TEMPS so hot today brought the show inside..
Today's activity with the first graders-- Bonsai Styles. Lined up 8 different trees that (roughly) fit the characteristics of formal upright, literati, semi cascade, forest, double trunk, root over rock, slanted, and informal upright. Had all the styles written down with a picture. Explained the styles and had the kids go up to the bonsai and write down the number they thought matched the style. One kid got 7 out of 8 right. Fun activity.
Also did some tree work with the 5th graders...listened to some lofi jazz (it's a thing) and talked the kids through 13 different things to look for when trimming trees. One example...cross over branches. I talked a little about it and showed them an example of it. They found them on the trees they were working on and cut them out.
Little nerve wracking turning them loose on my trees but they did such a great job!
Really good day at the academy today.