A Nature Break

Sometimes it's nice just to take a break outside after a long test.

We are in the thick of MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program) this week.  After a long morning of math "meaping," we are enjoying a break outdoors on our wetland overlook.  Sometimes it's just good to take a break outside without any study at all, just plain rejuvenation.

One of my favorite quotes from Liberty Hyde Bailey comes from his book entitled The Nature-Study Idea, 1905.  He is answering the question, What may be the results of Nature-Study?  I love his answer:

"Its legitimate result is education--the developing of mental power, the opening of the eyes and the mind, the civilizing of the individual.  As with all education, its central purpose is to make the individual happy; for happiness is nothing more nor less than pleasant and efficient thinking.  It is often said that the ignorant man may be as happy as the educated man.  Relatively, this is true; absolutely, it is not.  A ten-foot well is not so deep as a twenty-foot well; and although the ten-foot well may be full to the brim, it holds only half as much water as the other."

Sometimes, in these high-stakes testing times, I think we forget that ultimately learning is a joy and "an opening of the eyes and mind."  And teaching the joy of learning and the happiness of thinking is our goal as educators.  Happy teaching and learning to all of us outdoor learning enthusiasts!   



Class Pet for a Day: Experience of a lifetime

Due to the generosity of Ilse Gebhard (butterfly expert and caterpillar gifter) we watched, fed and learned about monarchs in our classroom.  This one actually came out during class!  We let them go in our butterfly garden, knowing that they have a long journey ahead of them before the snow flies. 

Our Monarch, just out of her chrysalis

Drying her wings on my finger

Just about ready to fly

 

Back To School

"It is a wonderful world in which we live and vegetation is the garnishment of it.  It is a marvelous experience to see the manifold forms of life emerge from the bare earth, all the greater because we do not recognize the sensation.  As we are inhabitants of the planet it surely is our part to appreciate and utilize the objects and incidents with which we are placed.  The interest in them, and their meaning for us, lies in their essential nature and in the fact that they are partners, and the sense-sensations of color and fragrance are only attributes." --Liberty Hyde Bailey

 

 

Future site of the outdoor classroom

 

The new school year is underway!  For those of us who are in the field of education, we seek once again to bring the joy of learning to our classroom of new students.  Teaching, when fully engaged, is not simply a passing on of information or a presentation in formal methodolgy.  It is a complex web of connections between us, our students, and the subject matter.  Ultimately, teaching comes from the heart.  When we are at our best, we are sharing, inspiring and thinking as a community of learners in new and creative ways that come from the best of who we are.  Liberty Hyde Bailey surely shared his love for learning and teaching with those who were fortunate enough to be his students and colleagues.  I like to believe that he would be happy to know that his appreciation for nature study with children has again found a foothold in formal education.  One thing I know for sure is that his teaching has had a lasting inspiration for students like me and I am forever thankful.  

 

The Liberty Hyde Bailey Interpretive Garden Path continues to grow.  If you would like to be a part of this work, consider joining us for a meeting on September 26th at 7:00 p.m. at the Liberty Hyde Bailey museum.  Learn about the progress to date, hopes and dreams for the future and how you can be a part of this growing outdoor learning movement here in South Haven, Michigan!                    





Students capturing the sounds and sights of the wetland
 



Butterfly Garden Flower




School Garden

School Garden in Sweden

"Give the children an opportunity to make a garden.  Let them grow what they will.  It matters less that they grow good plants than that they try for themselves."  --Liberty Hyde Bailey

This summer I had the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks in Norway and Sweden.  I can't begin to describe the beautiful gardens, waterways and mountains, or the amazing architecture and history, of these northern countries.  My husband Bob's roots are in Sweden and mine are in Norway.  Although neither of us have traveled to Scandinavia, we both felt as if we were strangely home in these very foreign countries.  As we were touring a church one day, I walked the perimeter of the cemetery.  All the cemeteries were well manicured and filled with flowers.  This particular grounds was lined by an ornate iron fence covered with vines and various flowers.  I noticed a gate and peered through.  On the other side of the gate was this amazing garden.  There was an older couple sitting on one of several benches.  They smiled and waved, so I walked into this flowering wonderland.  The woman began talking to me excitedly in Swedish.  I was immediately transported to my childhood, when my grandparents (on both sides of my family) would hold long conversations in Norwegian just so that I would not understand, planning some surprise or punishment with seemingly great delight.  This couple spoke no English and I clearly did not understand their Swedish.  Finally, the woman pointed to the above sign and then across the street to a building.  I realized at once what I had stumbled into; a school garden!  What a magical moment!  It was as if I was meant to find this amazing plot of land near this obscure cemetery in Sweden.  We are not alone in our pursuits to bring children and gardens together.  And on that day, I was reminded of how amazingly similar the teaching of children and the passing on of beauty is in this world that we all call home.  The following photos are all taken in this "Skoltradgarden."

 

  

Butterfly Gardens

Our pet monarch from earlier this fall
 

We have big plans for a butterfly garden on our trail at North Shore, thanks to Jessica Overholser!  She has designed a plan for several raised beds that should encourage and support our butterfly population.  Jessica is a junior in high school and has been planning this since last year as a final Girl Scout project.  It is about to take shape in the weeks ahead!  She will be using indigenous plants that are draught hearty.  The flower beds will be on the upper field above the wetlands.  There is one component we have not yet figured out and maybe you can help.  Butterflies need water.  Jessica was hoping to develop some sort of well or way of capturing water, both as a watering system for the plants and as a water source for the butterflies.  If you have any suggestions or are willing to donate supplies to develop a well, please let us know.  When this project is complete, we will have a certified Monarch Way Station!  How cool is that?!       

Earth Day

 A Letter written to Mother Earth
 

Last week, I read one of my favorite picture books, Dear Children of the Earth, to the students in my class.  It is a beautiful story written as a letter from the Earth to those of us who have the privilege of being inhabitants on this amazing planet.  After we read the story, students took the time to write letters back to "Mother Earth."  The writing above is one such letter.  This Monday, April 22nd, is the official Earth Day.  My students and I will be celebrating the day by making recycled paper and taking time to clean up our school grounds.  Last week we planted annual flower seeds under lights, in the hope of planting them as the spring unfolds.  Happy Earth Day!  Take some time to celebrate this amazing little home of ours in the universe on Monday and everyday you have a chance!     

Signs of Spring

 

We looked for signs of spring today and started a book of observations.  We plan to visit the outdoor learning center on a regular basis this spring as we watch the season unfold.  We are even adding temperature and other bits of weather information (our science unit from last quarter).  Observation is an important science skill and basic thinking skill.  This is the perfect time to be observing a seasonal transition.  We are all excited to be heading toward warmer weather!