Harvest Mouse

Mia and I are on our second Animal Block in the grade four Waldorf curriculum. Today we learned about the harvest mouse, from Charles Kovak's wonderful book, The Human Being and the Animal World. What a fascinating little creature! Measuring only 2.5 inches long and weighing less than a postal letter (at a mere 1/5th oz), the little mouse is a skillful climber and nest builder. Their nests are little works of art. The little mouse weaves a sphere of grasses and stalks, hanging about a foot off the ground, among the tall grasses. They use their tails as monkeys do, climbing among the tall stalks. Kovak speaks of their nature with such delight, I long for a little animal friend such as this one.

Another inspiring book has been Learning About The World Through Modelling by Arthur Auer. Arthur demonstrates how to use model animals and human forms from a ball of clay, without adding the parts but instead shaping the whole to the parts. He did not give examples for a mouse, but we had this nice mousy pencil holder to inspire us.

main lesson book work (summary and illustration)

With gratitude for all things great and small...