Children arrived, early enough to have a moment in the front garden, enjoying the swing and the front porch.

We gathered indoors, to light our candle and create our very first haiku. The moon, splendid the night before in her fullness and eclipsing, was in our hearts: our poem was filled with Moon.

We followed the Moon with our first journey to the Forest, each girl and each boy with something to carry. We held baskets of apples, painting supplies, a tablecloth, a very large bowl of popcorn, and good spirits.

Settling onto the forest floor, we set up our temporary home. After many apples and much popcorn, we thought through and answered two questions. We talked about learning to take space with our voice, expressing our thoughts and feelings.

Each child learned to use a loupe, looking at calendula flowers and seeds, leaves, our hands, the forest floor.

Loupes focussed on calendula seeds, we painted them in watercolor.

Packing up, we returned to our classroom where we met family members busily painting the calendula seeds on watercolor paper we had left for them.

In our very large closing circle, the children shared their Moon haiku with family members. We repeated the poem twice, all together, ending our fine afternoon.