Namaqua Outdoors

Ready and waiting

Environmental and outdoor learning is more important than ever! It helps students learn math, science, and social studies at home AND supports social-emotional health and well-being, which we all need right now! Easily find activities and lessons students can do at home through the eeVirtual Learning Database!
Link to: www.emovement.org/virtual-curriculum

The crew for w**d clean up before school starts 💕

Greetings Namaqua Friends!

Happy Dog Days of Summer! Summer Break is winding down and our outdoor classroom is in need of some TLC before the school year starts. I would love some w**d warriors to help clear out the w**ds in the sitting area and in and around the gardens. Are any children available on the following dates:

Tuesday July 30th from 8-11
Wednesday July 31st from 8-11
Friday, August 9 from 8-11
Saturday, August 10 from 8-11

Feel free to come anytime during those hours. For incentive, I will provide popsicles for after the work time and will have some water available, too...as well as gloves and tools. (If you have some better gloves, bring those..just label them if you leave them with your child).

Feel free to email me with any questions and pass the word to any returning students you feel may be interested. Thanks and I look forward to a great year getting kids outside to learn and grow!

Kindly,
Mrs. Mandeville
[email protected]

We have a resident toad in the outdoor classroom! The kids were very kind to him and gave him his space...eventually! They fondly named him, “Todd” and look for him each day-healthy curiosity and the wonders of nature does a body good 💜

Climate Education Week was very impactful on the 5th graders this year! All week we had a variety of activities that helped us understand the environmental issues surrounding the production, use, and disposal of plastic products. We spent Thursday afternoon picking up litter in the storm drains as well as on the playgrounds on our school campus. We picked up over 5 lbs of litter which included a lot of plastic pieces. The kids decided to design storm drain art, get compost bins set up in the lunch room, have a no-waste lunch day once a week and do a litter clean up once week. We also spent the afternoon tending to the native outdoor classroom. A rewarding week for all including the natural environment that surrounds us!

Our citizen scientist and photographer, 5th grade student Brynn, LOVES taking photos of the birds showing up at our feeders for the Project FeederWatch program. She's got an eye, doesn't she? Great photos, Brynn!

Project FeederWatch started this week for the Namaqua birdcount site! What a treat to catch the Steller’s Jay (the first time we’ve seen one at this site) and the awesome Red-breasted Nuthatch! It’s going to be a great season counting birds for science!

Green Adventures Educational Experiences to Grow a Healthy Body and World! We have both 1-day and 1-week camps! Green Adventures is an educational experience for young people, ages 5-12. Students learn about nurtur…

So cool to head up to Namaqua last evening (for the first time in a few weeks) and see the first enchanting Star Flower (Mentzelia decapetala) blooming in the native garden!

The outdoor classroom is looking amazing right now! What a great place to relax under the trees, read, write, draw. Or just be still--inspired by nature ❤️

Love this time of year in the outdoor classroom! Check out the beautiful colors of our native plants beginning their bloom season! We had a great outdoor crew this year! Thank you for your time, commitment and passion for respecting and caring for our natural world. We appreciate you! Have an awesome summer!
Mrs. Mandeville and Ms. Dore ❤️