Today we studied communities. While still at school, we did an activity
where we each took on a role of a tree, a stream, or other part of the
environment. We explored the beneficial relationships
that exist between the plants, animals, and natural environment. With the activity complete, we headed out for
our field trip.
When we arrived at the Aullwood Audubon Nature Center and
Farm we were assigned an activity. We
were to explore the grounds and see how a community is reliant on other species
in the community in order to be healthy and thrive. While on the guided tour, we were about to
start heading back via a different path when we came across a few milkweed
plants. The guide mentioned a bird that
relies on the milkweed to survive and how the bird may soon go on the endangered
species list. I’ve learned that milkweed
is also very important to the monarch butterfly.
The monarch-milkweed relationship is mutually beneficial,
too. The butterfly lays its eggs on the milkweed
so their offspring can eat it. The milkweed
needs the insects to help fertilize the plant to keep the milkweed population
up. These two species help one another. I wonder if the monarch population will do
well if the milkweed population doesn’t recover?
While out on out excursion, there were a couple interesting
things I found such as:
After lunch the class returned to the school and to my
surprise didn’t have a yoga session like normal. Nope, instead we did write our own mediation
script as a replacement for the yoga.
Mediation script:
You are laying the beach.
Eyes closed. Nothing around you
but, the beach, coconut trees, and some beautiful bluish-purple flowers. A light sea breeze is blowing over your skin
tickling you as it moves by. You’re
listening to the wave’s crash against the shore at a slow and steady rate. Your breathing slows and eventually matches
the soft crash of the waves lapping on the beach. The smell of salty sea air seems much
stronger and somehow comforting now. The
sun, warm and nurturing, beats down on your skin making you feel secure and
sleepy. Unable to resist, you run your
feet through the fine grains of the warm sand, which collects, between your
toes. Then it happens…sleep.
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