SCA Website Updates
By Stephanie Dax
Week of January 31 from an EE folk
For those of us here at Bear Brook involved with the environmental education teams this week was our first week of real teaching in Manchester elementary schools and after school programs. It was also the week of the snow storm that crushed the Midwest to New England in snow and ice. Thus we had quite the snow day here in the old woods. Hours of shoveling, plowing, snow fights, and warming of clothes with lesson planning and rearranging thrown in between. Post snow cancellations, I can say from my own experience that teaching in the schools was exhilarating. My team was assigned to two schools and a 4H after school program. Meeting the hundred plus kids and hearing their questions and their stories about their own environmental really got me excited to return this second week. Personally, it is really comforting to be working with kids again and getting to imagine and learn with them. Great first week of snow and schools.
Farm and Forest
A few of us Bear Brookers went to the New Hampshire Farm and Forest Expo two weekends ago, 5 February 2011 for those who are reading past this weekend, and I must say we quite enjoyed ourselves. The first booth that we stumbled upon was a group of maple syrup gatherers and tappers who graciously offered us maple milk and syrup samples. Both of which were delicious. Following those treats we traveled from booth to booth collecting information from all directions. Of personal notable interest were the chestnut tree planters and savers who told us of the great nationwide effort to bring back and save the mighty American Chestnut Tree – acf.org. The Heifer Project represented s by presenting information on of their non-profit work with families around the world and their global village project in Worchester, MA –heifer.org—they also handed out some pretty cool little pins. Also of excitement, in the midst of our wandering we found a Bear Brook alum from the first year of SCA New Hampshire’s stint in Bear Brook! After talking to her for sometime we found ourselves eating 4H ice cream and getting magic tips from a young 4H clucker (chicken raiser). All and all it was an educational experience filled with wonderful pamphlets and conversations.
Week of February 7 from an EE folk
Although the week began with a sad start for any of those from Pittsburgh from thereon no complaints. There were no snow days and thus no odd rearrangements of in-school education schedules, the weather was lovely—with days above freezing, valentines day rounded the last bend and Bear Brooks secret cupid brought good feelings, secret notes, tons of new and crazy visitors, and lots of dumpster retrieved candy. The fourth grade education folks moved on to teaching lesson two—descriptive and comparative questions—and the high school leaders hit up a beekeeping meeting and presented at the Boys and Girls Club in Manchester. While those in 4H Gone Wild in the Garden at Bakersville taught their first lesson on what a plant needs to survive with a sweet dice game and some hands on planting. I must say a good week, they only thing that could have made it better would have been a pizza party. Perhaps next week.
Week of February 14 from an EE folk
Here I am once again writing the weekly update for you SCA website readers. February 14, Valentine’s day, Monday, flashback to middle school dances for all of us Bear Brookers. The SCA NH Wellness Team put together a splendid V-Day celebration with candy, photo booths, paper flowers, and a love themed coffee house—which ended in a Brown Eyed Girl sing-a-long and good feeling. Following all the love the fourth grade educators entered into week three of teaching—investigative observation—and returned from school with many exciting stories and tales. One such one is of a student excitedly realizing that “by reusing we cut back on garbage!” Another such one is of a student asking if Pterodactyls are more closely related to flamingoes or peacocks. While the high school team decided on the name Dr. Elsoch, gave several lunch room chats in high school cafeterias, and hosted their first high school event at Bear Brook State Park—a complete triumph of fun. And in the midst of all of that a second Cat themed coffee house emerged with meowing achievements. And that was our week of love and cats.
Contra Dancing – 19 February 2011
What I forgot to add to the February 14 Week was Saturday’s diner day and contra dancing. It seems, coincidentally, that eighty percent of the Bears here went to a diner in Manchester at some point in time on Saturday. A good handful hit up the Red Arrow diner, while a dollop of us went to Shirley D’s. Both get grand reviews. And following all the dinering, many of us Bears also went Contra dancing in Concord—another grand time from all accounts: much swinging and foot stomping involved, the sweatiest any of us have been this winter, and a sing-a-long of Raindrops Are Falling on My Head. I highly recommend taking up the hobby no matter where you live.
