CEDAR CREEK RANCH
"Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?"
That's the call of the Barred Owl! This quarter we are learning how to identify common backyard birds by sight and by sound. We use memory tricks like this one to help us remember different bird calls. For example, the chickadee sometimes says "cheese-burger".
The younger groups have been making bird feeders to attract more birds to the ranch. We have seen lots of juncos, chickadees, woodpeckers, and nuthatches visiting our feeders! To build wooden bird feeders, our younger students have to practice measuring, sawing, and using a hammer and nails. The older students are also practicing woodworking skills. They began by assembling and painting owl boxes to hang around the property. They are also building wooden benches for the campfire circle. This requires them to practice using power tools safely and with precision.
We are introducing a new winter sport to the ranch this year. It's called Snow Snakes. The tradition of snow snakes began hundreds of years ago. Throwing wooden sticks called “snow snakes” across the snow and ice was a way for indigenous people to practice their spear throwing skills, to communicate between winter encampments along frozen rivers, and to have fun and keep spirits up during the cold winter months. Today snow snake racing is celebrated as a winter sport by many Native American communities in the Midwest. The person who can throw their wooden snow snake the farthest is the winner!
Click here to learn more about the Ho-Chunk tradition of snow snakes.
Later in Quarter 3, we will start growing salad greens in our new greenhouse and provide salads to students during lunch. We will also begin a barn quilt project and learn about the significance of quilts during the Underground Railroad. Students will use shapes and colors to recreate historical quilt patterns and design and paint their own.
