Note: while drop-off and pickup times will be 8 and 2, the schedule below will be flexible and modified throughout the year to accommodate the change in seasons and keep things fresh!

• Drop-off at 8:00 am: Students will put their lunches, water bottles, and bags with a change of clothes in the schoolhouse. Parents usually gather and chat together for 20 minutes while we greet each other and build community.

• Farm Chores: Your child will have the responsibility to feed and care for one (or a few) farm animal(s) at breakfast time this month. We'll rotate all year, and by the end of the year they will know how to care for each of the species on the farm. They might be giving a rabbit some hay, throwing scratch to the hens, gathering eggs, filling up a horse water tank, and more. This should only take 20 minutes each morning and is a great way to set the tone of caring for others right away.

• Morning meeting: Under the trees, we will gather and discuss our day: our goals, what we will be mindful about, and community building. We might read a short story or a chapter from our current novel and then meditate, sing, or do some morning stretches.

• Nature hike: We will get some hands-on science started as we take a walk somewhere on the property - around the pond, through one of the forested trails, or in the meadow on the hill. We might be studying entomology, geology, plant identification, the water cycle, and more. Sometimes though, we just walk to walk and enjoy the beauty of the forest.

• 10:00 am - Snack break! The kids love to play on the swings, sell mud pies at the farmer's market, or build sandcastles when they're done with their snack.

• Small groups: math. We rotate between teachers and divide into smaller groups to focus on individual needs. We work on playing games with math facts to cement those tricky times tables and use manipulatives to help see subtraction facts in front of us. The goal here is reinforcing foundational math skills for all levels while making it fun!

• Small groups: reading. Our students who are learning to read focus on phonological awareness, play reading games, and practice handwriting. Independent readers group together and study a short text, focusing on text comprehension and writing complete sentences.

• 12:00 pm: Lunch and unstructured play time. We see a lot of passion projects happening organically during this time, where students are building with natural materials that they source from the land around them.

• PE: We stretch, exercise, and play cooperative or competitive games. PE helps build confidence, teamwork, and healthy habits.

• Science: We get messy! We do a lot of hands-on experiments. Sometimes, we watch a 2 minute video with relevant animations to help break down the science to enrich our discussion; we often do a simple lab report to encourage reflection and application.

• Literature: we will relax together and read a story that opens their minds to another time period or another world. Reading is magic! Then, we will clean up our space and say our goodbyes until next time.

• Pickup at 2 pm!