1st grade goes to the zoo

Mary Reese's class went on the annual 1st Grade Birmingham Zoo field trip.  They were suppose to go the week before but the threat of rain postponed their trip by a week.  I avoided the ride on the school bus and opted to take my own means of transportation.  They got to the zoo a little after 10:00 and immediately ate their lunch [or maybe I should say brunch].  Then the entire crew headed in for a fun and excited day in the zoo.  They all came armed with a list of animals they wanted to see.  They had just finished their Survivor IB unit where they learned about all these animals and their habitats.  They were excited to make connections!

While the girls got situated and mapped out their plan of attack, Owen talked to some birds at the entrance...



[It was the first time for him at the zoo and he LOVED it!  He was the perfect child, keeping up with all those girls just like he was one of them.]

The first place the group headed...the reptile house!  A place a was trying to avoid but they drug me in.  Mary Bibb's mom was laughing at a conversation between Mary Bibb and Mary Reese.  It went something like this:

MB:  Mary Reese look at their habitats.
MR:  I know.  Look how they make themselves cryptic.

It was way over our heads.  We had to ask Mrs. Propst what cryptic meant [just a fancy word for camouflage].

Mrs. Propst was even giving lessons along the way...



The kids were hanging on every word and asking lots of questions.  Truly sponges.  After the reptile and bird section, we decided to catch a ride on the train before the line got too long.

Sweet classmates waited on their turn so they could all ride together...



Eliza, Abby, Mary Bibb, Mia Kate and Mary Reese

Finally it was their turn...



...they were front and center.  All I could here were tons of squeals and giggles coming from that first car.  It was priceless.

After the train ride around the zoo, we headed to the new African section.  [They were constructing it 2 years ago when I was on the same field trip with Banks's class.  I was excited to see the finished product.]  We saw moneys, giraffes and elephants...



We found a fabulous Africa insprired playground...



Complete with masks...



...drums...



...and a huge rock for climbing...



It also had some pretty comfy, shady benches for us moms.  I didn't think we would ever get the girls off the playground.  We lured them out with the promises of a cold drink from the Safari Cafe.  We were recharged and ready to explore the rest of the zoo.  We headed through the predator zone and finally ended up at the Children's area.

We ended a fun filled field trip at the splash pad...





Owie had a ball...



One last photo op...





...before heading north.  We pulled through a Chick-fil-a for a milkshake to help cool us off.  I looked back a few minutes later to this view...



Little brother was still going strong...and lasted without snoozing all the way home.  I should have made him drive so I could have rested my eyes!

Tomorrow was another big day...FIELD DAY!