Sunshine, Flowers and Magnifying Glasses

While that sounds like a recipe for arson, in fact it was a beautiful science lesson.  With the sun shining brightly and temperatures topping out above 80, it was the perfect day for outdoor learning.  So, after a lunch of hotdogs and macaroni salad, we pulled out the magnifying glasses and began examining the flowers blooming in our yard.  Some we planted apurpose and others just happen to be sprouting where they don't belong, but it was wonderful to watch Angie examine them all and find the common characteristics.  We even got blue pollen on our fingers as we studied the flowers in the front yard.  And then we wrote about the experience and what we observed.  Maddie, however, was not content to study flowers and instead played in the sandbox.  As we took off her shoes in the front entrance later on she exclaimed, "Look, there's a beach in our house!"  Indeed.  I'll have to check to see if there's any sand left in the sandbox.