Nature Kindergarten

With Halloween approaching and spiders coming out, this week the children were fascinated with spider webs. Together we learned some types of spider webs including the Orb and triangle webs. We learned how spiders make webs as well as what they eat.  The children spent the first part of the week noticing, counting and naming webs and then the second part of the week building them. The children were such
great web builders a spider immediately moved in to their web! The “Nocturnal Nature Detective” also left a message and some materials at the site for the children to explore and make their webs.
This week we visited our second site, and the children have been attracted to all the climbing opportunities it provides. The site supplies tons of branches and materials for making forts and spaceships! On the walk down the children have been noticing the trees that are losing leaves and the trees that aren’t. They have also noticed that some of the leaves are already decomposing and turning into dirt. Using the leaves, we have
had lots of opportunities to play sorting and counting and matching games. One of the children’s favorite rituals is to leave messages on the path. Often they will draw the first letter of their name, a heart or a trail they want others to follow. The children have also noticed that the weather is starting to change and that they need their warmer mitts and hats.

(Prepared by Erin Van Stone)

Thank you to members of the Nature Kindergarten development team and community members who came out on a rainy Sunday afternoon to pull daphne and holly from the Nature Kindergarten site.  The group worked efficiently for about 1.5 hours to remove a significant amount of invasive species plants.  Daphne can cause a severe allergic reaction if it comes in contact with your skin, eyes and mouth, so we wanted it removed from the site the students visit on a regular basis.

Royal Roads University, in Victoria, is offering three opportunities to learn more about the Nature Kindergarten model.  The continuing studies course “Nature Kindergarten Experience” is being offered on December 13th for $75.  Please follow this link for more information … http://cstudies.royalroads.ca/courses/PATL2936-Y12.htm

Wow! Almost the middle of October and we just experienced our first day of rain! We enjoyed putting all this wonderful rain gear to the test! We also discovered that when it rains our worm friends come out to greet us. 

This week the children were interested in how much the environment around them was changing. In groups we searched for signs of fall. The children have learned to notice and observe their environment. For example a child stated “I’m observing that the bottom of the horse tail is black”. When asked why he thought it was black he responded “Because it is dying”. The children noticed that not only was it getting colder, but the trees and plants were changing. We searched for the many different types of leaves that had fallen on the ground. The children spent time counting, sorting and playing in these leaves. This week the children learned how to count to five and say bear and squirrel in SENĆOŦEN.

As the week went on, the children noticed squirrels on the field. The squirrels were chasing each other and the children concluded that they must be getting ready for winter! We decided to be squirrels for the day and spent the day doing as squirrels do! The next day, we read about and researched squirrels to discover that they don’t hibernate as bear do. We learned that they collect nuts and pinecones to eat during the winter months. They create a home called a “drey” out of leaves and twigs, and they bury their food. The children worked together to fill their pockets with what they (as squirrels) would need for the winter. We then built dreys and buried the nuts and pinecones we found. We found a squirrel Skelton and learned about what prey on squirrels.

 (Prepared by Erin Van Stone, Nature K ECE)

Later this month wilderness first aid trainer, Alison Harle, will be teaching the Nature Kindergarten students basic first aid skills that are developmentally appropriate for 4 and 5 year olds.  This is in keeping with the premise that children can become responsible and independent individuals even at a young age.

The Nature Kindergarten team would like to thank Alison for providing customized first aid training to Nature Kindergarten ECE, Erin Van Stone, over the summer.  Alison was able to answer questions that Erin had that were very specific to the age group of the Nature Kindergarten students and the location of the program.  Alison’s expertise is an asset to the team, and her on-going interest in providing support is truly appreciated!

This week was a busy and exciting week at Nature Kindergarten! From visiting their outdoor new classroom to the grand opening and last but not least the whole school beach clean up!

The children were very engaged this week within nature, learning about parts of nature that are living and non-living. They explored signs of living things as well as explored what is usually required for something to be living. They explored these wonderful things using their senses and their new Nature K detective kits! (A pencil, paper and magnify glass). In the forest they found many living things including trees, birds, plants, dogs, people and a squirrel! The non living things we found include garbage, rocks dead plants.

The children are settling in to the routines and are really becoming a community of learners. They have embraced nature as a teacher and continue to surprise us with their ideas, abilities and desire to learn. Everyone is looking forward to another great week at Nature K.

Yesterday, in the sunshine, we held the official opening of the Nature Kindergarten pilot at Sangster Elementary.  Thank you to Lavina Charles and Shirley Alphonse for the traditional opening and welcome to the local territories.  Many thanks also to Wendy Hobbs, Board Chair, and Paul Corns, Royal Roads University, for your words of support and praise.  A huge thank you to Principal Maureen Lauren, her staff, student and parent helpers who prepared for and hosted the event.

It was special to hear the voices of Sangsters’ students sing two environmental songs.  The words of the songs you sung were an inspiration to all!

A short CTV clip that was filmed during and after yesterday’s opening.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYj-Cf3lrxA&feature=youtu.be

A short Shaw TV clip that was filmed during and after yesterday’s opening. http://youtu.be/Ty53qhO8N8g

News story in the Vancouver Sun www.vancouversun.com%2fnews%2fStudents%2bclassroom%2bexperience%2f7329675%2fstory.html

News story in the Times Colonist www.timescolonist.com%2flife%2fGiving%2byoung%2bstudents%2btaste%2bnature%2f7321572%2fstory.html

Nature K is in full gear and the class is enjoying the perfect weather as they make their way into the forest every day. They have taken up the challenge of being the caretakers of the forest and their compassion for the creatures they have encountered is extraordinary.

The current focus is on forest safety and gaining awareness and appreciation for the wonderful things nature has to offer. Last week, the students focused on “awakening their senses” to the textures, smells, sights and sounds around them. This included searching for specific textures, going on a silent walk, and searching for things that are camouflaged. They learned the meaning of “perseverance” and have discovered that they are getting stronger every day.

Now that Nature Kindergarten interviews are complete, the students headed outdoors last week.  They are spending time getting used to being outdoors as a group before they venture to far away from the school grounds.

“There is no bad weather, only bad clothes!” Being outside all morning in all kinds of weather means the children need good clothing that will stop the rain, keep them warm and comfortable. We gave parents a list of clothing supplies that will insure their children are warm and dry, even during cold January mornings. Parents have been busy buying long underwear, warm sweaters and pants. To be sure that all the children have good quality clothing that would stand up to daily use for a year and still be useable for next year we decided to buy the boots, raincoats and pants and backpacks. We did not want the cost of clothing and boots to be an obstacle to any child being able to participate in the program, we approached several sources with little luck and then this summer our local community came through.

Scallywag’s, a children’s clothing store, offered to donate three units of rain gear and to order the rest of the rain pants and coats at a discount. With word of Scallywag’s support we had other community donors willing to contribute for more rain suits. Traci McGee Family Counseling practice will sponsor one suit, Kristen Watson will sponsor one suit and another community donor will sponsor two suits.  A parent, Scot Taylor, had donated money towards the clothing earlier in the summer and we are able to put that money towards the coats and pants. These raincoats will certainly get a test of endurance and hopefully prove to be durable enough to be used next year.

Valhalla Pure Outfitters is helping us find hiking boots for the children at a reasonable cost. It will make a difference in the rainy days we have coming that the children have coats and boots that keep them warm. We are grateful to our community that has come forward to help support this project!