Brought to you by: Pleasant Hill Parks and Recreation and Pleasant Hill Public Library
Sponsored by: Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, Friends of Pleasant Hill Library, Pleasant Hill Lions Club, and Occupational Therapy students and faculty at Drake University
NEW THIS YEAR (Story Walk in the Park)
Occupational Therapy students and faculty at Drake University have partnered with Pleasant Hill Library and Parks and Recreation departments to create some activities for you to engage in as you read the story. Although the story may be geared toward a young person, take a moment at each sign to engage in the natural environment, move your body (physical), consider your feelings/emotions (emotional) and engage your senses (there are 8) sight (visual), taste (gustatory), touch (tactile), hearing (auditory), smell (olfactory), vestibular (balance) proprioceptive (movement) and interoception (internal). To learn more about occupational therapy, please visit www.aota.org or www.drake.edu/ot.
Location: Copper Creek Lake Park,4390 E University Ave, Pleasant Hill, IA
*The first sign is located across from the playground at Copper Creek Lake Park.
Total Distance: .4 miles
Look for a new story each month!
October: The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
Squirrel loves counting the leaves on his tree―red leaves, gold leaves, orange, and more. But hold on! One of his leaves is missing! On a quest to find the missing leaf, Squirrel teams up with his good friend Bird to discover who the leaf thief could be among their forest friends.
With vibrant art and captivating characters, the magic of autumn is captured beautifully on each page as readers tag along Squirrel's forest adventure. Is there truly a leaf thief afoot, or is something else going on in Squirrel's forest? A perfect exploration of change―both seasonal, and the anxiety that change sometimes causes. Bonus material explaining about the changing of the seasons.
1. What a wonderful time of year! I am snug in my nest with a belly full of hazelnuts and the sun is shining through my leafy canopy. Such lovely colors: Red, gold, orange... red, gold, orange
Can you spot 3 different colors that you can see?
2. Try to relax... breathe in... and out... just relax....
Can you relax with the squirrel and do two deep breaths?
3. Look around you. The leaf their if everywhere. It shakes the trees... and rustles the leaves.. It even takes your hat! Do you see the leaf thief, squirrel?