First graders have finished their animal kingdom projects! Working from their own sketches, they designed and molded amphibians and reptiles out of clay. Bird seed, pine cones and other natural materials were used for scales, claws and marking patterns on their animals. 
Country Schoolers, their parents and teachers waded into the water on Old Mill Beach in Westport this past weekend to capture and tag horseshoe crabs as both an extension of the seventh grade Long Island Sound unit and community service for Project Limulus (see 'what we're reading" for link).
Everybody in for the swim test! Ninth graders studied coral reefs and other ecosystems of the Florida Keys during their weeklong expanded study. Highlights were snorkelling at the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, the Dolphin Research Center and the Turtle Hospital.
NCCS is part of a four state effort to reestablish a population of Atlantic Salmon in the Connecticut River. The Connecticut River Salmon Association runs the Salmon-in-Schools program where eggs are hatched in classrooms from over 74 Connecticut schools. Once the alevin mature into fry they are released into a tributary of the Connecticut River. Our project is funded by the Jeniam Foundation.
8th graders toast to spring during a visit to the sugar shack to discuss maple syrup production.
