Thank you all so much for writing us letters!  We have received many so far and are in the process of writing you all back.  YES!  We will write you back if you send us a one! Just send them to The Cosgrove Institute, c/o Prairie Green School, 2009 400th Street SW, Oxford IA 52322.

There are many advantages to being a year round school.  Today, I am going to focus on one of those advantages...our vacations!  Each vacation (except our summer vacation) the students are required do an activity with their family and share it with the class once we get back from break.  This winter break Claire made suet with her father, Judd.  Claire took pictures of the process and then put together a book of the process of suet making.  She brought a cube of suet to share with the birds out at the school and the kids were pleased to help spread it on our picnic table.  I think Beau (our class dog) enjoyed the crumbs under the table as well!  Anyway, we learned that Claire rendered deer fat from the deer her dad shot to make the suet and that fact stuck in Lucy's brain but I didn't know it until at least a month later.  

One cold morning in February as Judd dropped off Claire at school, he told Parker (who has a love for hunting) that his brother hit a deer as he was driving home from Judd's house last night.  After he told Parker that the deer was hanging in Judd's garage, Parker was all excited to watch Judd skin the deer.  So, we had an impromptu field trip to the Lawlers.  The kids were amazed at the process and half way through, Lucy stated, "Now we can make suet with the fat!"  YAHOO!!  What an amazing connection she made all on her own!  

So, today, we had another impromptu field trip to the Lawlers to make suet!  Enjoy the pictures and a special thank you to Judd and his willingness to always take time to teach!