Today is our second day of class for the Environmental Education Summer Institute. I have been enjoying my time learning about nature and the effective ways to teach it. We have begun our investigation of nature and the use of inquiry for effective science teaching. We began our class today by compiling and analyzing data from our investigation in college woods yesterday. We collected measurements about the trees and then used this information to determine density and composition of the woods. This activity would be interesting to use within a math class, where students have to measure, find percentages, and graph the data.
Yesterday we also were engaged with nature through individual observations of self-selected trees, we then worked together in small groups to identify our trees. We worked through a variety of learning styles ~ individual time, small group to teach each other, and journaling which involved artwork and writing ~ to complete this activity. This allowed us to begin connecting with the land and making close observations to generate questions.
Today our scavenger hunt through the Barrington Headwaters was full of exploration. I had so much fun! Trying to answer questions about the woods was like trying to solve a mystery, but the conclusions we made didn't always have a definite answer. We could make educated assumptions by reading the land, but will we really know the past that is documented within the land?
Frogs were jumping everywhere
Beaver? Beaver? Where are you?
Why did you make Lincoln Logs?
Where do you live? Where is your dam?
Racoon tracks and porcupine spines
Ticks galore- Oh no bore!
Hot top full of plants
Juniper, grape, apples coppiced
Blueberry delight
Field a vegetative sight
Green metallic beetle scurries bright
Lichen straightjack on maple so young
Alice's burial distrupted, disturbed
Landscaped with lilacs
What occurred here? Where did they move?
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ReplyDeleteYour poem is terrific. You include so many wonderful aspects of BHW and the scavenger hunt experience. Please share with others when you have a moment.
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