Private Montessori of Florence- 4-6th Grade

Wednesday, 27 April 2016

35 students along with a handful of parents from the Montessori School of Florence came on a hot, sunny morning for a 2-hour exploration of the property and did something no group has done before… went for a dip in the Swift Creek! The water looked really cool and inviting; practically calling the students to jump in. Apparently, it is “the Montessori way” which was fine by the staff. These students had a solid 2-hours in the field so they had a little time to take a break before resuming their search for organisms.

We learned that the Montessori students were born to explore! One student told me they wanted to be near wildlife was when asked whether the group wanted to go off trail or not. By the creek, students were able to find a handful of southern toads, marbled salamanders, a box turtle, a handful of worms, and a caterpillar (either white-headed prominent or red-humped). Back on the trail, students spotted an abundant spider population, a second box turtle, and insects.

The BioBlitz staff appreciated the carpooling efforts of the parents to bring all the 4-6^th grade students to the preserve! Not only do we thank you for bringing them, but we also want to say thank you for participating. What an excellent way for students to learn by example, seeing parents participate and learn alongside of the students. Thanks again!