.  We used the compasses to find magnetic north.

Once we knew where north was, we built sundials! We used the sundials to determine the time… once we had waited more than two weeks for a sunny day!  The sundials were pretty accurate and we were also able to use the sundials to determine direction once we knew what time it was. The sundials will be coming home today!

Mad science!

Many, many thanks to Brooke Thomas for joining the Fifth grade class once again for our hike up Brushy Mountain! The weather was perfect, the company was good, and nature was bountiful in sharing its treasures with us. We traveled about 4 miles of distance, but we also traveled back in time, from the period of time when parts of what is now Leverett were linked with North Africa, to the time of the dinosaurs, to the glacier era, to the formation of Lake Hitchcock and the creation of Rattlesnake Gutter and its caves!

We visited the Glazier and Pike homesteads, found their old wells, and had lunch among the artifacts.  We sang in the Mill Pond and followed the former M and M trail (no sign of M&Ms, sadly… we think the birds must have eaten them all).

Thank you to the homeowners and private property owners who allowed us to cross their land. Thanks to Sheffra, Charley, and Mr. E as well!  It was a grand hike!