Carving Our Class Pumpkin

This week we learned about Apples and Pumpkins (foods that are ripe in the fall).  To end the unit we carved are own pumpkin.  On Wednesday morning we studied the outside of the pumpkin-- color, sound made when hitting it, texture, etc.  That afternoon we cut the top off the pumpkin and studied the inside of the pumpkin-- color, smell, texture, contents, etc.  Everyone got to help pull out the seeds and clean the pumpkin.

 

First we explored the outside of our class pumpkin.   Lennie and Daiza are using magnifying glasses in the Science Lab to look at the bumps on the pumpkin.

Then we explored the inside of the pumpkin.  We discovered that the pumpkin is mostly hollow inside.  We felt the pulp and looked at the seeds.  

Now we are pulling out the seeds to prepare to bake them for our afternoon snack.

On Thursday morning we talked about what kind of face we want to carve in our pumpkin.  The kids drew pictures of jack-o-lanterns and we hung them on the wall.  During the day we looked at all the pictures and decided what face to carve.  That afternoon we carved the pumpkin.  The kids had a great time.  

Recess in the snow.  This is what the sun looks like at 11 am.

Dorris and Logan

The snow that accumulated on Sunday morning is still on the ground.  Each night a small amount of snow has fallen.  I believe the snow will continue to accumulate until April or May when it melts.  This  week the temperatures remained in the mid to high 20s.  However, the temperature doesn't feel as cold as it sounds.  In fact, I am still wearing a fleece and a thin jacket everyday.  I haven't even started wearing my ski coat from home.  I think the difference between Oregon 20s and Alaska 20s is the moisture.  The air here is very dry and when the wind isn't blowing the temperature feels mild.  

The first week of November the temperatures predicted fall to the teens.  Before the winter is over the temperature will fall to -20 or lower.   I will be very thankful for my parka when that weather arrives.  

Pictures of the Week

Sunday:  We woke up to snow!

Nathan and I went for a walk on Sunday afternoon before going to church.    This picture looks east from our porch toward the newer part of St. Michael.

North Beach

Snow coming in on the left and the tide coming in on the right.

Whale Island

This is a river that flows into the ocean.  I don't know the name of it.  It's getting ready to freeze.

Looking south across the tundra in St. Michael.

Tuesday:  The snow is still around.  We have snow flurries each night and throughout the day.

Recess on Tuesday.

The slide was coated in ice so the first kid that went down flew off the bottom of the slide onto the ground.   He was surprised! 

Regina, Leandra, and Dorris learning about snowballs.

Lunch Time!  We eat family style.  We pass the food around and the students serve themselves.  

End of the Quarter, Beginning of the Freeze

This week we had snow fall and snow remain on the ground in patches the whole week.  The temperature fell below freezing on Monday and stayed there.  Yesterday and today the temperature is in the upper 20s.  Earlier this year, when I would walk to the big school I would watch the wind blow across the ponds that cover the tundra.  If the wind was strong, I could see waves on the ponds.

Now when I walk to the big school I see big rocks, pieces of metal or trash, even shoes sitting on top of the ponds where kids have thrown them trying to break the ice.  Some of the rocks rest next to little dents in the ice but most of them didn't do any damage at all.  The roads are no longer muddy, slippery messes.  Now the roads are frozen tire tracks.  The gravel I walk across to go to school each morning is frozen around the footprints that were left behind by kids and dogs.  Imagine going to the beach and walking in the dry sand; however the sand doesn't give in and reshape around your feet, it stays in the shapes left by wind and other footprints.  That's what is it like walking across the playground each morning.

The sun comes up around 9:30am now and sky is noticeably lighter around 10am.  The sun sets around 7:30pm.  We lose 70 minutes (1 hour and 10 minutes) of daylight each week.

Sun breaking through the clouds around 10:30am.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza 

Tonight I made barbecue chicken pizza, inspired by Lisa's Pizza.  I'm getting better with the dough.  I make up pizza toppings with whatever happens to be in the fridge.  So far, so good!

Sunday Morning

This picture was taken at 9:50 am looking West out of our front windows.  I woke up around 2:30 am this morning and saw that it had snowed.  The night is brighter with snow on the ground.

Looking South toward the Norton Sound. 

Activities in St. Michael

On Sunday afternoon Nathan and I walked out of St. Michael toward the airport in search of black berries.  We ventured off the road and on to the tundra.  It is like walking on foam mixed with lake silt.  It is covered in lichens, grass, low-bush cranberries, and small bushes.  We found black berries growing around some rocks and began picking them.  These berries are on very low bushes so we had to squat down or stoop to pick them.  The temperature was just above freezing and some of the berries were already frozen.  We managed to pick about three cups of berries between us before or fingers were too cold to pick any more and we started to walk back to town.

When we got home I made syrup from part of the berries and apple-black berry cobbler with the rest of them.  One night I made puff pancakes and we had black berry syrup to go with them.  Yum!

The hills to the north after a storm.

Our church as the sun sets.

Linda and Brian are missionaries from California and run the Assembly of God Church that we attend.

There was snow on the ground when I got up on Tuesday morning and more was falling.  My kids came in and were so excited.  I heard Christine coming down the hall toward the classroom, "I tell Teacher it snowing!"  She came in and said, "Teacher it snowing!  Look, look!"  She took me to the window and showed me the snow.  I couldn't help thinking that just a little more snow on the ground would mean schools back home would be closed.  During the day, the sun rose and the snow turned to rain.  By Wednesday all the snowdrifts were gone.  The temperature has stayed in the upper 30's since then.  However, we are expecting snow Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday next week.  Mary (the Kawerak supervisor) said that by now the freeze had usually occurred (meaning the ocean had frozen).  She said it has happened later and later each year.

Friday night, instead of watching LOST, Nathan and I joined the teachers and the community watching the first wrestling match of the season.  St. Michael Storm against Stebbins Grizzlies.  This wasn't an official match it was more like a practice match.  Since St. Michael and Stebbins are so close, they hold a lot of matches like this.  Both schools have some very talented kids (boys and girls, second grade through high school).

Ready for Winter

Last week during the BSSD inservice, the city took advantage of my empty classroom and worked to weatherize it.  A company came in with an infrared camera and took pictures of the windows, doors, and places in the ceiling that were losing large amounts of heat/letting in cold air.  While the room was empty the city worked on the windows, heaters, and other areas of the classroom to try to help it retain heat this year.  I guess we will find out if it worked in January.

Sunlight coloring the tundra.

Sun coming over the horizon around 9:15am on Sunday, October 2.

Nathan in his parka.

My new parka and boots.  The boots are rated -100 degrees Fahrenheit.  Nathan's boots (to the left) are the same as mine only HUGE.  We are now ready for winter temperatures.

We enrolled a new student on Monday morning.  So we now have 18 students enrolled in our 2nd Year class (4 year olds) and 13 enrolled in our 1st Year class (3's).  This week we had 16 of the 18 students everyday which is pretty good.

Circle Time on September 7.

Axel helping Kyra "pack" the bear.  Women in the village will carry their babies on their backs inside their jackets.  This way the child stays warm and is secured.  Regina is on the right.

On the left is Daiza, Logan and Kyra are in the front.  Regina is behind Logan and Leandra is in the back.  The kids love having their picture taken.  We have a classroom camera and sometimes I will bring my camera.  Whenever they see or hear the camera flash they come over and say, "Me see."  I printed off many pictures this week and hung them on the board in Dramatic Play (our unit was Fun With Friends).  They really enjoyed looking at themselves and talking about what they are doing in the pictures.

The season change is affecting everyone.  Teachers, including myself, find our beds very comfortable, maybe too comfortable in the mornings when we need to get up to go to school.  My students often remark about how dark it is in the mornings.  "The sun go down" is a common phrase I get in the mornings when the kids arrive at 9am.  They will look out the windows into the darkness.  I ask them, "Do you think the sun will come out today?"  Some of them say, "no" and I tell them to wait and see.  Pretty soon the wait will be a while.  We still have another month of Daylight Savings Time which seems ridiculous up here.  

If tomorrow is dry, I plan to head out on the tundra with Nathan and a few containers to pick black berries.  Unlike the blackberries back home (ex. marionberries, boysenberries, etc), these black berries are black, round berries (kind of like blueberries).  Cranberries will be ready soon.  Unlike most berries, cranberries stay on the bush and will freeze when the snow comes.  Cranberries can be picked throughout the winter as long as you are able to dig down through the snow to find them.  With our new boots and parkas, Nathan and I are ready to be out in the winter months instead of being stuck inside.