Touching plants

When we're outside with the little ones we're looking for ways to engage their thinking, and hopefully drive some inquiry. One of the first things we do (and then we revisit it) is walking around touching, smelling and looking at different plants.  We try to do this so we get a better understanding of where we are, as well as feel more comfortable when working with other living things. 

Second instalment

This is the second instalment of our itime with the grade 2 cca learners.  So far they have looked at some of the problems they see in the outdoor discovery center.  One of the larger problems they've recognized is the holes in the roof. Last week they were thinking about the different materials that could used for the roof. We thought of the idea of wood, and leaves.  We then looked around the garden to see if we could find anything around to fix it with.  Right now, we're not sure we can actually finish this "on time" but it's something we're working on.

Trying video

Alright I'm trying something new.

Working in the ODC these past two years has been pretty good, this year for a CCA we're having students develop like an itime, 20%time, maker space type thing, it's going to take forever, and it likely won't be great as a first go, but I take 18 grade 2 students out here three times a week for forty minutes to find problems and look for solutions.

The first bit was really just getting them used to the space, and the idea that problems exist in our real world.

We've found two, which i'll get into later on, but I wanted to introduce you (to part of at least) the space we're working in for right now

Absence of anything

http://savedbythe-bellhooks.tumblr.com/

Not really sure what this has to do with education, environmental, technological or otherwise, but it's something I've been thinking a lot about.  I've used saved by the bell hooks before, I love how provoking some of the images and quotations can be.  

I guess what I'm really wondering is why it takes the presence of extreme anything to finally do something, or become aware. 

In the environment it's climate change, how big does it have to be before people act.  With technology it's falling behind as teachers, how much do we have to not understand before we realize that communication has changed and we're a million years behind (like really who even blogs anymore). With people, I guess it's everything.  Why do we need extremism, to realize the areas we're being exploited?

Anyway, just wondering how can we be aware of situations without being or causing extremism.