T he Farm Chronicles is about what happens at Emerson Farm. It includes recipes, facts about plants and animals, and more.  Winter Solstice at Emerson Farm   by Lillie C. and Tula M. On December 21, in the northern hemisphere the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky making it the shortest day of the year.   This day is called the winter solstice.   After December 21, the days begin to get longer again creating more light during the day.   However, all days are twenty four hours long including December 21 st .     During the winter at Emerson Farm our animals prepare for the solstice by fluffing up their feathers and getting thicker coats.   Our farmer, David Cloniger, explained to us that the sheep require hay in the winter time because there is not fresh grass for them to eat.   Also, the chickens lay fewer eggs during the colder months.   Currently, there is only one hen laying eggs.   Winter is a t...

What an incredible first semester it has been working as a Music Guide at Abintra! Before heading on maternity leave, I want to take the opportunity to share some of our lessons. LS3/US1 We have been working with movement and music, learning to listen and demonstrate what we hear through movement and notation. The students have been learning Orff-Keetman’s rhythm building bricks connected to different animals, tying together language and rhythm through syllables and notation. We have played on the school’s new pitched percussion instruments (xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels), learning instrument technique and the C-major scale by playing songs with individual parts for the different instruments. US We have been using the new ukuleles regularly, and if you have not had a chance to see the beautiful ukulele-wall installation, feel free to peek into the music room the next time you are on campus.  We have had an open music les...

Call of the Wild Contributed by Anabel, Tula, and Jodi On Dec. 3, several of the oldest students attended a performance of Jack London’s  Call of the Wild  at Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Jack London was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist who, in his day, was more popular internationally than Mark Twain. He was an independent naturalist who believed in the laws of Darwin. The play was performed by one man telling the story with pictures behind him that moved the narrative along and added to the story.  Call of the Wild  is one of the first stories by an American author which was written from the perspective of the animal who is the main character. Students read the book and saw the one-man performance in preparation for the work that they will be doing during science as they study naturalists during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  Visit From Dr. Hannah Harmsen by Lily S. On Novemb...