A TREE-riffic Day!

 Arbor Day was TREE-riffic! We were so excited to hop on the bus for an adventure! 

Did you know trees have birthdays, too? We learned to count the rings on a tree "cookie" and learned how drought and the seasons affect the rings. Trees need TLC! 

We met some very brave and bendy arborists who were caring for trees! As we nibbled a cookie, we watched in awe as climbed high in the tree and taught us about PPE. 

Our hearts were pumping at the "Nature-cise" obstacle course:

We planted our very own seedling in biodegradable cups, so that the cup can be planted along with the tree. Remember to give your seedling lots of sun, water, nutrients, and of course, LOVE! Trees will come home Monday.

We headed towards a treed area to hear a story and build "fairy houses" with dead material (e.g. sticks on the ground, fallen pine cones). The students loved this activity!

We learned about the importance of fire safety. We were cautioned that fires are incredibly dangerous and are never, ever to be played with. We were, however, surprised to learn that forest fires are a natural part of the forest ecosystem and can play a role in maintaining a healthy forest. We practiced being an unhealthy (tightly packed) forest and a healthy (spread out) forest. It was neat to see how the ball, which represented fire, moved differently. 

We each received fantastic lunch bags filled with water, bananas and cookies, and we settled in for an interactive performance by environmental activist and Juno-award winning Canadian artist Peter Puffin! Can you see our classmate who was chosen to be on stage?

What a fabulous morning of adventure and learning! It was bright and busy, and we loved every minute!