Outdoor Stations-Insect Inquiry

 The post is a documentation of my first adventure in outdoor learning stations!  The materials at each station are adjusted after each child has learned at that station at least once.  Right now kids spend about 10-15 minutes per station.  I planned for 4 kids at each station at a time so there is plenty of space and materials for everyone.  Right now I am assigning the groups rather than letting kids pick. (We've had some issues with excluding others) I was able to try with half my class first so I could work out any kinks before trying this type of learning with the whole class!  Here are the stations I tried today: all related to our insect unit.  I plan to keep the main title/purpose of the stations the same but switch the content based on our inquiry topic.  I also plan to add provocation question soon so that there is a true sense of inquiry learning.

Reading station:  This station had books selected for our insect topic.  Student were encouraged to read and share what they found with each other.  This helped generate interest in the books and stronger readers were able to help out readers needing support.

Explore/Build station: The goal was to build an insect with all its body parts by using a spinner type game.   Silliness brought to you by the makers of Cootie!

Using wooden blocks, glass stones and pinecones to create insects with 3 body parts, 6 legs and antenna

Create Station:  I put together vibrant, up close photos of different insects.  Students were invited to draw.  I plan to add painting and sculpting to this station so each day features a different medium.

After drawing based on photos, we moved to water color.  This is the first time in my over 20 year career that I allowed kids to use permanent markers to create their own outlines.  Fortunately our art teacher has already taught them proper care and use of these markers.  I was pretty nervous about it but they did a great job and made amazing pictures!

Look closer station: We used magnifying glasses to observe and record our mystery creatures (Ladybug and Painted Lady Butterfly larva/pupa) and look closer at models of their life cycles as well as other insects.

This is an upcycled paper journal with life cycle labels and illustrations.  I believe the kids learn more by creating their own text book and illustrations that cutting and pasting a worksheet.

I added field guides to the look closer station.  The kids became very interested in the different species and trying to find insects they had seen in the past.  These were also offered during our nature explore time and became a popular resource.

We experimented with putting a hollowed out potato in the sun and in the shade to see if we could catch any creatures.  Unfortunately, squirrels got to the potatoes and we determined the experiment a failure.  Good thing we have a growth mindset!

Setting up our potato bug catcher in the shade.

Upcycled books

 

Has this ever happened to you?  You are ready at the copier and plan to print 20 copies of a specific paper but, oops, slip of the finger, moment of distraction and a zero gets add.  Before you realize it, you've printed 200 copies.  Before you toss the extras in the recycle bin, try making student journals!  Simply fold the papers in half so the printed side is inside and the blank side is outside.  Staple 3-5 pages into a small book.  Repeat and Viola!  A class set of journals ready for whatever learning the kiddos want to create.

I also have a group of parent volunteers who, want to help but can't come into school (especially during the COVID era).  They do all kinds of sorting, cutting and organizing and are more than willing make these! 

A piece of no longer needed bulletin board boarder adds a bit of flair.

Taping the bottom edge of the pages allows pages to be used as pockets.

Two types of upcycled journals or student books.

Evidence of... Unicorns?!

Circled is the object that has been determined, by our unicorn experts, to be a unicorn footprint or horseshoe.  The evidence includes sparkles of silver on the object and the shape.  This must mean that there are unicorns in our forest!

During our outdoor investigation of insects, one of our careful observers found 2 mysterious objects.  Originally it was thought that they were tools that the"crime scene" predator used on the duck.  However, one of our resident unicorn experts was certain that the shape was the same as a unicorn hoof.  Out came the magnifying glasses and debate on the veracity of this discovery ensued.  It was determined that the object MUST be a unicorn hoof print or horse shoe.  The finding was verified by our panel of 1st grade scientists.

Outdoor learning and an open schedule during this time of the day allowed for us to set aside the planned lesson and engage in inquiry.

I have the BEST job!
 

Tree Dragon

Just because it makes me smile every time I see it.  Doesn't this tree look like a friendly dragon?

 

Personalize Hallway Display

For several years I have wanted to showcase student work in a way that recognizes the creator of that work and is in keeping with my goal of sustainability, I wanted to avoid the waste of time and resources involved in laminating, taping and stapling projects to walls and bulletin boards.  Another teacher started hanging photos of their students in the hallways using diploma frames from the dollar store.  This gave me the idea to create my own, reusable frames that could display work by using clothes pins, hot glued to the frames as a quick and zero waste display method.  I used 3 clothes pins per frame to accommodate different sized projects.  When it is time to switch projects, the student finds their frame, I unclip the old project and hand it to the student to take home and then clip on the new project.  Kids love seeing their photos and showing their work this way.  As a bonus, if they forget to write their name on their projects and I don't catch it, it is easy to to identify their work.

Each child's name and photo are displayed in the frame and the work is hung below on clothespins.

Each frame is hung by a loop of yarn to a push pin/thumb tack.  These are surprisingly sturdy.  I've only had frames fall when acted upon by outside forces.  If the glass breaks I rehang the frame without it.

At the end of the school year, the student takes home their photo and I keep the frames for the next year.

The Kindness Tree

I love to upcycle!  This means, I like to take items that would otherwise be added to a landfill and make them into something useful. This is how the Kindness Tree came into being.  

First I will set the scene and give background knowledge on this classroom addition.  

I was participating in a book study of The Wild Card by Hope and Wade King.  As part of the study, I was challenged to try something from the book to boost student engagement.  I decided to try a room transformation and turn my room into and apple orchard.  I crowd sourced fake trees to borrow for this project.

One of the trees was in pretty sorry shape (I was warned).  Most of its leaves had fallen off already and continued to fall during our apple orchard experience.  I dutifully saved them.  However, when it came time to return the trees, the owner said I could keep or toss the tree.  I couldn't bring myself to throw it away (if you have ever seen the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, you probably understand my reluctance).  I brought the tree home and stored it in my garage (along with all the leaves that fell off in my trunk during the journey home).  The tree sat in my garage for a looong while.  

Inspiration finally struck in February when one of the 2nd grade teachers challenged the 1st and 2nd grade classes to commit 100 acts of kindness for the 100th day of school.  She gave us hearts to record the acts of kindness and display.  When I drove into my garage that evening I saw the tree.  What a great way to display the kindness hearts!  Hey, the leaves could be hung on the tree and represent acts of kindness too!

With the help of parent volunteers, we punched holes in the leaves and the colorful paper hearts and strung pipe cleaners through the holes for hanging (chenille rods to you newer teachers and crafters).  We didn't write on the hearts so they could be reused.

The kindness tree is now and ongoing feature in the classroom.  Students can add a leaf or heart on their own or sometimes whisper to me privately something they have done that is kind, seeking permission to add to the tree.  I also try to notice kindness and encourage the child to add to the tree.  The outcome is that our class values kindness.  Other teachers even notice and comment on our culture of kindness.  Adults are encouraged to add to the kindness tree too. 
Maybe someday our kindness will change the world!

 

Stories from Nature Day-Inquiry and the duck

 During our most recent nature day, while the kids were exploring, several came up to me to show me feathers that they had found.  These were unusual because of deep purple markings on one side of each feather.  They showed me the location of their treasure trove and, sure enough, a few moments later the remains of the duck were found a few feet away.  To be fair, not everyone enjoys a forensic study of wildlife (My student teacher excused herself and hastily wandered away to a group of children exploring sticks and rocks). But a small group stayed to engage in an informal inquiry about this duck.

Our "crime scene"

The forensic detective decided to protect our crime scene by surrounding it with sticks.  We wondered what sort of animal would enjoy a meal of duck. At whose paws did this duck meet it's demise? Some possibilities included foxes, raccoons, eagles (we have been watching the DNR eagle cam in our area and knew that bald eagles hunt for bird to eat and feed their young, as shown by the evidence of feathers in their nests).  One student wondered if a hunter could have shot the duck and another student told him that it was against the law to hunt in town, you have to go to the country.  Another student identifies the duck as a Mallard and yet another agreed that it was a male based on the teal head feathers.  Another student noticed that insects were also eating the duck so we wondered how many animals would use the duck for food.  We also wondered what would happen to the feet, which were a little ways away from the body (and how did they come off?).  We decided that this rare find had to be shared with our principal.  (He is the kind of principal who gives staff his cell phone and wants to interact with kids whenever possible).  We called him and he came out to listen to the kids  forensic detective share their observations and examine the "crime scene".

Our school principal examining the "crime scene"

I am not sure if this inquiry will continue or if we will do formal wondering, researching or create a project that shows our learning.  I am, even more, convinced of the power in learning in the moment and letting the kids take the lead in learning.  The engagement was complete and more students joined the group as we were observing.  As a bonus, we began learning about the cycle of life and the benefit this duck's demise has on other creatures and eventually the surrounding plants.  

I will add to this post if and when we revisit the "crime scene".

My favorite phrase during nature day continues to be "Look what I found!"

First Steps to inquiry and outdoor learning

I am taking my first real steps to make outdoor learning the main instructional environment for my students.  Right now I am taking the standard curriculum and teaching it outside.  I have a sturdy wagon with "all terrain" wheels to hold all the learning materials and plastic covered pillows (up-cycled form the insulated bags my grocery delivery frozen foods arrive in).  I've had to simplify quite a bit but I love teaching lessons outside! Student report that it is easier to focus on learning with the nature sounds around them.  I enjoy being in the fresh air (It feels a lot safer outside with COVID!) and I appreciate how focused I can be.  I only have 1 spot to look for materials and if kids come outside unprepared they have to figure out how to solve their problem.  The kids who need more movement have the space and we all feel calmer and more centered.  There are also elements of nature that take us in different learning directions, like a woodpecker sighting or the appearance of green grass.  I am learning to be open to these teachable moments.  I am also learning to let go of my attachment to trying to keep everything clean and in perfect condition.  Things break. Mud gets tracked around.  Papers rip.  The important is impact simply being outside has on the kids.

My "trusty"wagon and a camp chair that mostly holds my plan book.

Students working in pairs playing a math game.

Cloth bags I sewed to hold frequently used math materials.

A quieter and less distracting environment.

 The questions and challenges I am facing are:

What do I do on rainy or snowy day? (this is Minnesota after all!)

How can I manage seating when the grass is wet?

Does it matter if they get dirty?

How to I keep enough outdoor clothes so that everyone is comfortable learning outside.

How to I balance structured and unstructured learning?

This is the first part of the journey.  I am so excited to learn and grow into this!

Sensory Baskets

When I first began teaching first grade, after spending almost my entire career in Kindergarten, I had to grapple with the sudden lack of play and sensory experiences available to kids.  Teachers of young children understand the importance of play and how the process of manipulating small objects helps develop fine motor skills.  For some reason it seemed as though first graders were expected to be fully developed in those areas.  When COVID pushed us all to distance learning, Kindergarteners lost a third of their Kindergarten experience.  The minimal development of small motor skills in some kids became quickly apparent.  Adding that issue to the need for hands on activities during transitions and my personal desire to bring nature into the classroom, sensory baskets were born.  Here are a few of the types of baskets I have available in my classroom.

Mini log pieces of varying sizes.

 

Natural blocks and spools.

Wooden beads and string.

Wood blocs mimicking 3-D shapes.

Wooden stones (along with real stones, not pictured).

Seashells

I also have baskets of buttons, pinecones, glass stones and curved wooden pieces that mimic letter shapes form Handwriting Without Tears