Seasons in our neighborhood — Thirteen Moons and seasonal change

Daily Calendar Circle. Then: 'A turtle's shell has 13 sections. Many Native American peoples have known that the moon comes 13 times in a year — that's 13 moons. Each moon names a part of the natural year. Today we listen and we look at how OUR neighborhood changes.'

• Show turtle shell illustration with 13 numbered sections
• Affirm that this is a different way of counting time than our 12-month calendar
• Note: 'both ways are real and useful'

Listen to Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back. Each moon has its own name from the Anishinaabe people, and the name tells you what is happening in nature — like 'Maple Sugar Moon' or 'Strawberry Moon' or 'Falling Leaves Moon.' Now look at these four photos. They are ALL of the same park. But each was taken in a DIFFERENT SEASON. Can you put them in order?

• Notice — each moon-name tells what is HAPPENING outside. The names come from paying close attention to nature.

  model Winter: Snow Crusts on the Ground Moon. Spring: Maple Sugar Moon. Summer: Strawberry Moon. Fall: Falling Leaves Moon.

  prompt Read 4 selected moons from Thirteen Moons (one per season)
• Same place, four seasons, four very different feelings.

  model Park bare with snow -> park with budding flowers -> park lush and green -> park with falling leaves

  prompt Sequence 4 seasonal photos of the SAME park

• What season did Bruchac call 'Falling Leaves Moon'?
• What clue tells you a photo is from WINTER?

M-K-S-CHR-14-A Illustration

Reproduction of Joseph Bruchac / Susan Roth cover — a large turtle on a starry background with 13 numbered sections on its shell, each section showing a small scene (sugar bucket, strawberries, falling leaves, snow). Title 'THIRTEEN MOONS ON TURTLE'S BACK' in 3-inch warm gold.

• In pairs, sequence 4 seasonal photos on the arrow strip

  scaffold Color-coded photo borders match MG-7 quadrants
• Add 3 'evidence cards' to each MG-7 quadrant (clothing + weather + celebration)

  scaffold Pre-sorted by season for emergent learners

MG-7 Chart

Seasons-Round chart — a 36-inch circular chart divided into 4 quadrants (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall — sequenced starting at top with the current season). Each quadrant has 3 'evidence cards' added during lesson 14: a clothing card (parka/raincoat/swimsuit/sweater), a weather card (snow/rain-bud/sun/falling-leaves), and a celebration card (winter holidays/spring festivals/summer block-party/fall harvest). Pointer-arrow shows current season.

M-K-S-CHR-14-B Photograph

Set of 4 color photos (5x7 inches each) taken at the same neighborhood-park location across four seasons of one year. WINTER: bare tree, snow on ground, empty bench. SPRING: budding flowers, fresh grass, child in raincoat. SUMMER: lush green, sun-bathers, picnic blanket. FALL: yellow-orange leaves, falling foliage, children in sweaters. Each photo has a color-coded border matching MG-7.

M-K-S-CHR-14-C Manipulative Physical / non-image

12-card deck (3 cards per season). Clothing cards: parka, raincoat, swimsuit, sweater. Weather cards: snowfall, rain-bud, sun, falling-leaves. Celebration cards: winter holidays composite, spring festival composite, summer block-party composite, fall harvest composite. Each card 3x3 inches with Velcro back.

• Show me which season we are in NOW on the MG-7 chart. Tell me one clue from outside.

• Update MG-7 chart pointer-arrow to current season
• Preview: tomorrow we'll learn cardinal directions

• Tonight, look out a window with a family member. Tell each other: 'I see ___ outside. That's a sign of ___ (season).'