Fall Cupcakes

"First you take caramels and roll them into a ball."

"Momma washes the leaves and covers them with colored chocolate."

"Dip the caramels into the chocolate..."

"...then into the sprinkles."

"Ta-da!! You have acorns!"

Little One cheered them on...and wanted one!

The finished product. A yummy display of cupcakes celebrating FALL!!!!

Animal of the Week: Owl

Terribly interesting creature!

Owls are nocturnal (a new vocabulary word!) which means they hunt and are most active at night. Their very large eyes allow them to see well in the dark and do not move in the sockets so they have to turn their whole head around to see. The feathers on their wings are made so that they are almost silent when they fly which allows them to swoop down on their prey without warning. Their talons grab and crush their prey. AND the most exciting, though gross, fact we learned about was that they swallow their prey WHOLE! Then the owl regurgitates the indigestible parts and spits them out in pellet form. This owl pellet includes pieces of bone, fur and scales.

We are going to dissect an owl pellet!!!

Animal of the Week: Beaver

Big teeth and tails...THE BEAVER!!!

This animal proves to be quite amazing for the health of wetlands. Their homes, or lodges, are made out of twigs, sticks and mud in lakes, streams, or marshlands. The dams they build reduce soil erosion and create ponds that do not freeze over in winter. It also provides a new habitat for water birds and fish.

They are fun to watch too!

A Visit To The Zoo

Our local zoo developed a new indoor play area. We had to try it out! Of course, we had to visit the animals while we were there. It was a beautiful day to go to the zoo!

See the black bear in the background?

Penguins...

Zebras...

I wonder if they want to be veterinarians one day?

Little One sorts the vegetables...or makes a bigger mess?

My kids have turned into animals!!!!

"Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen illustrated by John Schoenherr

Though not part of our curriculum, I found this book recommended by one of our art/craft books. I borrowed it from the library and had it in a reading center in our school room. What a fascinating book! The illustrations were captivating. The story kept us all on edge almost looking over our shoulder for the owl in the moonlight. I loved sharing it with my children!!!

Animal of the Week: Bear

We learned there are eight bear species. Our neighbor is the American Black Bear, living in the not-too-distant mountains and national parks. Other species include the Brown Bear, Polar Bear, Giant Panda, Asian Black Bear, Sloth Bear, Sun Bear, and Spectacled Bear.

We loved to watch videos of the Grizzly Bears catch salmon. They just jumped in their mouths!

Grandfather Mountain

What a perfect day! We tried to go to Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina two days ago and we couldn't even get to the gate!

Our first stop after lunch was the Nature Center. There we found white-tailed deer, otters, black bears, and mountain lions. The kids were so excited to see the animals they just studied.

After that, we went to the top of the mountain where the Mile-High Swinging Bridge was located. The view was clear and beautiful!