In Upper Elementary, we work hard! We also acknowledge that we haven't shared enough details about our science and math work. In the new year, you will be getting frequent blog updates! This week, fractions and decimals have been the focus of lessons for all math groups, and several students are also working on calculating percentages. These lessons truly support the work that is done in science lessons and on the farm. For example, students must be able to round the atomic mass of an element from a decimal number to the nearest whole number in order to figure out how many neutrons (represented by marbles) to place inside the nucleus of their atomic model. One young scientist used percentages to estimate the amount of paint that covered her paper in a marbling experiment comparing olive oil, sesame oil, and vinegar. She discovered that the blue paint covered her paper about 93% when it was dropped in vinegar, but only about 3% when it was dropped in sesame oil! ...

Now that winter is settling in, life on the farm is changing as it does with the seasons. We still have greens in the ground, but with such short days and cold temperatures, they will grow very slowly. It has been a great fall for greens and I hope some of you have enjoyed what your children brought home. Colder weather gives an extra sweetness to greens, and one of the most enjoyable things about a garden is finding out how good vegetables really can be.   Harvesting has been a major piece of work that has been done every week by every student that comes to the farm. Certain tasks require the help of every student! Some students took special interest in preparing and cooking greens, beets, carrots, turnips, and radishes, all of which came from the garden they helped build at the beginning of the year. The favorite dish was sautéed carrots in olive oil, salt, pepper, and the special ingredient: honey.  We learned ...