[Note- Here are the notes I took that day, edited for clarity]
Notes – Day 2 Session 1
Engaging with nature
Environmental Education for Children
1 1/2-hour session — limit 4 presenters
Preschoolers 11/16/2017 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Room B310
Georgia World Congress Center
Lytha Roddy, Adjunct Faculty – Early Childhood Education Consultant, Santa Monica College, Play 2 Create, Inc.; Judith Brunk, Early Childhood Education Consultant, Play 2 Create, Inc
Reawaken your ‘Sense of Wonder’ and the joy of engaging with nature and all of its elements. Together we will explore ways to incorporate nature into the curriculum. Ideas will be presented about how the garden can be used as a connection to the natural world. Information will be given on how to design a nature curriculum that can support emerging literacy, mathematics, science, and the creative arts. Together we will look at various types of gardens and how to work then into your environment regardless of space and resources. Discover ways to incorporate natural materials that support the construction of knowledge. Learn strategies to utilize the local community (pocket parks, community gardens, natural lands..) to extend the classroom experience. Let’s have fun and awaken the naturalist within and be inspired by creativity and passion.
Book – Ruth Wilson – Nature and young children
play is an active form of learning
reduces tension
provides a healthy way to express emotion
helps develop perspective taking
engages all the senses
helps children gain competence
(adapted from Developmentally Appropriate Practice)
[unique qualities – handout]
more than education for children
empathy, care
developmental benefits of experiences in nature
children are captivated by the natural world
and play in natural environments
supports the development of children’s naturalistic intelligence
– nature = more complex play
exploration with experimentation
nature places provide for unstructured spontaneous play
play in natural environments fosters the development of the whole child as it encourages growth in all of the developmental domains
*Experiences in nature provide children with the opportunity to take risks. These experiences help them to build the concept of themselves as a person who can cope with problems.
*In order to support children to develop a sense of caring and responsibility for nature we need to provide children with frequent and positive experiences in nature.
How are we talking about nature? [fear?]
otherwise it gets across message nature is not a safe place to be
educate kids on purpose of bee
*Nature has the unique quality of providing its own learning experiences. Many experiences in nature can not be manufactured in the classroom setting with the same sense of splendor.
Creating a garden
[the children have a planter they are responsible for – by class]
help the children really put the garden beds together (move dirt etc)
*When we offer intriguing and real work experiences for young children, we engage and nourish they natural capacity to learn.
*Creative garden spaces: baskets, buckets, coffee cans, baking dishes, wagons, shoe boxes, produce packaging, tires, pots and pans, wooden crates, cups and bowls.
[Rachel Carson – sense of wonder article]
ponder the mystery of nature in a pot in the windowsill
individual spaces for planting seeds all the time
designated space allows for seed planting
label – representational literature
*Supporting children to ‘Read’ the garden in a language they have created [pictures they’ve drawn marking the plants they planted in pots.]
marked off garden with string (square foot gardening)
*Garden Exploration and Observation
Garden beds and planter boxes provide a lovely opportunity for children to search for insects and other critters.
Provide a few exploration tools: magnifying glasses, bug boxes spoons, plastic cups, nets, tweezers, trays, spray bottles
what do plants need to survive
caring for newly planted seeds and seedlings
watering schedules
always have children planting seeds so they can see the process
digging barrel
gardening space
its about how we care for things
beauty of nature
garden harvest an opportunity for sorting and classification
*Eating from the garden: the treat of freshly picked produce tantalizes the taste buds and opens children to new experiences
planting rainbow carrots
prepare food from garden
garden to table component
paint pots – mosaic tile on pots – art component
*Table Gardens
shoebox (lined with aluminum foil- painted by kids to look like a rooftop garden)
spray bottle
succulent
replica insects
“friendship garden” see garden as community
creating habits – observation and discovery
terrariums – snails
build empathy
obstacle course – races
release his foot – not from shell
fake version first (which helps for those kids who are not eager to touch the ‘real thing’)
Activity: food coloring (that is safe for snails) they went through on paper- created ‘art’ that some kids (and parents) really enjoyed
create representation
clay snails
watercolor
naming them – calendar to eggs to hatch
books as resource – doesn’t have to be a starting place
lady bugs – milkweed (aphids)
bug replicas for dramatic play and activities – storytelling
night crawlers- worm replicas
measure worms to see how big they are
butterflies insectlore.com
monarchs year round – host plant
specimen container – dead bugs
caterpillar tree – milkweed (harvest and replant the seeds instead of rebuying each year)
sand zen gardens and hermit crabs
* Unique visits from nature: spaces for birds and wildlife – providing nesting materials: string, yarn, feather, straw, ribbon
bees – not in a fearful way
to respect – if they are being removed explain that there are too many bees nearby [try to have them move the hive if possible]
embracing teachable moments when nature makes an unexpected visit
how can you check your own prejudices?
habitat – certified // wildlife
food and water and cover for animals – raise their young
shells in block area
pick off corn kernels
nature as an easel (tree rubbing)
inspiration for life drawing
painting and drawings
community tree [tree indoors made of paper leaves the kids make]- having a space for that
stuff they’ve found on walks – discovery zone [maybe I could add some specimen shelves]
ephemeral (lasting for a short while) arts – build with these
families going on nature walks
fairy house – cameras available
nature collages
milkweed – plant in upper area too?
patterning with insects
coffee to play dough
smelling garden
synthetic bird with real tree
rocks being a fire
hay bale
use combo of natural and synthetic
fake flowers – worms
great way to get kids who weren’t ready to touch them
pieces of bark with dinosaurs
glue rocks – sensory tables
loose parts create special places
Piaget quote: Not giving them all the answers
your’e not running it your’e supporting it – clearer
not time to present facts they can’t assimilate
engage with learning – ask questions
not “I know the answer to that”
it builds confidence “I have a really good question”
[pet rocks]
get out to explore nature
field trip to local nature areas
local flower shops – thrown away flowers
ralphs, vons donate
other plants:
feel
naturiam