Numbers in Nature

What do you do when your class size doubles over night?  You have to really think outside the box!  In my case, it was involved going outside the classroom.
Last Friday our kindergarten teacher attended the annual MTG conference, so I was left with her seven Ks in addition to my seven first and second graders.  What to do with those 14 squirming little bodies all morning along?
I decided to take them out to look for numbers in nature.  After partnering each kindy with a first or second grader, I provided each pair with a plastic bag and we set out to collect stuff we could count.
Since were in the midst of fall, we found brightly coloured leaves.  Elm Rivers has very few oak trees; however, our biggest one gave us tons of acorns and we brought back almost more than we could count! We found small discarded potatoes at the potato shed. (since we had rain a few days before, harvest was on hold).  By the la Salle River the students noticed cattails and of course wanted some.  As I walk over to pick some, one of the Ks screamed for me to stop!  She was under the impression that cattails grow in the creek, not along the edges.  I assured her I would be careful to stay out of the water.

Each of us brought along amid-morning snacks, so part way through our search we stopped to refuel.  We gathered at the granaries and enjoyed our munches!
Other objects we collected were a variety of pebbles and plants and even a few Asian Lady beetles.
After we arrived back at the school, each kindergartner and first grader picked an item from the collection.  I took pictures of him/her showing as many fingers as items.  I hope to print produce and numbers in nature book for  our class library.