March 2026 SOLC–Day 11
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org
Monday was a long day. That night before going to bed, I moaned to my husband, “I don’t want to stay after school for Writing Club tomorrow. It’s supposed to be beautiful! I want to come home and go for a walk.”
Tuesday morning dawned, already leaning toward warm. The forecast was for blue skies, sunshine and temps in the 60s, but it was stormy weather in my classroom. All. Day. Long. The last thing I wanted to do was extend my day at school after dismissal. I yearned to go home, to abandon ship and seek shelter from the turbulence. Not an option.
So, when my crew of writers arrived after school, I did the next best thing. I diverted our course. I ditched my planned prompt and announced that we were going to take a sensory walk. My small group was enthusiastic. They are Mainers, after all, and know to make hay while the sun shines. In other words, if it’s warm and sunny in March, get outside and enjoy it! It won’t last!
So we did.
We stepped out of the building, exclaiming at the warmth, shedding layers of sweaters and sweatshirts and, in my case, a little stress. Our attention was immediately captured by a lone bee hovering over the sidewalk. What was it doing out and about? We ambled along, stopping to listen, to smell, to touch, to see. Sharing our observations. Enjoying the beauty of the day together.
The kids convinced me to head out into the woods, despite the slushy snow and my inadequate footwear. One of them advised, “If the back of your shoe is wider than the front, put that part down first and then put the front down slowly. Your foot won’t get as wet.” This worked surprisingly well.
Walking forward into the path, we marveled as the temperature dipped in the shade, refrigerated by the shade and the deeper piles of snow. We stopped in a small clearing, surrounded by towering trees.
“I smell pine!” A exclaimed.
I took a deep breath of air, then moved a few steps forward and did so again. “Oh! I do, too!” I enthused, as a hint of balsam reached me. We all jotted.
“Cars!” several exclaimed at once, then scribbled again in their notebooks.
After the traffic sounds ebbed, we stood a bit longer.
“It’s a shame there’s no breeze. Then we could hear trees moving,” I commented.
A moment later, there was a soft, rustling noise. Excited, I turned and saw A. grasping a low branch of pine, swishing it back and forth.
We all laughed.
“Thanks, A! That was helpful!”
We wandered a bit further along the trail.
“Deer poop!” exclaimed L in delight, running ahead. She’s a writer whose writing tends toward comics, dark humor and inevitably, poop. This was treasure indeed!
“Well, don’t taste it!” someone commented dryly.
Nearby we found deer tracks. We looked more closely and found several more, pausing to imagine the deer walking in this space before us.
“I’m watching out for lady slippers,” C. commented, as we moved on. “I don’t want to step on any!”
I eyed the snow cover around us. That felt a bit overoptimistic, but commendable, nonetheless.
The kids walked ahead of me, leading the way out of the woods.
As we moved back into the sun, their faces turned instinctively to the sun, like seedlings. Heliotropism in action. We stood still and soaked it in.
“I hear a crow!” C. whispered.
“I see a cattail by the pond, and I can still smell the pine,” A added.
“I feel a breeze on my skin!” L. declared.
I feel better. I thought.
Nix the comfort zone 
Great improvisation turns the day around. I really like that last line, but really like the whole narration. This was a telling description: “She’s a writer whose writing tends toward comics, dark humor and inevitably, poop. This was treasure indeed!”
It’s fascinating, too, to see how much difference latitude makes. Our recent warm spell has cleared all but the biggest of plow mountains. We’ve got grass again and early daffodil buds.
Biy the way I also liked the lesson about how to walk in the snow, wide end of shoe first…a Maine tip.
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We have been snow-covered since December, but have lost tons of snow in recent days. We’re expecting more snow this weekend, though. It all comes and goes quickly at this time of year!
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Oh my gosh, you sound just like me! I would often take my entire class outdoors for our writing lesson, and they always enjoyed what they produced. I love the idea of a sensory walk. I’m going to take one of those myself today. Glad you were able to get outdoors with your students and enjoy the fresh air.
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It was a real mood changer!
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I love that the sun came out just in time for your changed plan, and that this sensory walk brought your mood up. What a lovely afternoon!
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It was gorgeous! It really changed my mood, which is ironic, because I had not been looking forward to it.
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These are the kinds of posts that I adore – – real observations of real world happenings in places in the world that bring the voice of knowing how to get around there. That wide part of the shoe trick is a good one to know anywhere, but I’m sure more so in Maine where the snow is melting. We just have mud bogs here in Georgia. I’m glad you got to get out and enjoy the outdoors – – and to take a group of young writers to preserve the experience. I like that someone shook the tree to make the breeze!
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The tree breeze was funny. It’s interesting because that writer was a challenging second grader in my class two years ago. It’s fun to get to know this older version of her.
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Writing outside, even without snow and a fence keeping us in, was a balm for me and my students. I’m so glad you gave them that treat and soothed yourself, too. You are good at capturing their dialog.
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We were all so happy to be outside in warm weather. It was a lovely shock to the system!
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A masterful teaching moment! A sensory walk! Maybe your regular class needs more sensory moments during the school day! I’m just saying. We all have getting out from the four walls. Just brilliant.
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To be honest, my class tends to consistently generate their own sensory moments all day long!
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This post is a celebration of students and seizing an opportunity, of the power of community and writing. Thanks for sharing this vignette of your group and how you are growing together.
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Thanks! We had a great time. There were several spontaneous “This is fun!” comments.
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I love a sensory walk! And I love the way you capture the tidbits of student conversation. A perfect solution to your need to get outside–and the kids benefit from being filled by all that nature has to offer. I’d love to know more about your writing club.
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It was the perfect solution! Now that we’re back in snowy cold again, I’m appreciating the memory of that transitory warmth.
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