Sunflower, funflower! 2nd Nature planting day

2nd Nature Academy took a trip over to the science center building today to plant a beautiful row of sunflowers, just like we had last year!

Grades first through sixth all participated, having previously planted their seeds in pots in their classrooms. Today, they each dug a hole, mixed in our homemade organic compost, and nestled their seedlings into place!

Each student's flower is designated by a name tag and throughout the end of the school year, they will all measure and graph the growth of their sunflowers. They will also be conducting comparative soil studies.

Mrs. Gleeson gives instructions to the eager students

The proud, little seedlings, waiting to be given a new home

Weeding is hard work!

But rewarding when you see the results!

"A jiggly abdomen and a jiggly snout." -- 4th grader Matty's description of an ant he found

Shoveling is no walk in the park either!

We measured...

Mixed...

Planted...

Tagged...

...And we can't wait to see how our sunflowers grow!

Keeping kids sniffle-free during allergy season

Seasonal allergies have the family feeling less than springlike? Click on the link below for some helpful tips on dealing with and prevention of seasonal allergy symptoms from WebMD:

Keeping Kids Happy Despite Allergy Symptoms

Some of our favorite tips from the list that we practice at the school:

• Stay Hydrated. All that sneezing and blowing can leave a child parched. Keep a water bottle full and close to hand and encourage your children to stay well-hydrated.
• Keep It Cool. To keep pollen out when the weather’s hot, air condition your car and home and keep windows closed.
• Deal With Dry Air. A little moisture in the air makes breathing easier for most, so if you suspect the air in your house is dry, you may want to turn on a humidifier. But be careful: Humidity over 40% can encourage the growth of indoor allergens like mold and dust mites.
• Go Cold. When itchy eyes are driving your kid crazy, try a cold compress, says Chiu, which may help reduce the itch and inflammation.
• Keep Your Hands to Yourself. And encourage kids to avoid rubbing their itchy eyes. Rubbing will only irritate them -- and could make the itchiness even worse.
• Rub Jelly On It. And if your child’s nose is raw and red from blowing, you can soothe their sniffer with a dab of petroleum jelly.
• Avoid Certain Foods . If your child is allergic to ragweed, they may also have an allergic sensitivity to certain foods. Symptom-provoking foods to avoid may include bananas, melons, chamomile tea, sunflower seeds, and cucumbers.

Hot Diggity Dog!

Our elementary school, 2nd Nature Academy, conducts a service learning project each month. This month, the class coordinated a hot dog sale to benefit Heifer International. The students did it all: budget and price setting, a field trip to the store to cost compare and purchase supplies, food and handmade good preparation, and they provided excellent customer service. Their hard work really paid off... far more than they ever anticipated!

For more information on what Heifer does, visit heifer.org/.