Daniel's camping/field trip

Daniel's class went to Heppenheim for three days for their class trip. They were focusing on their new unit "life and ecology". They left on a Wednesday morning. Daniel was SO excited! So were the other kids!

They took the train to Heppenheim and then walked up and up and up to the youth hostel where they stayed. The first day they toured the youth hostel (which was in a castle), took a hike and went to a disco!

I got to chaparone for the second and third days. So, I took the train on Thursday morning and got to walk up and up and up to the hostel too! The views made the walk worth it!

Here is the youth hostel!
After breakfast on Thursday morning they visited a planetarium just down the hill from the hostel. They got to look at the sun and see a sun spot and learn about planets and the solar system.

They recorded much of what they learned in their camp journals.

Here they are writing in their journals near the soccer field where they also spent plenty of time playing.

We took several hikes, looked at the plants growing in the forest and learned about life cycles in the forest.
The guide had lots of great hands-on activities for the kids to learn about and experience nature/biology. She was great!

They played a game where they had to match items by feeling them.

They heard a story about trees and the forest.

They each made a special "tree friend" and learned to identify it not only by sight but also by feel.
And we left a "gift" for the forest as we shared what we enjoyed about the hike the most.

Mealtime was great fun!

Everyone enjoyed the night walk.

What a great-looking bunch!

They visited their tree friend on the last day of camp and drew a picture of it so they could remember.

Schnitzel!

Here we are waiting for the train to take us home. We had lots of fun but the kids were ready to see their parents and sleep in their own beds.