Come on a journey from the smallest flowers to lush forests, cottages and coasts and every corner of the earth.  Bring your imagination and keen eye, too -- we will be on a hunt for FAIRIES!

Each week, I will present a brief lesson about a featured fairy: where to find it, how it is specially adapted to where it lives, and the other wondrous flora and fauna that are part of its home.

We will then practice our scientific observation skills by examining an illustration of that fairy together, looking at special attributes of each individual fairy as they relate to their home or habitat.  Once we have shared our observations, students will create the fairy in their "field guide" journal and label it.  Weekly printed fact sheets will be provided, which students may cut out and add to their journals, plus a coloring page and paper cut-out fairy elements for students to create their fairy's clothing, habitat, animal friends, and more.

In addition to completing our journal entries, the remainder of the class will be spent exchanging fairy facts, sharing favorite fairy or other magical toys and books, and generally "geeking out" about fantasy worlds and magical creatures together.  We will also occasionally play related interactive games, movement activities, and more (see below).  Students will be encouraged to bring something to share each week, and will also occasionally be provided with extension activities between meetings.

Dressing up is ALWAYS encouraged, but never required.

Themes for 2024 (subject to change, and all updates will be posted in the classroom prior to each weekly class):

2024 Happy New Year!
Week of December 31, 2023 : Holly Fairy
Week of January 7: Winter Jasmine Fairy
Week of January 14: FAIRY FUN WEEK: Fairy Games
Week of January 21: Weather Fairies
Week of January 28: Fairy Stories 
Week of Feb 4: Plant Fairies
Week of Feb 11: NO CLASS
Week of February 18: Animal Fairies
Week of February 25: Fairy School
Week of March 3: Winter Aconite Fairy
Week of March 10: Snow Drop Fairy
Week of March 17: Crocus Fairy
Week of March 24: Daffodil Fairy (NO CLASS 3/28, 3/29)
Week of March 31: Daffodil Fairy (NO CLASS 4/1-4/3))
Week of April 7: Tulip Fairies 
Week of April 14: Anatomy of a Fairy
Week of April 21: Fairy Friends & Familiars
Week of April 28: Water Fairies
Week of May 5:  (NO CLASS 5/9-5/10)
Week of May 12: Dandelion Fairy (NO CLASS 5/13-5/15)
Week of May 19: NEW Fairy Party!
Week of May 26:  White Clover Fairy
Week of June 2: Buttercup Fairy
Week of June 9: NO CLASS
Week of June 16: Fairy Rings
Week of June 23: Fuchsia Fairy
Week of June 30: Rose Fairy (NO CLASS 7/4 due to the holiday)
Week of July 7: Tuesday class: Fairy Party (repeat from a skipped spring theme) ; Thursday class: Rose Fairy
Week of July 14: Bee Balm Fairy
Week of July 21:  Foxglove Fairy
Week of July 28: Yarrow Fairy
Week of August 4: Poppy Fairy
Week of August 11: Forget Me Not Fairy
Week of August 18: Blackberry Fairy
Week of August 25: Sunflower Fairy
Week of Sept 1: NO CLASS on Thursday; Tooth Fairy on Tuesday 
Week of September 8: NO CLASS on Tuesday,  Tooth Fairy on Thursday
Week of Sept 15: Harvest Moon Fairy
Week of Sept 22: Acorn Fairy
Week of Sept 29: Sweet Chestnut Fairy
Week of October 6: Our Neighbors the Elves 
Week of October 13: Hawthorne Fairy
Week of October 20: Pumpkin Fairy
Week of October 27: Samhain and the Dark Fairies
Week of November 3: Harvest Fairy
Week of November 10: Fairy Doors and the Fairy Realm
Week of November 17: Fairyland MapsNO CLASS (US Thanksgiving week)
Week of November 24: NO CLASS (US Thanksgiving week)
Week of December 1: Design Your Own Fairy
Week of December 7: Box Tree Fairy
Week of December 14: Pine Tree Fairy (and Christmas Fairy--non-religious)
Week of December 21: NO CLASS

Future themes TBA (themes run year-round and rotate annually.  You can jump in at any time!).

In each short, introductory lesson, students will learn about the weekly featured fairy through a variety of approaches, such as read aloud stories, informative slides, video clips, and graphics, and more.  We will also intermittently add playful learning activities such as: building and sculpting, movement activities, games, discussion, repetition and more.  Vocabulary words such as observe, investigate, botanical, botany, parts of a flower, habitats, adaptations, flora, fauna, faerie folk, elves, fairy rings, bioluminescence, mythical, geography, parts of the globe, and more will be introduced and used during these interactive, engaging lessons.

While the main focus of this weekly club will be on allowing young fairy enthusiasts to share their love of fairy folk and other magical beings, we will also be practicing important social and educational skills as we learn about habitats, adaptation, and other STEAM concepts.  The short fairy lesson at the beginning will provide a framework for these discussions and will help the young explorer to build and develop observation, recreation, and communication skills, as well as foster curiosity, wonder, and interest in the world around them, big and small, real and imagined.  The field guide will serve as a fun keepsake and reference for future fairy studies and reflection.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the target age of this club, it is recommended that parents or caregivers remain close be to provide assistance and support as needed.  OS policy requests that adults remain off camera as much as possible, but it is important to stay close to help with technical difficulties, emotional needs, teacher/student communication clarification, and helping hands when needed.  I find that having a grown-up nearby creates the best experience for our younger learners.

ALSO:  Access to a color printer is required for this class, as well as a blank notebook or sketchbook.  The teacher will provide a recommendation as to what type of notebook works best upon request.  All other supplies will be easy to find, common household or office supplies, and will be noted in the classroom prior to each weekly meeting (as well as in the "Supplies" section of this class listing).