Jenn Doing My Best

Today, the kids took a homeschool nature science class on maple sugaring.

I was so excited I was able to get them registered for this class because last year’s spots filled up fast. It was a wonderful hands-on learning experience for the kids! 😊

Here are a few moments from today’s homeschool maple sugaring class.

The naturalist instructors walked the kids through the science behind how trees work, starting with photosynthesis and how trees use sunlight to make the sugars that eventually become sap.

I loved that the instructors also talked about the history of maple sugaring, tracing its roots from Indigenous traditions to its adoption by colonial settlers.

Zaya and I spotted a little snake while on the nature hike. She wasn’t afraid of it at all. She thought it was “so cute and cool.” 😄

The kids learned how tree sap is turned into syrup and used for some foods (like pancakes!), and that not all trees produce the kind of sap that can be turned into syrup.

The kids also learned how to identify different types of trees such as birch, maple, and oak trees.

They enjoyed collecting maple leaves while on our nature hike, and we brought a few leaves home with us. I’m going to add them to our homeschool scrapbook.

The class ended with a sweet treat for the kiddos—ice cream with maple syrup on top! 😋

The kids had so much at this maple sugaring class! We’re going to be spending the next few weeks learning more about trees.

Inspired by the class, I’ve started putting together a tree-themed unit study.

I already checked out a stack of books from the library about trees, and we plan to add in some nature drawing, nature hikes to observe different trees, and a few forest-school-style activities so the kids can learn directly from the outdoors.

💜XO

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