By LAURA BROOKHART / Community Columnist

As HES kindergarteners returned to their respective rooms after gathering for naturalist and author Heather Montgomery’s presentation, it could be said they were walking through an art museum of their own creation.

Every hallway is lined with student work that tells the story of the expressive life of learning in their formative years of school experience.

There are large tooth shapes with personal letters to The Tooth Fairy written by each child. One thoughtful little girl’s example:

“I like your wand. I love you more than your wand!”

And of course, there are books. One bulletin board shows the fun that Dr. Seuss never fails to provide. Mrs. Cowan’s students have played with rhyming words written on copies of the signature hat worn by The Cat In the Hat.

Mrs. Clay’s students have written about their favorite books. No longer are students always practicing repetitive handwriting on a lined tablet. Written on paper plates with a small copy of the book cover attached, the involvement is mush more personalized.

“My favrit book is Beekle becuz he fins a BFF.”

“I like this book bkuz the kaw got ran ovr bi the tradr.” (“The Day Jimmy Boa Ate the Wash”)

Large colorfully illustrated posters showed the scientific explorations students had worked on prior to Montgomery’s visit. (These were by older students.)

Animal: Parrotfish. Grouping: School. Most Interesting Fact to Me: “The parrotfish sleeps in a mucus sac to keep warm.”

Animal: Lionfish. Grouping: School. Most Interesting Fact to Me: “The red lionfish have venomous spines.”

“Be curious. Be curious about everything,” naturalist and author Heather Montgomery told HES students. “Ask who, ask what, ask where and how, think about when, ponder why.”

All HES students attended one of Montgomery’s presentations which are fine-tuned for their grade level. The afternoon kindergarteners seemed captivated and Montgomery praised them for “asking really good questions” as they looked at the various animal bones and fur pelts she passed around.

Her slide show showed illustrations of oddities such as a recent new (and endangered) snake, Matilda’s Horned Viper, discovered by a three-man team in on the Wildlife Conservation Committee of Tanzania.

Montgomery, a GoodReads author, signed copies of “How Rude,” her latest publication.