Garden Prep!

Since the beginning of Forest School in September, students have been dreaming about gardening.  What do we plant?  When can we start?  How can we cook what we grow?  Now that it's the end of March, with the snow dripping and warmer breezes blowing, the students are finally starting to prepare for gardening in our little plot in the Community Garden at the North Branch Nature Center!

First, students filled seed flats with soil and planted pepper and tomato seeds. 

 

Then, they made labels for their seed trays.  This was an excellent time for young writers to practice their literacy skills!

 

Next, students chose which seeds they would like to grow in their "Dream Garden."  This served as an opportunity to categorize and sort, which are important math concepts for kindergarteners.

Students then wrote and drew in their journals the types of vegetables and flowers they wanted to plant.  (An excellent opportunity for more advanced writers to learn spelling and practice writing.)

After such great garden preparations, we ate lunch by the river and hung out with our friends in the springy sunshine.   What a good, full day it was!

Spring is Coming! Using QFT with second graders

Happy First Day of Spring!  Although you might not guess that spring is beginning with the 15" of light snow we received over the past few days, spring is coming.  To celebrate spring's arrival, in two second grade classes at Union Elementary School in Montpelier, we used our senses to find signs of spring in Hubbard Park.  We were helped by the Question Formulating Technique, which was developed by the Right Question Institute.  First students thought of as many questions as they could in 2 minutes about the statement, "Spring is Coming!"  Here were the parameters:

1.  Only ask questions.

2.  Any statement will be turned into a question.

3.  No analysis of questions or answering them.

4.  Write questions as they are stated.  

Here is the list that we generated:

 We walked the mile through town up to our "Base Camp" to investigate signs of spring that are on their wa.  Here are a few students diligently recording their observations at their sit spots.  They found snow melting, warm breezes, soft moss, buds beginning and much more.  Sitting quietly and observing proved fruitful for generating more questions about what's going on in the little microcosm of the sit spot. 

When we returned back to school, we revisited our questions from earlier in the morning.  Can you see the extra questions we asked?  Students focused their questions and were much more specific.  In the early morning, questions were broader, such as, "Do you think it will be warm," and "Why is spring coming?" 

After being outside and everyone sharing the signs of spring that they saw, smelled, heard (lots of birds!) and felt, the questions that the questions generated were more specific and demonstrated higher thought processes.  For example, one student asked, "Why is the grass orangish-brownish after the snow melts?"  Immediately after, another student asked, "Why is grass green in the summer?"  Since we wrote these questions on the flip chart, they will be saved and teachers can return back to discuss and answer these questions!  It's a perfect opportunity for authentic, engaged learning. 

These second graders are savvy researchers, too.  When I asked how they could answer their own questions, one boy stated, "You google it!"  They also knew to look in books, talk to their parents and teachers, ask the librarian for help, and much more.  

 

Here's something I observed at my sit spot!  It looks like a cross between a frozen inchworm and a tiny birdpoop.  I wonder what it is?  How did it survive the winter?  How did it remain sticking to the stick throughout the winter?  Oh, the questions that arise...