Dear parents,  We are really getting into all our academic studies as we enter the second half of the year and all the children are making leaps and bounds in their reading, writing and content studies. We continue to be fascinated by geology. Last Friday Soleil’s friend Ashley “Rockwoman” came to share with us her work as a geologist and engineer. She knew so much and we will be having her back again several times this spring to extend our knowledge and enthusiasm for rock hounding! We continue to do lots of rock experiments. Ask your kids to tell you about the properties of Dolomite, pumice and quartz that we have been experimenting with.  Yesterday we visited Etowah Indian Mounds in Cartersville. It was wonderful! One of the rangers is a specialist on Native American weapons and tools. We got to see authentic First People blow guns, spears, bows and arrows, and various woodworking tools. We will probably go back to both Ocmulgee and Etowah this spring.  We’ve also been doing lots of patterning activities that will sort of lead into First People craft projects.  Next week we go to Spivey Hall to see Tahino. We have a couple extra tickets if any parents would like to go with us.  If you have not seen our birds in the entrance hall and our back strap looms that are on our bulletin boards, stop by and check them out. We made them both with Ana in art. They are stunning!Joy and Suzanne