The Nature Kindergarten Issue

EDUCATION for EDUCATION PLANET EARTH

SPRING 2014 | ISSUE 102 | $7.95

Rain or Shine THE NATURE KINDERGARTEN ISSUE

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Features

Why a Nature Kindergarten By Claire Warden ...... /. 3 Embodying Permaculture By Matthew Bibeau and Kelly Hogan ...... /. 6 Page 3 Ten Steps to Starting a Nature Preschool By Jessica Pierson ...... /9 Risk-Assessing Outdoor Areas By Rosa Barcotti ...... /. 12 Look Up and Listen: Finding Peace and Serenity in the Woods By Catherine Koons Hubbard ...... /14 The Kinder-Gardeners: Outdoor Ed in the Big City By Mark DeBoer ...... /16 Marvelous Migration: Exploring the Seasonal Movement of Birds By Michael Caduto ...... /. 19 Developing Character through Ancient Wisdom By Cheri Isgreen ...... /. 24 Page 28 Where Does the Plastic Go?: Problem Solving Socio-Scientific Issues By Christopher D. Murakami, Suleyman Cite, Dane L. Schaffer, and Troy D . Sadler ...... /. 27 Let Peter Rabbit Play in the Garden By Kelly Johnson ...... /31 Beyond Peter Rabbit: A Look at Beatrix Potter’s Life By Kelly Johnson ...... /. 34 Creating School Gardens that Last By Jennica Skoug and Beth Hanna ...... /37 Tackling Invasive Species Using Citizen Science By Sarah Morrisseau and Christine Voyer ...... /40

Departments

Page 31 Resources ...... /44

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Green Teacher 102 Page 1 Editorial

Issue 102, Spring 2014 Ready for Take-Off General Editor Tim Grant

Editorial Assistant URING THE PAST 20 YEARS, a growing number of research- Isabel Slone ers have made the case that brain development during a child’s first years sets the stage for a lifetime of health and wellbeing. Editing D Isabel Slone, Tim Grant Arguing that more attention needs to be paid to those early years, these researchers persuaded economists and politicians around the globe to Regional Editors expand early childhood education programs. Canada Gareth Thomson Alberta (403) 678-0079 In the last few years, the growing child-in-nature movement has made an Laurelei Primeau British Columbia (604) 942-0267 equally strong case for expanding these programs. By pointing out that young Bob Adamson Manitoba (204) 261-7795 Raissa Marks New Brunswick (506) 855-4144 learners most need unstructured play in natural Craig White Newfoundland (709) 834-9806 outdoor settings, they have galvanized thousands of Steve Daniel Northwest Territories (867) 873-7675 Janet Barlow Nova Scotia (902) 494-7644 parents and child advocates to lobby for such pro- Barbara Hanbidge Saskatchewan (866) 254-3825 grams in their own communities. Spurred initially Remy Rodden Yukon (867) 667-3675 by Richard Louv’s 2005 book Last Child in the United States Woods, this grassroots movement is already hav- Karen Schedler Arizona (602) 266-4417 ing a big impact. As a result, the greening of early Kay Antunez de Mayolo, N. California, 650-773-4866 Helen de la Maza S. California (714) 838-8990 childhood education is now ready for take-off and Kary Schumpert Colorado (303) 772-2548 poised for considerable expansion. Mary Lou Smith Connecticut (860) 455-0707 As a small contribution to this emerging Phillip Smith Florida (850) 526-3226 Kim Bailey Georgia (770) 888-2696 movement, we are pleased to present in this issue Pat Sullivan Illinois (217) 322-2865 a wonderful collection of articles. Claire Warden Cathy Meyer Indiana (812) 349-2805 Shelene Codner Iowa (319) 404-1942 explains in the lead article, Scandinavian educators were the pioneers who Laura Downey-Skochdopole Kansas (785) 532-3322 launched this nature kindergartens fifty years ago. By the 1980s, these Jeanine Huss Kentucky (270) 745-2293 Sandra Ryack-Bell Massachusetts (508) 993-6420 outdoor programs were an accepted part of national daycare systems, and John Guyton Mississippi (228) 324-4233 governments began to subsidize the costs. The movement spread to other Bob Coulter Missouri (314) 442-6737 Lois Nixon North Carolina (919) 467-6474 countries and by 2005, Germany had over 450 Waldkindergarten. When Sara Ivey Oklahoma (405) 702-7122 North Americans began looking for models, they merely had to look Catherine Stephenson Pennsylvania (724) 357-5689 across the Atlantic. Anne DiMonti Rhode Island (401) 245-7500 Tim Brown Utah (801) 596-8500 My attention was captured when I first read Amanda and Judy Kane’s Jen Cirillo Vermont (802) 985-0331 “Waldkindergarten in Germany,” an article that we published in 2011. They Dan Waxman Virginia (703) 993-7782 described how the Waldkindergarten’s focus on unstructured outdoor play Green Teacher is a nonprofit encouraged children’s creativity, as well as a sense of wonder and curios- organization incorporated ity about the world. Being outdoors all day in all kinds of weather helped in Canada. We are grateful for the financial support of the Ontario young children become comfortable in natural settings. Adults soon began Media Development Corporation. to observe that such programs encouraged children to make good decisions, Design and Production self-regulate themselves and be more attentive when taking risks. Cover photo by Kim MacIntyre; cover design by Lisa Researchers then noted that when very young learners were outdoors Rebnord; printing by Annex Publishing and Printing, Simcoe, Ontario, on Forest Stewardship Council® for extended periods, their attention, agility and depth perception improved. certified paper. In these outdoor programs, children suffered fewer injuries from accidents than did their peers in indoor programs. Other research showed that when Contact Us 95 Robert Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2K5, Canada outdoor kindergarteners moved up into the primary grades, they performed Toll-free: (888) 804-1486 Fax: (416) 925-3474 above average in almost all areas of learning. They showed particular [email protected] www.greenteacher.com U.S. address: PO Box 452, Niagara Falls, NY 14304 improvement in reading, mathematics, and social interactions. Why would this matter to those who work with older kids? Parents who witness firsthand their children’s emotional and physical growth in nature pre-schools are not going to be happy when their children go on to regular schools and spend most of their days indoors, often sitting in rows. Already, these parents have become strong advocates for transforming education. Suffice it to say, the greening of early childhood education is now well underway, and all who work in education will eventually benefit from its impact. May it grow from strength to strength, and send ripples throughout education systems worldwide.

—Tim Grant

Page 2 Green Teacher 102 Why a Nature Kindergarten? No matter where or for how long, young children stand to benefit from spending extended time outdoors. Photographs: Mindstretchers Ltd Photographs: Mindstretchers

years olds. Each variation has differences in terms of time By Claire Warden spent outside, the structure afforded to the session and the age focus. All these models have to be set within the cultural HE TIME IS RIGHT to start to talk about natu- framework from which it has formed. The Scandinavian ralised outdoor learning but with that increased approach to the outdoors, referred to as friluftsliv, encom- Tinterest comes the wide variance in terminology and passes a cultural way of life and would warrant further read- approach. As a nature kindergarten founder, a Forest School ing to fully understand it. It is certainly seen as deep rooted leader, a consultant and as a parent, I am hugely commit- and connected to a cultural norm. ted to taking children to nature outside – in whatever guise Our decision was linked to the vision of a natural children’s that may be, but also bringing nature to them, both in school garden with all the aspects that it encompasses; from the grounds and inside their space. Children have always been landscape, to the food, the materials and resources used and connected to nature. It is so often the adults around them the sense of community within it, but also the natural desire who have lost the link. to have ones voice heard and valued from a very early stage. There are existing educational models that have com- So why nature? Well, the research is wide ranging and mon threads running through them, some examples would from all parts of the globe, to support its use on multiple be Ich ur o skur from Sweden translated to rain-or-shine levels. Here is a summary of some of the research and their nurseries; Skogsmulle are run in Scandinavia, similar to findings that have affirmed our values. our Forest School but can also be delivered by scout groups. • Children who play regularly in natural environments Mestämörri are Finland’s own version of Skogsmulle, and show more advanced motor fitness, including coordi- Udeskile are Denmark’s version of forest schools for 7-16 nation, balance and agility, and they are sick less often

Green Teacher 102 Page 3 (Grahbn, et al. 1997; in the activity and the Fjortoft & Sageie 2001). movements from the bit of • When children play nature she found in a con- in natural environ- crete gap. ments, their play is more So, given that we know diverse with imagina- through research that chil- tive and creative play dren need nature, do they that fosters language need it all the time, for an and collaborative skills hour or two, or for fifteen (Moore & Wong 1997, minutes, and in what guise Taylor et al. 1998; Fojor- should nature be offered? toft 2000). The minimum should be • Exposure to natural daily and then for a long environments improves block, so that they relax children’s cognitive and settle into the space. development by improv- The rise of Forest School ing their awareness, has been exciting. My reasoning and observa- first contact with Gordon tional skills (Pyle 2002). Woodall from Bridge- • Spending time in nature water College and Sally has been shown to York from the Forestry reduce stress and benefit Commission in Scotland, treatment of numerous was over ten years ago to health conditions (Kahn discuss the possibilities of 1999). the use of local woodlands • Nature buffers the through Forest Schools. At impact of life’s stresses that point the journey had on children and helps hardly begun, although them deal with adversity. rangers have been work- The greater the amount ing in woodland with of nature exposure, children, it did not have the greater the benefits the widespread, integrated (Wells & Evans 2003). approach currently being • Children with Attention attempted. Deficit Disorder are positively affected by the calmness The balance of knowledge in nature-based programs of natural playscapes (Taylor et al 2001). interest me. The position of that knowledge defines how the • An affinity to and love of nature, along with a positive programs work. If the ranger holds it, it seems to affect the environmental ethic, grow out of regular contact with way the educator interacts with the children on the site. If and play in the natural world during early childhood. the educator is skilled and knowledgeable about the natural (Chawla 1998; Sobel 1996, 2002, 2004; Wilson 1997; space and how to be in it, then their interaction and transfer Moore and Cosco 2000; Kals et al 1999, 2003). of experience to the centre is far more embedded in what • Early experiences with the natural world have been posi- they do. In the UK, teachers and practitioners have found tively linked with the development of imagination and ring-fenced time for a half-day session, once a week, for a the sense of wonder (Cobb 1977, Louv 1991). number of weeks for children to travel to a woodland site • Wonder is an important motivator for lifelong learning to attend Forest School. Although not required, many For- (Wilson 1997). est School leaders have taken additional qualifications to • Children who play in nature have more positive feelings develop outdoor skills, and rangers are raising difference about each other (Moore 1986). between this methodology and nature kindergartens, as • Natural environments stimulate social interaction we define them, since the daily connection to a wild space between children (Moore 1986, Bixler et al. 2002). ensures a real sharing of knowledge between the adult and child without the third relationship of the other adult. It is very apparent from all the research that young chil- In some cases, unfortunately, the agenda for Forest dren have a natural connection to nature and will seek and School-type sessions are often set by the adults so that a pro- find nature in even the most unlikely places. A little girl of gram is drawn up to develop skills, or knowledge that can be two was playing in a parking area and her attention was held applied to a project such as a shelter, fire and so forth. There by something along the wall. The adult approached and she can be flexibility between weeks, although most schools turned round and silently pointed at something in the hole she adhere to a program once it is set. had been eyeing amongst the bricks and rubble – a woodlouse. It is at this point that I seen the early years as having With two fingers she gently lifted it out and placed it on a different model. It is here that we have defined our style the driveway where she prodded it and silently watched it of nature kindergarten to meet the needs of the children, walk away. During this encounter she was fully engaged families and overarching education system in the UK. The

Page 4 Green Teacher 102 days. It can be achieved in any space; a meadow, seashore, stream, hill desert, frozen waste. It does not need to be a forest. Although trees are wonderful for shelter, there are other ways. What lies at our root are the core values I have worked hard to integrate into the Forest School approach. They come together to create a naturalistic space with a way of working with children that is consultative, where risk taking is encouraged and there is a consistency of access that creates a real link for children. Many children are not allowed the freedom to explore, test themselves in play and to feel in control of being out of control. When play behaviours are restricted the drive from the human is to find another way to achieve play goals. In the nature kindergartens, we have slopes, some of them steep. It is important that children feel the sensation of being in control of letting go as they run down them. To put too many restrictions on this actually takes away the learning moment for the emotional intelli- gence of the child.

Claire Warden is one of the world’s leading consultants and writers on the use of consultative methods in education. She is an Honorary Research Fellow at Ballarat University in Australia and is currently engaged in her PhD exploring ‘Ways of Knowing.’ This text has been adapted from the second chapter of her book Nature Kindergartens and Forest Schools which is currently in its second edition and available from Mind- stretchers Publishing. For more information, visit mind- younger the child, the more responsive and fluid I think we stetchers.co.uk or claire-warden.com. need to be, so that they can develop skills within a purpose- ful context over several consecutive days. For a two-year-old, the space of a week is actually a long time to carry forward shared thinking. The nature kindergartens spend from 70 to 100 per cent of their time outside, flowing from day to day exploring subtle changes in nature as a small family group. Early years centres in Scotland will no longer be com- missioned if they do not have access to an outside space, which is wonderful news. However, the variety of styles and designs of outdoor access in terms of quality is huge. All have the potential for a naturalised space even if very small. The landscape is only half of the story, it is our methodology of creating a nature kindergarten that must have a higher level of child consultation, shared thinking and integration and access to wild, natural spaces inside and out, for all children. The integration of all the elements brings a synergy to the style of care that would be lost if only small aspects were taken on board. Trees do give a real sense of place. Being surrounded by objects that are older than you, that will be here long after you have gone actually provides an amazing grounding for all human beings. Given that many parts of Scotland do not have a woodland space, but do have stunning shores and mountains, it seemed too exclusive to use the term “Forest Kinder- gartens.” I am delighted to see the rise in any approach to taking children outside. Howeve r, unless they support a change of methodology they may also simply become a forest school, but with younger children who have a weekly activity session in the forest, this is not the same as a nature kindergarten. The methodology of our nature kindergartens is that nature creates the context and the curriculum comes from it in a more natural way than over planned, activity-driven

Green Teacher 102 Page 5 Photographs: Matthew Bibeau Embodying Permaculture Once a buzzword amongst the gardening community, the principles of permaculture are now being applied to early childhood education

Early childhood is a time of development unlike any other, By Matthew Bibeau and Kelly Hogan and can be described as the child “waking up” into their bodies and relating to the world around them. The primary RIPS FROM THE MORNING RAIN fall from the role of the educator is to support the integration of this inner- maple leaves and fir boughs in random staccato, awakening and outer-relating by guiding and facilitating D occasionally landing on the heads of children as they physical and social experiences that validate this journey. walk down the wooded path to their outdoor school. Jump- Nature provides a full spectrum of sensory stimuli that ing in puddles and hopping over cedar tree roots, their voices are healthy for child development, and has an important role echo and occasionally startle small birds into flight. The in the design of an early education program. By considering movement may only be seen from the corner of your eye, the educator’s role as a designer, we gain extra insight into because the main delight of the moment are the salmonber- how the process of teaching affects the outcome of learning. ries that have ripened just uphill from the edge of the path. How we do something is as important as what we do. The children position themselves on tip-toes in order to reach Permaculture design recognises that any single action the berries. It’s a delicate game of balance and care; if they always has more than a single consequence. It challenges squeeze too hard, the berries will fall apart. They also need our creative capacity to maximize the beneficial func- to be mindful of the stinging nettle growing nearby. tions of our actions—whether planting a garden or leading Developing brains are quite literally customized to learn a class—and minimize any unintended consequences of in response to direct sensory experiences with the natural these actions. Once a practice becomes intuitive rather than world. In the description above, nature is already teaching merely intellectual, it is considered embodied permaculture: valuable lessons before the children even arrive to their class. a natural reflex that is both intentional and mindful. Before age seven, learning is most effective when experi- Permaculture principles such as; observation, making the enced through the bodily senses. The introduction of formal least change for the greatest effect, and integrate rather than academics is not necessary until later in their life and growth. segregate can be employed through lesson design and deliv-

Page 6 Green Teacher 102 Become familiar with the local landscape (including waterways) and the creatures that live there. Celebrate the seasons with festivals and offer gratitude to the land as a regular practice. Empathy is a natural result of feeling connected, and saying a simple “thank you” is an act of humility that encourages care and consideration for the natural world. As children grow older, the awareness of their surroundings will expand from their immediate environment to include their neighborhood and bioregion. As they eventually learn about politics and global issues, their perspective will be grounded in the knowledge of a shared Earth. Interact with plants One of the most simple and profound ways to integrate nature into any educational setting is to expose children to a sensory experience of plants. The plant world is so ery, managing time and resources, caring for the children full of wonder and mystery that the task is not to learn a list and tending physical spaces. These don’t have to be separate of facts about them, but rather to find multiple ways to form responsibilities, but rather they all have a relationship to one relationships with them. Some are good for tasting; make another. As a teacher embodies permaculture, the education herbal tea that is customized to heal simple health condi- is ultimately less about teaching a subject and more about tions in the class (like cold symptoms). Note that working being a person worthy of imitation. This very quickly shifts with plant medicine requires that the teacher study the herbs the goal of teaching from information transfer to capacity before offering them to the children. building, accounting for the social, emotional, physical and Plants easily lend themselves to learning food prepara- intellectual development of the children in the class. tion, cooking skills and craft projects. Research the ethno- How do we actually achieve this in a school setting, botanical uses of local, native plants and learn how to make especially one that requires core standards for academics plant dyes, baskets, cordage, salves, etc. While you are even in early childhood programs? The challenge may seem working, sing songs about the plants and to the plants them- overwhelming, but remember: you aren’t truly incorporating selves. Offering gratitude for the gifts that the plants pro- permaculture if your job doesn’t get easier. When a subject vide is always good practice for cultivating reverence in the matter has context within the child’s process of reconciling children. In working this way with plants, the children will body and environment, children are more likely to under- learn so much through their own observations. The learn- stand and integrate the knowledge. ing is embodied in their hands while weaving a basket, in How do we incorporate the wisdom of nature into edu- their health as they use herbal remedies and in their life of cational settings, providing healthy sensory experiences emotion as they witness new growth and offer gratitude for that meet the developmental needs of children with a goal of a harvest. embodied learning? Listen to the birds Tell stories inspired by nature Social awareness of subtle forms of communication can be Storytelling is an age-old method of delivering information taught through the observation of birds and through the prac- in a way that people can relate to. Academic information pre- tice of understanding bird language and behavior patterns. sented in a story format is more easily digestible to a young Witnessing small birds warn each other about the approach child. Create stories of place; stories that offer lessons address- of a predator is an engaging process that invites stillness and ing social or ethical issues affecting a class. These stories will provides stimulation simultaneously. This skill can there- be most effective when told in alignment with the season, and fore be satisfying to children of different temperaments at include local plants and animals, portraying accurate habits the same time. There is much to be gained from this activity and qualities of each. It is amazing how the patterns of the because as the children begin to monitor their behavior with natural world provide analogies for solutions to both academic respect for the sensitive little birds, this practice carries over and social challenges the class is facing. Children will inte- into their social interactions with their peers. grate the information from stories by forming a mental picture that can evolve with their changing consciousness. Integrate your subjects Nothing is isolated in nature. Context and meaning are Provide a sense of place inextricably linked together. Nature-based education is a Your storytelling will naturally enliven the children’s rela- relevant intersection for all subjects as children grow. Doing tionship to place. Give names to the squirrels and trees in the useful projects that relate to curriculum topics automatically school yard to facilitate observation and relationship-building. utilizes an interdisciplinary approach. Preparing and imple-

Green Teacher 102 Page 7 menting a project embodies countless teachable moments ration naturally encourages physical acuity which the brain with various subject focuses. With young children, these then extends to intellectual and social/emotional capacities. steps do not necessarily need to be explicit because they are In line with this thinking, when implementing outdoor absorbing the information through the acts of doing. Later education it is important to remember that our sense of vital- in child development they develop their capacity for critical ity is deeply related to warmth. Supporting physical warmth thinking and can participate more fully in the informational to avoid numbness is critical when considering the emo- aspects of such learning. tional implications of feeling numb. Keeping children warm to their core (wool underlayers) still allows them to feel a Teach beyond five senses myriad of weather sensations (wet, cold, dry, windy, etc.) on Taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing are the classic five the surface. When all of the children are comfortable, they senses, but in truth, there are so many more. Learning to can engage and learning is much more effective. cultivate them makes up the foundation of not only an edu- In summary, applying embodied permaculture tech- cation, but of how we experience and live our lives. Sen- niques through nature education meets the developmental sory input from the natural world refines the subtle sensory needs of young children and is an effective way of teaching experience of the human being–that which our brain was in any educational setting. By establishing a school pro- designed to receive as a foundation for all learning. In a gram or delivering curriculum based on embodied, natural modern world where two-dimensional screen surfaces are sensory experiences, a paradigm shift occurs. Instead of overtaking our environment, most people can still see, hear, teaching children about nature, the natural world actually taste, smell and feel, but the question is, how deeply? becomes the teacher. The educator steps into more of a For example, an outer capacity for sight develops an inner facilitation role, actualizing the famous words of William capacity for vision. As children are discerning which tree Wordsworth, “Come forth into the light of things. Let nature stump looks like a rocket ship because it has “control buttons be your teacher.” and gears” or set to work repairing “electrical wires” (hang- ing vines), they are in the early stages of becoming adult Matthew Bibeau and Kelly Hogan are the directors of visionaries–imagining possibilities by perceiving the world Mother Earth School, a farm and forest-based school (cur- differently than it has been presented to them. With acute rently enrolling preschool through second grade) in Port- observation we can witness that developing a physical attri- land, Oregon. They are also the instructors of a week-long bute corresponds to the development of an inner quality, such training in Permaculture for Youth & Child Educators. Learn as a sense of direction and a sense of balance. Outdoor explo- more at www.motherearthschool.org.

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Page 8 Green Teacher 102 Starting a Nature Preschool Keen on the idea of starting a nature preschool? Not so fast . These ten suggestions detail what you need to know before moving ahead . Jessica Pierson

readiness to simply focusing on building a life-long love and By Jessica Pierson appreciation of nature. The day length and session length are also highly variable. O, YOU’VE JUST RETURNED from an exciting In recent years, nature preschools have experienced a conference and are anxious to start planning a nature surge in popularity. One major driving force has been popu- Spreschool. Maybe it’s an idea you’ve had simmering lar literature aimed at raising public awareness of the need for a while. Or, perhaps just the prospect of using environ- for spending time outdoors, such as Last Child in the Woods mental education with preschool age children is an intrigu- by Richard Louv. As our society continues to swap outdoor ing idea. Whatever the case, as interest in environmental time for screen time, parents are becoming aware of the loss education programming for early childhood continues to of the myriad physical, emotional, and social health benefits swell, you might find yourself responsible for creating a for- of outdoor time. Statistics from the US National Institute for mal nature-based preschool program one day. Health reveal that youth ages 8-18 spend up to an average of Generally speaking, a nature preschool is a formalized 7.5 hours per day in front of a screen. environmental education opportunity for children ages three No matter the route you take, bringing such a dream to though six. There is no official definition of what constitutes reality requires diligent planning and thoughtful analysis. a nature preschool. The structure can range from those that Taking the time to lay a solid foundation can help you get are mostly indoors and emphasize science instruction to your program off the ground more smoothly and will help European-style “forest schools” that take place completely you and/or your organization reach the public you serve outdoors. Academic content can also vary from kindergarten- more effectively.

Green Teacher 102 Page 9 The Countdown to Success Funding: Providing supplies for multiple preschoolers The enthusiasm you feel for environmental education and is costly. So are furnishings, resource books, exploration your conviction of its transformative power is, unfortu- materials, snacks, staffing, and other program necessities. nately, not enough to get a nature preschool off the ground. Licensing fees, insurance, legal representations, and other For “lift off” to take place, you will need a countdown, just extras also add up. Make sure to have a frank discussion like during a space launch. Here are the ten most important with superiors and/or program backers before pursuing your considerations and steps to take into account while planning dream. Each person’s expectations should be realistic and your nature preschool. achievable without causing staff burnout, low program quality, or other undesirable effects. 10. Research the topic Staff time: Is your staff already maxed out with field Outline the purpose of the mission, what will be accom- trips, nature center upkeep, and other duties? If so, and it plished and how, the details of the ‘astrophysics’ involved, isn’t likely you’ll be able to hire additional staff. A thorough and look into the many other considerations you may have. examination of your staff’s free time is necessary. In addi- The same holds true for your program planning efforts. tion to needing prep and instructional time, you may be Building up an understanding of the basics of nature pre- expected to meet a specific staff to child ratio per your state schools will make your launch smoother. You may want to or local guidelines or your licensing agency. investigate: Resources such as buildings and open space: This is • The many different ways to carry out a nature preschool akin to the real estate mantra; “location, location, location.” • The various goals of nature preschools Without a safe place to meet and outdoor space to explore, • What funding support is available the program will struggle to carry out environmental educa- • Best practices of other nature preschool programs tion properly. Additionally, in some areas, building codes • Organizations, websites and training programs that and licensing requirements for early childhood education support nature pre-schools (See Resources below for programs may be a consideration. suggestions.) Agency-wide capacity: Record keeping, marketing, payment processing, building upkeep, and many other jobs 9. Clarify your educational philosophy will need to be handled by responsible staff. Is your agency What do you hope to accomplish with the program? Your prepared to support your endeavor with additional staff time personal attitudes and beliefs regarding early childhood devoted to these outlying tasks? education will guide every step in the planning phase. You will be able to more clearly explain to potential backers and 6. Decide how the program will be implemented supervisors how you plan to carry out your nature preschool within your agency activities. It will also help you develop your mission state- Either concurrently with your feasibility study or shortly ment and goals (see countdown steps 4 and 5). thereafter, you will have to decide how to best implement When I started a Nature preschool in Kendall County, the nature preschool into your agency’s outreach efforts. Illinois, my educational philosophy was to put learning into Nature preschool programs are typically either offered as: the child’s hands. I knew a hands-on program that immersed Stand-alone products: The nature preschool is the only children in primary nature experiences was the central axis program your agency will run. An example of this would of what the program should operate around. Staying true to be if you worked for a state extension agency and preschool my educational process guided every research, planning, and programs were not offered prior to the nature preschool. decision-making activity that ensued in the planning process A new start-up within an existing agency: Park dis- and made me confident in my ability to build my dream. tricts, forest preserve districts, and other conservation agencies may choose to add a nature preschool program to 8. Examine your true intentions existing programs. An example of this would be “Natural Recognizing your true intentions behind establishing a Beginnings Early Childhood Program” added to Kendall nature preschool is critical to your success. If you whole- County Forest Preserve District Education Department’s heartedly believe in the benefits of environmental education current roster of early childhood monthly programs and for early childhood, you will be able to set up the program summer camp options. easier and run it more effectively. Sometimes, however, A supplement to existing programs: In this format, agencies fail at establishing new programs because they increased emphasis is placed on incorporating environmental either coerce staff members into erecting such a program or education components to existing programs. A formal nature they think it would be a good money-maker. The simple fact preschool is not established in this option. For example, a is that environmental education programs are generally not community science museum adopting environmental educa- profitable and people need to have passion for them to work. tion standards for all of its early childhood programming. If you are in this simply to make a “quick buck” and capital- The decision of which format to choose is as unique as ize on public interest, this venture is not going to work. each agency. Boards, funding, staff, resources, and community support will influence the outcome. 7. Conduct a feasibility study A feasibility study takes an honest look at current resources 5. Create a mission statement and capacities. Regardless of how enthralled you are with A mission statement tells people what you hope to accom- the idea of offering nature preschool, the reality of success- plish by existing as an organization. Using a mission state- fully putting one into place depends on several factors: ment will help to:

Page 10 Green Teacher 102 • Give protection to the program as executive boards, the nature preschool program. This is the really fun part of stakeholders, staff, and clients may change over time. the process—deciding how to make it “yours.” Take heed, You may even leave the job one day but you will still though, as some of these things may be beyond your control. have the comfort of knowing that a solid mission state- Program length, facility availability, staffing budgets, fees, ment is in place to protect your efforts. and other specifics may be set or dictated by higher authori- • Guide you in choosing your pedagogical approach. There ties. Factor these into your program planning. Don’t assume are lots of great ways to implement environmental edu- fixed conditions will change because you have come up with cation curriculum. A well-defined mission statement will a compelling plan. Remember, budgets are budgets and they help you choose only what’s best for the program. don’t change for good ideas or passionate declarations of • Generate a clear, centralized focus. The expectations and your love for the program. A bit of hard-earned advice is to goals of your work team will always be based on achiev- embrace what you’ve been given and move ahead with your ing your mission statement. program, using your best positive attitude. • Gain greater buy-in from all parties involved. Everyone is on the proverbial “same page.” Each invested party 2. Continue building support and relationships knows that they are all working together to accomplish with stakeholders, staff, and the public one mission, not multiple personal agendas. Issues of timing, budgets, and unrealistic or mismatched • Create accountability to the families you serve. Your expectations are much easier to diffuse early on in program parents’ expectations are set from the start. A clear, well- planning. As deadlines come up and money is spent, how- defined mission statement will let them know what to ever, it is difficult to recoup lost ground. Spending time expect and it will help them determine if this is the best building relationships throughout the planning process will fit for their family’s needs. At the same time, once fami- give you stronger allies later on. lies enroll in the program because they believe in the mission statement, you will be accountable to provide to 1. Reap the rewards of your planning! them what they have been led to believe to expect. Congratulations, you made it through a lengthy planning process and students are walking in for their first day of In most cases, multiple people are involved in creating class! Your clear and focused mission statement will help mission statements. Depending on the structure and orga- you in your day-to-day decision making. It will also help nization of the agency, stakeholders and decision makers provide you and the people you work with a common sense involved in the planning process may be completely removed of purpose. This puts your work team at ease to enjoy lead- from all day-to-day operations and never set foot in the class- ing the program and working with the students. New staff room. Clarifying who will be involved and the extent of their members, stakeholders, and even parents may have lots of control over the planning process early on will eliminate good, well-intentioned ideas and suggestions for you as you many frustrations and wasted efforts in the end. go along. Staying true to your mission statement will, how- If the planning process is at your sole discretion or in the ever, protect your program and give you the freedom to pur- hands of few select people, seek outside help from other who sue the incredible program you have designed. have been through the planning process already. Trusted With the proper amount of planning, your program will confidants and other people you’ve met in the environmental be able to reach for the stars and beyond. To keep your pro- education field are good sources of information. Also, if the gram running in full orbit, remember to keep your eyes mission statement creation is mostly your decision, ensure open for professional development opportunities and cur- you are communicating with your superiors in a timely and rent literature on the topic. Building relationships with other consistent fashion. Each workplace culture will be different nature preschool professionals is another way to keep your so be sure to work within your workplace’s expectations. efforts well fueled. In all, running a nature preschool is an Remember, taking the time to communicate with stakehold- exciting and rewarding journey that you will enjoy each day ers will help you get their buy-in and support. with your students.

4. Set your goals Jessica Pierson is a Certified Interpretive Guide Trainer Your goals are simply an expansion of your mission state- and a naturalist who lives in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. ment. They communicate how you plan to achieve your She is excited to begin her new career as a horticulture mission statement. Common practice is to set SMART instructor this fall. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals. An example of a goal that is not SMART is “All youth will Resources learn to enjoy the outdoors through our program.” This is Organizations that support nature preschool establishment, such North Ameri- can Association for Environmental Education and the Australian Association not realistic, there is no way to measure it, and it isn’t spe- for Environmental Education. cific enough. Stating that you will “foster curiosity through Websites that offer useful information, including Children & Nature inquiry, hands-on projects, and play” is specific, achievable, Network www.childrenandnature.org and the National Wildlife Federation and realistic. www.nwf.org. Training programs that can offer inspiration and support such as Nature Explore from Arbor Day Foundation (www.natureexplore.org), local Depart- 3. Determine program specifics ment of Natural Resources online classes that are available to teachers across Details such as classroom arrangements, daily schedule, the globe (i.e. Illinois Department of Natural Resources ENTICE classes program dates, fees, and curriculum can now follow since www.enticeworkshops.com), or classes offered through Greening Australia you have a clear vision of what you want to take place in (www.greeningaustralia.org.au).

Green Teacher 102 Page 11 Photographs: Rosa Barcotti Risk-Assessing Outdoor Areas Young students learn to assess their own abilities and limitations by playing on an icy snow hill

safe and sanitised, the children will either slump into unin- By Rosa Barcotti spired and repetitive play or they will find some way to spice up their play environment.”2 So the story I want to tell is IFE ITSELF IS DANGEROUS. Life is full of risks, about a snow hill in the back of our school. My kindergarten “ and we should hope it remains so. Without taking students would trade any toy or activity for the opportunity Lrisks, no child would ever learn to walk or ride a bike. to play outside after a snow storm. No adult would ever take up a new sport. No company would In the beginning of January, the snowplough truck left ever create new products,” writes Ken Finch, founder of the huge piles of snow in our school backyard. This “snow hill,” Green Hearts Institute for Nature in Childhood. “Thus, the as the children called it, became a favorite spot for discovery goal shouldn’t be to eliminate all risks from our children’s and fun. After walking on the hills to evaluate if they were lives, but to manage them and keep them in perspective.”1 safe for the children to play on, I decided that a safer route As a registered early childhood educator, part of my job was to share and discuss the conditions of the slippery and is to risk-assess the school yard on a daily basis. I appraise icy hills with the children. As we sat down to talk, we all the activities that children are interested in and the ones I took turns and reviewed the school safety procedures. The have to offer them, looking out for any hazards that could decision was made so the children could explore the smaller befall my students. If there are any children with particu- hill on the side of the yard first to have a sense of how to lar needs I determine the children’s likely response to the navigate their bodies on the uneven surface. After a short experience. Once my risk assessment is done, I am able to play time and practice they were ready to tackle the “big” invite the children over to play. It is important to understand hills. On our first time exploring the hills, we educators that if the play happens in a “safe enough” environment, it observed how unsure the children were about the slippery, is not risk-free. I share the responsibility to be safe with my high and uneven ice and snow surface on the hills. students. It is important that my students learn to assess and As the days passed, every time we visited the snow hill take manageable risks of their own. during our outdoor education slot, the children demonstrated According to author Jennie Lindon; “Children need chal- confidence on their ability to jump higher, farther and faster. lenge and excitement. If their play environment is made too On the first day, the children took a long time being careful

Page 12 Green Teacher 102 A curriculum on population, food, the environment, and climate change. For high school and early college. Population in Perspective

by the Population and 2nd Development Program edition at Hampshire College

Packed with ideas and tools for educators to:

★ TEACH lessons from a multicultural, gendered, and social justice perspective and cautious while crossing from the front of the hill (our ★ CATALYZE critical thinking and entry point) to the back. After a week they made the journey dialogue in the classroom in just a matter of seconds. Their coordination, balance and body regulation improved. There was a boost in self-esteem ★ EXPLORE perspectives on the as well, and their ability to conquer the highs and lows of the world that foster a sense of global hill became second nature. citizenship As I watched my students having such an amazing free play time, I was reminded of the work of Tim Gill, one of the UK’s leading thinkers and researchers on childhood. His Praise for the first edition: “A treasure book No Fear: Growing up in a risk averse society describes trove of resources for teachers that how fearful adults are of letting children take risks, and as a challenges us to question widely held result we have altered the way children explore the natural myths about power and wealth in the world.3 I truly believe that it is very important for us educa- world. This book will strengthen every tors to let children learn by experiencing. Outdoor education teacher’s curriculum.” is all about learning to take calculated risks. —Bill Bigelow, Rethinking Globalization: The joy and laughter from my students’ activities: run- Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World ning, climbing, sliding, rolling, talking, listening, interacting and being creative puts a smile on my face and warms my heart and soul every time I think about it. I have the responsibility to keep my students safe–and I feel that by For people, environment and justice. letting my students understand their own abilities and limitations on the snow hills, I am able to do just that.

Rosa Barcotti is a Registered Early Childhood Educator who teaches at Bells Corners Public School in Ottawa, Ontario. Download for FREE Notes in English or Spanish 1. Finch, Ken. 2012. But…Isn’t it Dangerous? Risk and Reward in Nature Play. www.ecology.com/2012/07/17/risk-reward-nature-play/ 2. Lindon, Jennie. 2003. Too Safe for Their Own Good: Helping children learn about risk and skills. www.populationinperspective.org 3. Gill, Tim. 2007. No fear: Growing up in a risk averse society. London, England: Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. http://rethinkingchildhood.com/

Green Teacher 102 Page 13 Look Up and Listen Preschool students find peace and serenity in the woods Photographs: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Photographs: Schlitz Audubon Nature

to drive the 15-mile-an-hour speed limit, to turn off the By Catherine Koons Hubbard music, and to look up, and listen. But we still ask them to try. During a typical day at nature preschool, the children HE ENTRANCE TO OUR nature preschool in Mil- play, explore, touch, hike, eat, sing, listen to stories, get waukee, Wisconsin sits just off a busy road. But once muddy, laugh… in short, they are allowed to be children, to Tyou enter the grounds and begin the long and wind- be silly, and to interact with the natural world in ways that ing drive towards the building, the city drops away and trees will help them to grow in confidence and capabilities. bend forward as if in greeting. There’s a prairie, a field of But they are also asked to listen. To sit. And simply to grass, and often there are turkeys roaming around in search breathe. Sometimes this means lying down under a sugar of seeds. Often they stand in the middle of the road blocking maple tree during the peak of autumn, looking up at the traffic, looking entirely unconcerned. bright yellow canopy and inhaling the October air. Some- As soon as you turn in the driveway, we try to tell our times it means lying face down in the snow, tasting, and preschool families, why not turn off the radio? Notice what’s sniffing the frost covered ground. Sometimes we visit Lake around you. Notice the changes from week to week, the Michigan, and sit in stillness, watching the waves. And green on the leaves turning gold and red, then suddenly the when we return in winter, we sit again, and hear silence. branches are coated in layers of cold white frosting. Use these Giving children opportunities for silence and stillness moments to exhale, we say, and try to be in the moment. feels more important than ever as their lives are filled with One of our goals in saying this is to get our students ready technology, and their days packed with activity. They are to be at nature preschool. Not only do we love it when they busier than ever, and yet increasingly disconnected with the come to school eager to tell us that they just saw a deer, or natural world around them. As Richard Louv writes in Last heard a woodpecker, we also appreciate when the kids come Child in the Woods; to school feeling happy. But another goal is to get the entire “Today, kids are aware of the global threats to the family to pause. We know too well that many of our students environment—but their physical contact, their inti- are racing to get to school on time, that there might be an macy with nature, is fading. That’s exactly the oppo- older sibling who has to get to school, or, in the case of our site of how it was when I was a child. afternoon programs, perhaps they just had lunch in their car. As a boy, I was unaware that my woods were eco- We understand just how hard it is for families to slow down, logically connected with any other forests. Nobody in

Page 14 Green Teacher 102 when a child has time to study a single patch of dirt, or touch the sticky insides of a dandelion stem, or hear the song of a red-winged blackbird trilling from the reeds. When I tell people that I think it’s important, as a teacher, to give young children opportunities to experience peace and to develop their spirituality, I am not talking about war or religion. I am talking about reducing anxiety; about easing depression; about helping children with the 1950s talked about acid rain or holes in the ozone hyperactivity learn to feel calm and in control. I am talking layer or global warming. But I knew my woods and about giving children opportunities for silence in nature. I my fields; I knew every bend in the creek and dip in am talking about profound and meaningful experiences that the beaten dirt paths. I wandered those woods even in cannot be handed over, but must be sought and discovered my dreams. A kid today can likely tell you about the by each individual. Amazon rain forest—but not about the last time he And I would argue that this is possible even in a climate or she explored the woods in solitude, or lay in a field of testing and overcrowded classrooms, even in urban com- listening to the wind and watching the clouds move.” munities where there isn’t an abundance of nature right outside the window. For years now I have taken live ani- Ask any adult with a passion for the environment how mals into inner-city preschool classrooms, exposing young he or she first developed this love of nature and the answer children for the first time to the slow, quiet pace of a turtle. I is almost always, “I played outside as a child.” This is sig- ask them to touch the shell, and soon we turn out the lights, nificant. A love of nature does not develop because of a grow silent, and simply watch the turtle walk. teacher’s lecture on invasive species; or because of a class Children deserve these moments. They deserve to find field trip to the woods once a year. It comes from learning comfort in nature, taking refuge in what is small and simple to climb a tree without help; from dropping a stone into a and moves at a slower pace than we do. puddle and seeing the resulting rings. It comes from those moments in between: in between trips in the car from home Catherine Koons Hubbard teaches in the Nature Pre- to school to the grocery store, and in between smartphones school of Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, located just north and tablets and video games. A love of nature develops of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Green Teacher 102 Page 15 Photographs: Kim MacIntyre The Kinder-Gardeners It hasn’t been easy getting going, but here’s a dynamic outdoor kindergarten in a public school smack dab in the middle of the fourth largest city in North America .

plant documentation, and water flow experiments in the By Mark DeBoer sand pit. Today, after morning song and the daily weather report, the children are off to the local park to watch birds, Good morning dear Earth, Good morning dear sun, and gather materials for their own attempts at nest building. Good morning to the trees, and the flowers everywhere. More mud ensues. Good morning dear beasts, and the birds in the trees Far from the suburbs, Givins-Shaw is a small neighbour- Good morning to you and good morning to me. hood school in a very urban environment. It is nestled only one block from a major intersection, in a community that is Down is the Earth, up is the sky, seeing intense revitalization and demand due to its proximity Here are my friends and here am I! to the city center. And while the students are hunting snails and building birds’ nests, the concrete skyscrapers of Canada’s O BEGINS THE DAY with the four- and five-year- largest city are a mere ten-minute public transit ride away. olds in The Courtyard, the new outdoor education The children spend the vast majority of their school day Sfacility for some of the kindergarteners at Givins- outside in a program that is dominated by guided inquiry. Shaw Junior Public School in Toronto. Arrival time segues Mornings are generally spent in The Courtyard, and the into free play, which results in snail hunting, fort building, first half of the afternoons in a playground reserved for and

Page 16 Green Teacher 102 shared with another class of kindergarteners. Facilitated by spent more time outside. It just seemed right.” An avid the educators, the students’ natural curiosity drives their wilderness camper and hiker, when full-day kindergarten learning process, and the overarching topics are integrated began to be implemented across her part of Canada, Kim across the array of subject areas. One of many possible knew she wanted to merge her passion for the outdoors with examples to illustrate is trees. In their first weeks, the chil- her full-time job. dren’s explorations led them to discover a tree marked for Of course that development and implementation has not removal. Guided discussion revealed a host of questions, been without challenges. Though The Courtyard is a some- and trees spontaneously became the extended focus for a what convenient and available space—sizable, artistically time. There were tree journals, tree stories, “My Favourite fenced, with a few trees and built-in benches—its transfor- Tree” presentations, of course tree science, but also plant mation into and use as a full-time outdoor classroom has and tree dramas, and tree art festooned the hallways of the been problematic. There was no permanently installed run- school. Later that year it was birds: Again there was art ning water, or hard-wired communication with the school and language and science, even birds’ egg manipulatives office. About a quarter of The Courtyard is asphalt, and in math (artificial of course!). The children learned to iden- there is almost no storage space–certainly not for 20 plus tify birds by sight and call. The days a city hawk hunted the children’s weather gear. Plus, the bathrooms couldn’t be fur- neighbourhood, or a duck spontaneously came to visit, were ther away: a significant factor for the age group. And while fantastically memorable teachable moments. From the par- the Ministry of Education allows for the necessity of teach- ent’s perspective, the culmination was the children’s much- ers’ preparation time, the local board provides it on an irreg- beloved performance of their songs about birds at the annual ular schedule. This often resulted in interrupted outdoor spring fundraiser. Fueled by the children’s natural curiosity, time and multiple transitions, another significant factor for the outdoor-centered guided inquiry facilitates engagement the age group, especially in inclement weather. Getting over not only with the necessary array of academic subjects, but twenty four- and five-year-olds changed from their outdoor also with the natural world in the heart of the city they are to indoor clothes so they can attend a class inside is no small intrinsically a part of. task, and it sometimes happened several times a day. When asked about the development of this new program, For readers living in warmer climes who might wonder its founder Kim MacIntyre—a kindergarten teacher for how the program is affected by a Canadian winter, the chil- twenty-five years—shrugs humbly: “My kids have always dren and families are well-versed in the necessity of main-

Green Teacher 102 Page 17 taining a full array of cold-weather gear. While they try to transit for day trips to others. Each of these ingredients has keep its use to a minimum, they have the luxury of a fully- been essential. equipped indoor classroom to retreat to in the severest of Given the fantasy of unlimited time and resources any conditions. educator could probably go on at some length about what Givins-Shaw is part of a massive public school board they’d love to have in their program. Kimberly MacIntyre in Canada’s largest city, where the competition for funds is is no exception: “Nature itself provides so much in terms of fierce. In order to implement the program, grants had to be learning experiences, but if I had my ideal space it would applied for, networks strained, donations of time, effort and be…actual forest. Also the money to purchase class sets of goods aggressively solicited. In the end, the program’s suc- good magnifying glasses, binoculars, and gardening and cess was the result of a spontaneous synergy of multiple ele- other tools would be lovely. All said, I really like finding and ments. Kim’s active urban-environmental lifestyle ramped using previously used materials. Although time consuming up many steps as it became a family hobby to seek out pre- it’s an environmentally-friendly solution that also provides used materials for re-purposing. As a senior teacher, Kim an appropriate example to my students.” has an extensive network with the community, and the prin- Now in its second year, the full-day outdoor education cipal has also been fantastically supportive. A small army kindergarten program at Givins-Shaw is still under develop- of volunteers—staff, friends and families of the school, and ment, but is undoubtedly an ongoing success that can func- their partners—put in many hours on many tasks. Furni- tion as inspiration to other educators. We all face challenges ture had to be weatherproofed for continuous outdoor use, of space and funding. We will all need to put in extra hours, stumps for seating transported, running water installed. and mobilize extensive networks of support. And to make it Early on, a generous parent-contractor donated a truckload happen we will likely all end up scrounging materials and of sand to create a sand play centre in The Courtyard, but resources. The point still stands: If it can be done at a small it was inadvertently dumped at the exact wrong end of the neighbourhood public school, in an intensely urban environ- schoolyard. The volunteer army came to bear again armed ment, then it can be done almost anywhere. with an array of borrowed shovels and wheelbarrows to spend the day hauling sand to its proper location. Toronto’s Mark DeBoer is an Occasional Teacher with the Toronto extensive park and public transit systems have also played District School Board with a specialty in environmental and important roles: One of the largest parks in the city is within sustainability education. He thanks his son, “Ms. Mac,” and walking distance, and the students regularly use public Hilary Inwood.

Page 18 Green Teacher 102 Marvelous Migration Exploring the seasonal movements of birds through story and science Adelaide Tyrol

bird migration through the Tibetan story of “The Tortoise by Michael J. Caduto & the Egrets” (see pages 22-23) and follows with discussion ©2014 All Rights Reserved information, study questions and activities (see below) to VERY YEAR, the American Golden Plover flies explore the natural science and biology of bird migration. more than 20,000 miles (32,000 km) round-trip E between its summer breeding grounds in the Arctic Discussion and where it overwinters in southern South America. At As springtime progresses, lengthening days and rising tem- times it can reach airspeeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 peratures trigger birds’ migratory instincts. They eat more kph), staying aloft for more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) at food and accumulate fat for the long flight ahead. In addi- a stretch. The Arctic Tern migrates a similar round-trip dis- tion to migrating to meet their basic needs for survival, like tance from the Arctic to southern wintering grounds in the the egrets do in this folktale from Tibet, birds are driven Antarctic Ocean. In the natural world, where it is critical to use by the biological imperative to reproduce. Each year, as the resources wisely and avoid danger in order to survive, what long days of summer approach, migrating birds seek breed- would drive some birds to deplete their stores of energy and ing grounds with plenty of places to nest and raise their face the hazards encountered when migrating across the vast young—habitats abundant with food, water and shelter. expanse of oceans and continents? Most songbirds migrate under the protective cover of For thousands of years, bird migration has inspired a night to avoid predators, but many hawks and eagles move sense of wonder and awe. Before the advent of science, the by day, taking advantage of the rising, warm thermals that mysteries of avian seasonal movements were explained in begin around midmorning each day, along with the updrafts folklore that was often anchored in a curious logic. Some formed when wind rushes up the face of a cliff or a moun- believed the bird species that disappeared for the winter tain slope. These masters of flight can be seen soaring in retired to caves and trees or hibernated in the mud like circles as they work their way northward in the springtime. turtles. Large birds, some said, carried small birds on their Geese and cormorants also migrate during the day in a backs to warmer climes. Among the more fanciful beliefs: V-shaped flight pattern with a lead bird flying point. birds that disappeared during the cold season simply trans- One of our most common birds, the American Robin, formed into another species that hung around for the winter, breeds each summer throughout nearly all of North America then changed back in the springtime. and overwinters mainly south of Canada. Bobolinks, birds Folklore and science don’t always mesh, but stories that nest in open fields in the northern half of the United engage children’s imaginations and enhance their under- States and southern Canada, overwinter in Argentina. The standing of how oral tradition and literature filter our world tiny Blackpoll Warbler flies up to 5,000 miles (8,000 km) through different eyes than science. This article introduces round-trip between North and South America. Even the

Green Teacher 102 Page 19 diminutive Ruby-throated Hummingbird, which weighs as little as .01 ounces (.3 g), migrates up to 3,500 miles (5,600 km) between Panama and southern Canada, including a non- Activities stop flight of 500 miles (800 km) across the Gulf of Mexico. Birds use a number of navigational cues to find their Migration: By Day and By Night bearings on these long flights, including the sun and moon, (Can be conducted outdoor or indoors.) stars, landmarks (mountain ranges, coastlines, rivers, lakes), Earth’s magnetic field and weather (prevailing winds and (A) Make a poster board model of a migrating bird and of Tortoise thermals). Research conducted on Indigo Buntings discov- from the story. ered that these brilliant blue songbirds navigate by the posi- (B) “Fly” the bird and Tortoise along a migration route while avoid- tions of the stars in relation to Polaris, the North Star–adjust- ing the dangers along the way. ing for the nightly rotation of the stars much as daytime migrants track the shifting position of the sun across the sky. Goals There are many hazards en route: Understand the natural signs that migrating songbirds use to • storms bringing rain, ice, snow and lightning navigate and consider the perils they face along the way. • human hunters, hawks and other predators • tall buildings, skyscrapers, wind turbines, power lines, Age towers and other structures Younger children (ages 5 to 8 years) • windows • aircraft Materials (A): • pollution such as oil spills Colored poster board • Scissors • Crayons • Pencils • Pens • One popsicle stick per child • Glue • Masking tape • Pictures of birds Cold and stormy weather will often slow the springtime that migrate migration northward, and trigger the autumn journey to the south. Questions 1. In the story of “The Tortoise and the Egrets,” why does Tortoise want to fly to the Lake of the Clouds? What would happen to him if he stayed behind at his own lake? 2. How is Tortoise able to “fly” along with the egrets? Whose idea was it to have him “fly” in this way? 3. What causes Tortoise to lose control and open his mouth to speak? What happens to him when he lets go of the stick? What does this teach us? 4. Why do birds migrate? How does migrating help them to survive? 5. What kinds of dangers do birds face on their migratory journeys? 6. How does a migrating bird find its way? Do birds migrate by day or night?

Michael J. Caduto is the author of 18 books, including Riparia’s River, Catch the Wind, Harness the Sun, and (with Wood Carol Figure 1: Diagram showing bird assembly for “Birds to Fly” Joseph Bruchac) the Keepers of the Earth® series. He activity. recently released his premier storytelling CDs: The Rainbow Garden (ages 5-10) and The Wisdom of Nature (ages 11 and up). Michael offers many programs, performances and Procedure A: Birds to Fly workshops through his website: www.p-e-a-c-e.net. The story and illustration for The Tortoise & the Egrets Use the materials listed to make two-sided birds (Figure 1). Have the children follow these steps: Choose a specific bird to make by are used with permission from pp. 58-60 of Earth Tales from looking at the bird pictures. Cut out the two halves of the bird Around the World by Michael J. Caduto, illustrated ©1997 and the tailpiece from poster board that is the same color as the by Adelaide Tyrol (Fulcrum Publishing: Golden Colorado). bird you are making. (Or you could color the poster board with Text in the Discussion, Questions and Activities sections crayons.) Sandwich the popsicle stick in between the halves, stick- adapted with permission from pages 158-162 of Keepers ing out of the bird’s lower breast. Attach the stick with tape and of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental glue. Now glue the two halves of the bird together. Color in the Activities for Children (1988), and from page 146 of Keepers details of your bird using the pictures of birds as models. Make of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activi- the wings out of poster board and glue or tape a piece of heavy ties for Children (1991), by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph cardboard onto the tip of each wing. (The extra weight creates Bruchac (Fulcrum Publishing: Golden, Colorado), with illustrations by Carol Wood.

Page 20 Green Teacher 102 a better flapping motion.) Hinge the wings onto the body with pieces of masking tape. Cut matching slits in the tail and rear body and slip the tail on. When moving the birds up and down, the wings will flap. Using similar methods, work in pairs to make the Tortoise from the story accompany them on their migration journey.

Materials (B): Measuring tape • Trees or chairs for obstacles • White poster board to make stars • Scissors • Signs or pictures identifying hazards en route and marking the north and south ends of the course • Stapler • Large yellow ball or paper model of the sun

Procedure B: Migration Trail Beforehand: Set up a migration route about 40 feet (12 meters) long by 20 feet (6 meters) wide. Depending on whether you are conducting the activity outdoors or indoors, arrange the course so there are trees or chairs along the way. Mark some trees or chairs with stars to show the migration route the children must follow, and mark others with pictures or word descriptions of the hazards en route (see “Discussion”). Label one end as “north” and the other end as “south.” The children will fly their birds starting at one end (south in the autumn and north in the springtime) and moving the birds along the marked route while avoiding the hazards along the way. Each pair of “birds” will carry its Tortoise along the migration trail. To start the children off, hold the sun up high and slowly bring it down to create a sunset. After sunset, have the children follow the stars Wood Carol Figure 2: General flight paths along the four major migra- and avoid the dangers as their birds migrate. Have them complete tory flyways used by North American birds. These migration a yearly cycle, going north to south and back again, or vice versa. flight paths continue across Central America, the Gulf of Design a daytime version of this activity and have the children fly Mexico, the West Indies and down into South America. in a V-shaped formation, like many ducks, geese and cormorants.

Taking Flight: North by South Procedure (Can be conducted outdoor or indoors) Have children research and report on the migration habits of common songbirds in your area and create or collect pictures of Study the migration habits and routes of a local songbird and lo- those birds. Using large sheets of paper backed by cardboard, cate its summer and winter grounds on a map of North and South create generalized maps of North and South America. Map the America. Observe when the bird departs in the autumn, when it re- four major North American flyways (Pacific, Central, Mississippi turns in the springtime and mark its seasonal location on the map. and Atlantic). (See Figure 2.) Introduce the hazards faced by migrating birds and have the children draw these hazards on the Goals map along the migration routes. Understand that, at each end of their migration routes, migrat- When they’re ready, have the children go up to the map to report ing bird species have regions that they use for summer breeding on the migratory habits of their birds and sketch in the routes flown, grounds and for wintering. Understand that migrating birds follow using different colors or line patterns to distinguish between each certain general routes called flyways and that they encounter many bird’s particular migratory path. Then have the children place the dangers along the way. pictures of their birds in the proper geographic locations and at the correct end of their migration routes for that time of year. As Age a group, make outdoor observations in the springtime and autumn to see which birds are in your area and mark them on the mural Older children (ages 9 to 12 years) accordingly, placing them in the south when they have left in the autumn, and in the north when they have arrived in the springtime. Materials Report your findings and track those of other citizen sci- Maps of North and South America • Map of the four major North entists online. Here are some good websites to participate in: American migration flyways (Figure 2)• Magazines and reference • Journey North: www.learner.org/jnorth/ books about birds • Computer to display websites with pictures of • Cornell Lab of Ornithology: www.birdsleuth.org/tips-for- common songbirds • Felt-tipped marking pens • Paper • Pencils • cit-sci-engagement/ Crayons • Large sheets of blank newsprint • Cardboard • Stapler • • Audubon’s “Hummingbirds at Home”: www.hummingbird- Glue • Binoculars • Field guides to common songbirds in your area sathome.org/

Green Teacher 102 Page 21 The Tortoise & the Egrets: A Traditional Tale from Tibet As retold by Michael J. Caduto ©2014 All Rights Reserved Adelaide Tyrol There once was a beautiful lake with sun-drenched, sandy shores. Egrets and herons waded in the shallows in search of something to eat. Ducks swam on the surface and dove the deep waters to catch a meal of fish. Up on the bank lived a small tortoise who loved to swim out and sun himself on the tufts of grass that held their heads above the open water of his quiet cove. One day, two egrets waded past Tortoise’s favorite sunny tussock of grass.

Page 22 Green Teacher 102 “Hello,” said the Egrets. “What am I supposed to do with that?” asked Tortoise “Hello to you,” replied Tortoise. “What are you searching for?” impatiently. “We are trying to find some fish to eat,” said one Egret. “We will keep this stick between us and hold it in our beaks. Tortoise swam over to the Egrets and the three of them began You can bite onto the center and hold tight as we take off and to play games in the water. Each day, as the Egrets waded past fly to the Lake of the Clouds.” Tortoise’s sunning place, they joined together in play. Soon, they “What a clever plan,” said Tortoise. “You are the best friends became the best of friends and were never far apart. and the smartest birds I have ever met.” One day an Egret said, “Tortoise, why are you sunning yourself “But you cannot talk while we are flying together,” warned so high up from the water today?” the Egrets. “You must keep your mouth closed at all times.” “I am in my usual place,” Tortoise replied. “It’s just that the “There is no way that I will open my mouth,” Tortoise declared. water is not as high as it used to be.” “There is very little food and water left,” said one of the It had been a hot, sunny springtime that led to a summer with Egrets. “I think we should leave at once.” little rain. Each day, it seemed, the water level dropped a little. With that, they grabbed the stick firmly in their beaks. Tor- In time, Tortoise’s clumps of grass stood in dried-up, cracked mud toise walked over to the stick and bit down as hard as he could. flats. Instead of playing, Tortoise and the Egrets spent most of It was a strange sight as the three friends rose up from the mud their time worrying about what would happen if the rains did not flats, circled in the sky and waved goodbye to the lake they had soon return. called home for so long. “Without water,” said one of the Egrets, “the fish will start to Higher and higher they soared, borne on the great, wide, die. We will have no food to eat. In time, there will be no water steady wings of the Egrets. They passed over many beautiful to drink. Without food and water we will not be able to survive.” places as they flew. The forest at the edge of the lake turned Tortoise became so upset that he could not even speak. “Where into great stretches of waving grasslands dotted with tall trees. could I go?” he asked himself. “And how would I get there?” Dried-up riverbeds snaked over the land. They flew over a cliff One day, the Egrets flew down to greet Tortoise. “Friend,” they that dropped steeply into a gorge through which trickled a said. “The birds have decided to move from here. They are going once-mighty river. to travel to a place called the Lake of the Clouds. It never dries At last, in the distance, they could see that tall, snow-capped up there, no matter how long between the rains. We will certainly mountains ringed the sky ahead. die if we stay here.” “That is where we will find the Lake of the Clouds,” said one of Tortoise began to cry. “I know that you must fly off to save the Egrets from the corner of its beak as it motioned with its foot. yourselves,” he sobbed “but there is no way that I can go with you. Down below, some people were working hard, trying to I would surely die of thirst before I completed the long walk to scratch out a living on their parched, dusty farmland. One of the Lake of the Clouds.” With sad eyes he looked up at his friends them looked up and saw something odd. and said, “I will understand if you go. When the drought breaks “Look, up in the sky! That is a very intelligent tortoise,” she and you return to this place, please find my shell and give me a shouted. “Look how it has convinced the egrets to carry him as decent burial.” Even as Tortoise spoke these words, he knew that they fly. All he has to do is hold on by his mouth while they do his friends would not be able to leave him behind. all the work.” Tears welled up in the Egrets’ eyes. “We cannot leave you The Egrets ignored the remark. But when Tortoise heard this, behind,” they said. “We will remain here until it rains once again.” he began to think that he was smart indeed. “It is true,” he One day passed, then another, and still the rain did not come. thought to himself. “I am more clever than I thought!” Each day, a relentless sun traveled across a hot, hazy sky. Trees The three of them flew on to where the melting snows flowed dropped their withered leaves and fish gathered in schools in the down from the mountain slopes. Some children were playing in a few cool, deep pools that remained. stream. One child looked up when he saw the reflection of Tortoise “We are going to die if we do not leave soon!” said the Egrets and the Egrets in the surface of the stream water. to Tortoise. “There, above us!” he cried out. “Those must be the smartest “I know,” he replied, “and I can no longer expect you to remain egrets I have ever seen. They have discovered a way to make a here with me. But isn’t there some way that I could fly with you tortoise fly!” to the Lake of the Clouds? Surely, if we all think hard enough, we When he heard this, Tortoise became hurt, then angry. He can figure something out.” began to think, “Those children do not know anything. How dare The Egrets slogged back and forth along the mud flats that they imagine that the Egrets thought of this plan. I am certainly once were covered with cool water. They talked to each other in the most intelligent one of us all and I am not going to pass low whispers, but shook their heads each time they found fault in before I let those children know it.” a plan they were hatching. Finally, Tortoise saw the Egrets nodding At that moment, Tortoise yelled as loud as he could, “It their heads in agreement as they walked toward him. was me…” “Tortoise, we have a plan that just might work.” But once his mouth opened, Tortoise realized his mistake. “Tell me what it is!” said Tortoise excitedly. But, without a He began to fall, tumbling head over tail. Down, down, down he word, the Egrets flew away to carry out their plan. went, faster and faster. At last, and with a good deal of luck, he “Hey, wait, don’t leave me here!” Tortoise cried out. “I thought landed with a great splash in a deep pool upstream from where you had a plan!” the children were playing. In a short while, the Egrets flew back and landed in front When the Egrets looked down and saw that their friend was of Tortoise. Each of the birds was holding the end of a stick in safe, they continued on their journey to the Lake of the Clouds. its mouth. They placed the stick on the dried up mud in front Since that day, tortoises have always kept their feet on the ground of Tortoise. and none has ever again taken to the sky.

Green Teacher 102 Page 23 Developing Character through Ancient Wisdom Use Aboriginal and historical knowledge to develop character and a sense of community among students of all ages Photographs: Cheri Isgreeen

for children to act as environmental stewards. By studying By Cheri Isgreen and adopting an inspirational guide from nature—be it a plant, animal, natural phenomenon, or geological feature— N THE INDIGENOUS CULTURES of central and students will develop habits of respectful and responsible western Australia, Yurees are assigned to each person decision making. This article outlines a character educa- at significant passages in their lives. Yurees represent tion plan, with adaptable activities for K-12 learners. The I 1 indigenous animals, plants, and places. Once assigned, the core plan can be tailored to enhance grade-specific and individual becomes responsible for the Yuree as well as discipline-specific objectives. The lessons integrate science, its environment. As caretakers, they learn how their own visual arts, language arts, and humanities. well-being is inextricably linked with the well-being of their totemic species, as well as the overall well-being of the Discovering Your Nature Guide environment.2 Throughout their lifetimes, members of the Begin with an outdoor field trip to nurture your students’ Jarowair and Gorenpul cultures accumulate a number of dif- connection with the natural world. Before embarking on the ferent Yurees. As a result, knowledge of flora and fauna is trip, take time to activate prior knowledge, excitement, and widespread and members of indigenous communities con- curiosity using poems and other materials. Provide time for sider themselves to be guardians of the environment.3 students to brainstorm what inspires them in nature. Encour- Learning from nature is a form of ancient wisdom that age students to think creatively–their inspirations don’t have has retained its importance through time. The basic concept to come from living animals. A mountain or rainbow can of having a nature guide (any being that watches over or also speak to them. assists a person or group of people) can create an incentive If funds permit, bring students to a nature center, a state

Page 24 Green Teacher 102 or national park, national forest, a local green space, or even a farm. If funds are limited, take students on a neighborhood walk, go to the local park, or simply find a quiet spot on your school campus. Inspiration can be found in many places. Stu- dents should bring a field notebook and pencils. The teacher should bring extra pencils, pencil sharpeners, and erasers. If possible, bring cameras along to document the walk. At the beginning of the field trip, gather your group in a quiet, sheltered spot. Ask students to reflect in small groups or silently on a series of focusing questions (see sidebar), to help inspire and guide their awareness during the field trip. Students will make notes in their field notebooks. Form cooperative learning groups for students to discuss the observations they made on the field trip. Remind students to practice quiet, receptive behavior so they will be successful seeing and experiencing wildlife. Ask students to use their five senses as they experience nature. Remind them that animals must have sharp senses to survive in nature. By noticing all sensory input, students will understand the environment where plants and animals live. Periodically stop groups and ask them to record any animals they have seen. If appropriate, include the animal’s behavior and habitat. explaining how behaviors, abilities, and environmental con- Students can also record sensory input, such as sound, wind, nections have contributed to the development of favorable temperature, etc. traits. Students will also discuss how their chosen nature At the end of the field trip, provide time for students to guides can help them make responsible decisions for envi- draw, write, and/or talk about what in nature has inspired ronmental stewardship. them. Based on observations and experiences, students Where students have chosen non-living guides, such as should include details about the natural environment. Stu- a rainbow or mountain, provide a mini lesson to guide them dents will share their ideas in small groups. The teacher how to make connections between the science and positive will circulate, observing and listening as students share. traits. For example, rainbows need moisture in the air and a If the outing is of short duration, and further inspiration is break in the clouds to allow sunlight to refract light. They needed, invite a taxidermist, wildlife specialist, a biology usually occur when the sun is lower in the sky, etc. professional, park ranger, and/or a wildlife/landscape artist Employing a variety of learning modalities, the follow- into your classroom. Also consider visiting an art museum, ing sections describe activities for interdisciplinary and ele- nature center, a library, or make use of internet resources. mentary students that address visual arts, writing, humani- Students can now choose their personal nature guides. ties, and health education. Once each student has chosen, ask them to write down the names of their guides and list their positive attributes in Creating a Personal Nature Guide their field notebooks. As homework, ask students to think (Visual Arts) about their chosen nature guides and conduct research Prior to asking students to create 3D versions of their nature through discussions with their families, friends, library, and/ guides, ignite their creativity through exploration and exper- or the Internet. imentation. Show examples of mixed-media sculptures. Students will draft a final list of admirable character- Provide targeted and brief technical direction as needed, and istics, behaviors, abilities, and environmental connections allow plenty of free rein for invention. Stress to students that of their chosen nature guides and write a short paragraph there are many solutions: they will have their own ideas for

Focus Questions for Field Trip Reflection

• In nature, what are you attracted to or interested in? Explain why. • Name something in nature that you admired in a TV show or movie. Include both the natural feature and the name of the show in your answer. • When you go outside, what are you most interested in seeing? • What do you see/notice most often outside? • What do you hope to see when you are out in nature? • Do you ever dream about nature? What do you dream about? • Name an animal or plant you have made friends with or wish to make friends with. • What in nature frightens you? • What traits do you admire in a certain animal, plant, natural phenomena, or geological feature? • What natural traits are similar to yourself?

Green Teacher 102 Page 25 such as a play, a rap, an interview, a dance, etc. Incorporat- ing props and costumes are a bonus! Advice from Nature Poems At the end of the activity, each student will complete a Advice from a Tree reflective self-assessment. Direct them to follow these steps: Review your field notebook, and/or your presentation Stand tall and proud materials. Study your sculpture and any extension activity Sink your roots into the Earth projects you have completed. Then answer the following Be content with your natural beauty questions. Go out on a limb • What did you learn from your nature guide? Discuss Drink plenty of water Remember your roots insights you hadn’t considered before this unit. Enjoy the view! • Where did you get your ideas? Be specific about the sources of your ideas. Advice from a Rainbow • Based on your nature guide, what advice would you rec- ommend to others after this course of study? Live a colorful life • What are some ways that nature can inspire you? Be an inspiration • Did you use humor in any of your presentation pieces? Bring unexpected joy (puns, plays on words, quips, etc) See beauty in life’s curves Be someone to look up to • Explain how you used humor. If you didn’t use humor, dis- Live in the moment cuss how you could add humor to one or more of your pre- Reflect your true nature! sentation pieces, (artwork, writing, display, presentation). Create a display of students’ work to continue building community in the classroom and the school. Nature guides expression. (If you aren’t confident about your art skills, col- can be used in decision making and play a role in conflict laborate with an artist or art teacher or ask an art expert for resolution. technical tips). Provide a variety of art and construction materials for Cheri Isgreen is a curriculum writer and Education Spe- students to create 3D versions of their nature guides. Encour- cialist for Your True Nature in western Colorado. Passionate age students to supplement the provided materials with found about classical horsemanship, her family has two horses objects. Employ mini lessons to show how to create space and three cats. She can be reached via www.yourtruena- and form with materials such as play dough, salt clay, mod- ture.com. eling clay, ceramic clay, papier mâché, or recycled found objects. After their construction is complete, encourage them Resources to add details with paint and other decoration. The complete Character Education plan including objectives, material lists, adaptations, extensions, rubrics, and standards correlations can be downloaded from Your True Nature. Reflections (Writing/Language Arts) (www.yourtruenature.com/advice-curriculum#.UaUENuDi822) Set the stage for students to write about their nature guides Lessons from the master plan can also be chosen like a menu and taught at any time of the year that makes sense to fit your curriculum by sharing a few ‘advice from nature’ poems. Ask students to find examples of voice, metaphor, humor, and personifi- For additional advice poems visit Your True Nature (www.yourtruenature.com/) Andrews, Ted. 1996. Animal speak: The spiritual & magical powers of crea- cation. Tell students that they will use their field notebooks tures great & small. St Paul, MN : Llewellyn Publications. and completed sculptures for inspiration as they write about Bengtsson, Fiona and Venaglia, Warren. Gumminguru in the cultural their chosen nature guides. Encourage students to use lit- landscape: a young boy’s perspective, (short clip & PDF document). U of erary devices found in the advice poems. Students should Queensland & Gummingurru Aboriginal Corp. include all the attributes embodied by their guides that they Gummingurru. www.gummingurru.com.au/HomePage admire. Encourage them to include important details, such Moreton, D. and Ross, A. 2011. “Gorenpul Knowledge of Moreton Bay,” Davie, as appearance, special abilities and habitat. Students should P. Wild Guide to Moreton Bay, 2nd Edition. pp.58-67. Queensland Museum, Brisbane. describe how their guides help them to act with respect, Rutherford, Paula. 2008. Instruction for all. Alexandria, VA: Just ASK Publica- integrity, and responsibility. Show them how to draw ideas tions. Sams, Jamie; Carson, David; Werneke, Angela C. 1999. from their field notebooks and completed sculptures. By Peace Song Tapestries. www.peacesongs.info/soundbank/index.html thinking aloud as you write, model for students how to translate ideas into a rough draft. Provide time for students to discuss their ideas in pairs or small groups as they refine Notes their drafts into polished pieces of writing. This is a good 1. Morrill, James. 1864. 17 Years wandering among the aboriginals. www.aboriginalculture.com.au/socialorganisation.shtml activity to teach personification and figurative language. 2. Rose, Deborah Bird. 1996. Nourishing Terrains: Australian Aboriginal views of landscape and wilderness. Cranberra, Australia: Australian Heritage Presentation (Humanities and/or Health) Commission. Students work in small groups to make presentations that 3. Ross, Anne; Pickering, Kathleen; Snodgrass, Jeffrey; Delcore; Henry D.; showcase how their guides helped them make responsible Sherman, Richard. 2011. Indigenous peoples and the collaborative stewardship of nature: Knowledge binds and institutional conflicts. Walnut Creek, CA: Left decisions that demonstrate caring for their school commu- Coast Press. nity, themselves, and their world. Encourage groups to use creative formats in their presentations to convey the lessons,

Page 26 Green Teacher 102 Where Does the Plastic Go? Using Socio-Scientific Issues in the classroom to study plastic pollution in the ocean and the physical properties of plastics Algalita Marine Research Foundation Algalita Marine Research

By Christopher D. Murakami, Suleyman Cite, over 31 million tons of plastic waste in 2010. So what hap- Dane L. Schaffer, and Troy D. Sadler pens to all the plastics that we produce and consume? We recycle some, but only 6.4 % of the plastics used in OCIO-SCIENTIFIC ISSUES (SSI) are societal chal- durable goods and hardly any of the nondurable plastics are lenges with important links to science. They are the recycled.1 There are many different kinds of plastics and Skinds of issues in which many individuals (at least some types of plastic are easier to recycle than others. This those who are not professional scientists) interact most often has created a major dilemma: plastics that are not properly with science. Global climate change and genetic engineering placed in landfills or recovered for recycling end up in the are among the most prominent examples, and teachers have natural environment. The misplacement of used plastics is a used these very well-known issues as a part of varied sci- serious global problem. ence learning experiences. Of course, there are many other Plastics float through stormwater sewer systems, down examples with significant implications for students and our waterways, onto coastlines, and accumulate in oceans and broader society. Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans is an lakes due to their physical and chemical properties–even important SSI which teachers can use as a context for stu- more so after heavy rains or large storms like hurricanes. dent inquiry and learning of science content. The plastics that get washed out into oceans gather in large clumps, forced together by the ocean waves and circulating Plastic Pollution currents. “There are over 46,000 pieces of plastic per square Every day, North Americans encounter plastic containers kilometre of the world’s ocean…a kind of marine soup that hold a variety of consumable products: water, soda, whose main ingredient is floating plastic debris.”2 The large laundry detergent, and foods. The U.S. Environmental Pro- ocean clumps of plastics are known as “garbage patches,” tection Agency (EPA) estimated that Americans generated and it is estimated there are now five major garbage patches

Green Teacher 102 Page 27 Aileen Rogers circulating in the world’s oceans. The best known of these is incorporated into classroom learning experiences. the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Several research studies have shown that engaging stu- The Great Pacific Garbage Patch floats between Hawaii dents in SSI-based instruction can enhance student interest and the western coast of the United States and is estimated and enthusiasm in science.4 In addition, embedding science to be twice the size of the state of Texas.3 Another garbage content in SSI-based contexts helps students develop a more patch was created in 2011 from the 9.0 earthquake off the integrated and practical understanding of science.5 Several coast of Japan that generated a tsunami. studies have demonstrated that students in SSI-based instruc- Birds and other animals mistake plastic refuse for food tion gained more conceptual understanding of the content and will eventually die if the plastic gets caught in their related to the issue under consideration than students in digestive system. Furthermore, when plastics get to the comparison situations whose learning experiences were not ocean, waves and currents start to physically break down contextualized in relevant issues.6 SSI-based learning experi- the material into smaller pieces. Over time, sunlight initi- ences also provide students with a chance to develop decision- ates photodegradation, resulting in the breakdown of plastic making skills using science and logical reasoning.7 Overall, debris into tiny particles. The chemical properties of plastics SSI teaching and learning is a promising way to prepare a allow these tiny particles, which still float, to bind to other more scientifically literate society. After synthesizing class- pollutants. Filter feeding organisms consume the plastic par- room-based research in which teachers successfully used SSI ticles and the pollutants. As other organisms consume the as contexts for science teaching, Sadler developed a frame- filter feeders, the plastics and pollutants accumulate in their work for SSI-based instruction in order to highlight essential flesh. This process of bio-magnification disrupts food chains elements of successful teaching with SSI.8 These elements and leads to deadly consequences for organisms at the high- are organized in terms of four dimensions: Design Elements, est trophic levels of an ecological community. Learner Experiences, Classroom Environments, and Teacher In light of all this, not only is it important to properly Attributes. The following is a sample unit related to plastic dispose of and recycle plastic waste, but society should also pollution based on this SSI framework. We use the 5E learn- consider rethinking the widespread use of plastics in our ing cycle (engage, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate) as products. What can we do about this widespread issue of an instructional model for structuring the unit. The unit con- plastics in our society? nects the concept of physical properties of matter to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and challenges students to make deci- Engaging Students in the Socio-scientific sions about the issue of plastics in our society. Issue of Plastics Talking about plastics provides an opportunity to engage ENGAGE Students in a Compelling Issue students in scientific content applied to real-world contexts. To engage students, teachers should start by asking students to Linking the concepts of physical properties and density bring three different plastic objects that they found at home or with the issue of garbage patches is one way that SSI can be in their neighborhood. Students can then discuss with partners

Page 28 Green Teacher 102 or small groups testable questions may be helpful for organizing students’ about the util- thoughts on the focus of the investigation. After the inves- ity of the plastic tigation, students should have a stronger understanding of items in their lives. what happens to plastics in water, and that different kinds of Although plastics plastics have different physical properties and behave differ- are everywhere in ently in water. our industrialized society, students EXPLAIN: Collect and Analyze Data should also be chal- Using their observations of the model waterway, students lenged to think should now be able to explain the physical science behind about the resources how plastics make their way into the ocean. Key terms like used to make plas- density and physical properties should be emphasized to tics and the path explain why plastics can float. Students can use a variety that some plastics of resources to allow them to answer questions such as: a.) take after being Where does the plastic in the ocean come from? b.) Where used (e.g. end up in does the plastic go? c.) How does the plastic get to the our oceans). oceans? d.) Where else does the plastic end up? e.) How is Students can plastic used in industrial societies? How much is used? As then watch a short students answer these questions, they are increasing their TED video fea- conceptual understandings of science, and also making con- Jeremy Phillip Jeremy turing Captain nections to environmental issues. Students should have mul- Charles Moore from the Algalita Institute in Southern Cali- tiple opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge through fornia, who has studied the life of plastics in our oceans and written reflections or creative expression such as short examine other pictures describing the Great Pacific Garbage essays, posters, or presentations to the class. Teachers may Patch. During the video, encourage students to consider the want to introduce concepts like non-renewable resources, following: Where do plastics come from? How are plastics non-degradable substances, economics, food safety, land- used? Where do plastics go when they are thrown away? fills, bio-accumulation, convenience, etc. What happens to plastics over time? What can we, or should we, do about this issue? After the video, small groups can ELABORATE: Negotiating Social work together to answer at least one of these questions Dimensions and prepare a brief statement to the class about what they In preparation for students to create and defend their argu- learned from the video. Throughout this unit, students will ments, this phase of the activity will give students opportu- further explore these questions and learn scientific concepts nities to look for communities and policies that have tried to to inform their abilities to make scientifically literate deci- reduce the use of plastics and think critically about the issue. sions about the issue of plastics. At this time, students should Of course, it would be easy to suggest that removing all of be given the unit task, which is to create an argument about the plastic is the best solution, however, as Captain Moore what should be done about the issue of plastics in our society, explains in his video, this simply is not possible. specifically related to its accumulation in our oceans. The case of plastic grocery bags in the City of Los Ange- les provides one of many examples of how communities EXPLORE: the Science Related to the Issue have attempted to deal with the issue of plastic pollution. During the second phase of the activity, students will take a In 2011, Los Angeles passed an ordinance banning the common plastic object—a soda bottle—and explore the dif- use of plastic grocery bags.9 The plastics industry opposed ferent kinds of plastic that are incorporated in a typical bot- the ban, and sued the city, saying there was no environ- tle, as well as physical properties of those different plastics. mental impact report conducted. Activists in support of the The goal is for students to understand that different kinds of ban felt that an environmental impact study was just a way plastics have unique characteristics, each of which has dif- for industry representatives with vested interests in plas- ferent observable properties, such as sinking or floating in tic manufacturing to maintain the status quo. Challenging water. Students will observe the behavior of different parts students to navigate some of the arguments on the different of a soda bottle (cap, label, bottle) in two liquids (tap water sides of this case gives them practice in making informed and salt water). Before starting this lab, the teacher should decisions. Other cases which feature new innovations like probe to better understand students’ prior conceptions of corn-based plastics, compostable plastics, and biodegradable density and the phenomenon of sinking or floating. plastics could also be used. For each of these new products, In the classroom, it is easy to create a model waterway students should consider whether or not they would alleviate by using a 10-gallon fish tank or 5-gallon bucket. Teachers issues associated with garbage patches, and if the proposed can decide how much structure to provide students during solutions would be economically and/or socially feasible. To their scientific investigation. Overall, students should be scaffold the high-order thinking called for in these cases, able to observe that the different types of plastics in a bottle teachers should ask students to address critical questions behave differently in salt water vs. fresh water, regardless like who benefits and who would be harmed by any given of size. It might be helpful to provide a table for students intervention strategy. This phase of the activity provides a to organize their observations and structure their explora- great experience for students to consider counterarguments tions of plastics. Providing guiding questions, or generating to their claims and offer rebuttals and qualifiers.

Green Teacher 102 Page 29 EVALUATE: Taking a position issue of plastics to community newspapers. Alternatively, The teacher should now ask the students to call on their the students can discuss the issue of plastics with school multiple wells of knowledge to take a position on the issue community members like lunch staff and administrators. of plastics in our society. The assessment probe can evalu- Students will undoubtedly take a variety of different posi- ate individual understanding of the issue of plastics in our tions on what to do about the issue of plastics. In order for society. Proposals from three citizens to address the issue this to be a successful learning experience, the classroom of plastics are presented, and students are asked to evalu- needs to be a safe environment for students to share varying ate the strengths and weaknesses for each of the positions, perspectives and explore new ideas. Regardless of the actual using scientific evidence to justify their criticism. Finally, form the culminating task takes, the students’ voices and students are asked to explain what they would do about the opinions should be valued and prioritized. issue and why. This activity should help students structure future positions that can be shared in the classroom, school, Conclusion and community. We have outlined how SSI can be used to drive instruction It is important for students to have the chance to demon- and engage students in the process of making scientifically strate their understanding of the scientific concepts and also informed decisions. Learning experiences with SSI can help communicate the complexities of the issue. There are sev- students master important scientific concepts like density eral assignments and structured classroom discussions that and also connect these concepts to their environment and could help teachers assess student knowledge and abilities. responsibility as citizens in modern democracies. Teachers Traditional structures like fishbowl discussions and debates looking for ways to support and challenge students as they allow students to have chance to communicate verbally about develop scientific and environmental identities should con- specific questions related to plastics. In fishbowl discussions, sider the SSI approach featured herein. Too often, we teach approximately one-third of the class participates in a conversa- about the importance of recycling but forget to examine tion on a topic (e.g., ameliorating the Pacific Garbage Patch), the broader systems that contribute to the degradation of while the remaining two thirds evaluate the quality of the par- our environmental resources. Teaching students to merely ticipation using argumentation rubrics. Usually, students will reduce, reuse, and recycle will not help support the type participate in a conversation once (be in the fishbowl) and pre- of innovative and critical thinking that is necessary for pare a written essay on their position on the topic. addressing issues in a complex industrial and consumer To encourage students to develop skills as engaged citi- society. This learning experience helps students use con- zens, students could write letters about ways to address the cepts in science to start explorations and conversations to rethink the way we use resources.

Resources Lab Activity Handouts can be found at www.greenteacher.com/contents102 http://blog.ted.com/2009/02/24/capt_charles_mo www.algalita.org/research/index.html#Resources http://plastics.americanchemistry.com/How-Plastics-Are-Made http://musec.missouri.edu/greenteacher

Notes 1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, (2011). 2. Grant, R. (2009, April 24). Drowning in plastic: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is twice the size of France. The Telegraph. 3. Hoshaw, L. (2009, November 10). Afloat in the ocean, expanding islands of trash. The New York Times. 4. Zeidler, D. L., Applebaum, S. M., and Sadler, T. D. (2011). Enacting a socioscientific issues classroom: Transformative Transformations. In T. D. Sadler (Eds), Socio-scientific issues in the classroom (pp 277-305). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer. 5. Sadler, T. D., Barab, S. A., and Scott, B. (2007). What do students gain by engaging in socioscientific inquiry? Research in Science Education, 37, 371-391. 6. Zohar, A., & Nemet, F. (2002). Fostering students’ knowledge and argumentation skills through dilemmas in human genetics. Journal of Research in Sci- ence Teaching, 39, 35–62. 7. Zeidler, D. L., Sadler, T. D., Simmons, M. L., and Howes, E. V. (2005). Beyond STS: A research-based framework for socioscientific issues education. Science Education, 89, 357-377. 8. Sadler, T. D. (2011). Socio-scientific issues-based education: What we know about science education in the context of SSI. In T.D. Sadler (Eds), Socio- scientific issues in the classroom (pp 355-369). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer. 9. Dolan, M. (2011, July 15, 2011). Plastic bag bans upheld by California Supreme Court. Los Angeles Times.

Page 30 Green Teacher 102 Let Peter Rabbit Play in the Garden Using Beatrix Potter to integrate ecological literacy into elementary classrooms Illustrations by Beatrix Potter, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top/ Illustrations by Beatrix Potter,

I loved Beatrix Potter’s Tales when I was young but besides By Kelly Johnson that, I knew nothing about her life and work. Through her child-friendly creative writing and art I discovered a com- HE DAY I SAT DOWN in a lesson with a copy of plex woman who was an exemplary observer of the natural Beatrix Potter’s The Tales of Peter Rabbit, potted world and a groundbreaking conservationist whose work has Therb plants, and a basket of nature journals I wasn’t set historic precedents in land conservation, mycology and, sure if my elementary students were going to love the les- of course, children’s literature. It is impossible to separate son or revolt. Lower elementary students can be fickle. One Potter’s personal relationship with nature and her conserva- minute they are pretending to be rabbits hopping around tion efforts from her storytelling–but that is a perfect starting the schoolyard and the next they are scientific philosophers. point for Beatrix Potter as a model for integrating writing Regardless of behavior, they are always quick to declare and nature experience. She had personal relationships with they ARE NOT BABIES! most of her animal characters, the stories are grounded in So you can understand my apprehension at presenting a authentic events, and the gardens and flora are always botani- lesson I knew had the potential for fantastic interdisciplin- cally accurate from existing locations around her home Hill ary learning experiences, but also had the potential to exas- Top Farm. This is where I begin with the students. perate “big kids.” I decided to trust my instinct, the inspira- I present the Tale of Peter Rabbit and ask the students if tion that is the life of Beatrix Potter, and the understanding they remember this story. Avoiding the actual storyline at this that if I am excited enough about something the students point, I move directly into an exploration of the illustrations will be too. The gamble paid off and a fantastic new series as scientific documentation. We examine their precision, dis- of lessons sprouted that incorporated literacy, observation, cuss how many of these animals were her pets, and how the botany, history, place studies, writing, and art, with a long anatomical accuracy came from many hours of close observa- term eco-literacy promise. tion. After hooking the students in with the art, I reveal a few

Green Teacher 102 Page 31 Kelly Johnson facts about Beatrix Potter’s childhood such as how she lived garden must be encouraged if the school garden space is to in the city and didn’t get to go outside every day, and spent become the students’ muse for ecological literacy. Each day vacations in England’s countryside Lake District where she there is something new and exciting happening in the space collected specimens. I explain how carefully studying these to spark research, fiction, and nonfiction writing. The garden specimens is what inspired Beatrix to write her Tales, and to space becomes a place for prompting ideas as well as men- later take responsibility for the land she loved. I use Potter’s tally relaxing after rigorous academics. childhood as a point for students to begin relating to Potter as Remember to make time to read the Tales and initiate dis- a child similar to them; someone who wanted to go outside cussion from a natural history observer’s perspective, from a and play, but didn’t always have access to nature. Exploring writing mechanics perspective, and from a moral persuasion the similarities builds a human connection and stages Potter perspective. Observe the way Potter uses descriptors to paint as an environmentally-engaged role model. a picture in our minds. Let the Tales illustrate writing con- Next, We use the book Beatrix Potter: A Journal—an cepts with which you are working. The stories are amazingly engaging scrapbook of compiled journal writings and illus- versatile and by analyzing the writing, the students begin to trations—to explore how nature journals serve as a place see the Tales scientifically as animal character vignettes and to collect inspiration, ideas, and observations of our world artistically as pieces of visual and literary art. to use for later projects. Taking our journals outside, we observe, draw, and document. Back in the classroom, I make Potter and Peter in the School Garden the Journal and copies of the Tales available for students to The school garden serves students as a place to bring the books’ use as research materials. Through this simple lesson, curi- botanical accuracy to life. This setting is many children’s only osity is sparked and Potter becomes more than someone who regular nature experience, so it is important that we create a writes “baby” stories. Students understand nature connec- space that seamlessly weaves aspects o f the child’s school tion as something that inspires a lifetime of creative work. and personal lives. Bringing the garden indoors through aca- From this point, I center the students’ writing curriculum demic integration is a first step, but we must remember to also around the garden. As appropriate, create regular garden bring the indoors out by teaching lessons in the garden itself journal time followed up with garden discovery-prompted with time for independent exploration and reflection. writing activities. Strong foundational connections with the Use Beatrix Potter as a liaison by planting a Peter Rab-

Page 32 Green Teacher 102 bit-themed garden. This seems obvious, but can be quite a comprehensive endeavor. Engage in a literature study of Kelly Johnson is an author, artist, and the creator of a the Tale of Peter Rabbit. Document Peter’s favorites of Mr. world of nature and arts-based educational resources, McGregor’s vegetables, Mrs. Rabbit’s herbs, and the other consulting, and workshops. Discover how to creatively in- fruits and flowers mentioned in the story. Then, plant those tegrate nature into your educational environment by joining specifically–as applicable to your region, of course. This in the fun at www.wingswormsandwonder.com. She lives in will provide literature-based garden experiences as a back- Neptune Beach, Florida. drop for Beatrix Potter studies, while launching a variety of tasting options, culinary projects, insect studies, observation Resources opportunities, soil composition work, and local past-to-pres- EPA President’s Environmental Youth Award: www2.epa.gov/education/presi- ent climate documentation. dents-environmental-youth-award National Trust, The, Hazel Gatford. Beatrix Potter: Her Art and Inspiration. Have the students research what native plants local rab- Wilts, England: Greenshires for National Trust Ltd., 2009. bits enjoy and plant those in a separate pot or bed in hopes NWF School Yard Habitat Certification: www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden- of hopes of attracting some live Peter rabbits. I realize from forWildlife/Schoolyard-Habitats.aspx a gardening perspective this sounds crazy, so do this in an Potter, Beatrix. Beatrix Potter: A Journal. London: Penguin Group, 2006. area away from the regular garden if you are concerned about your veggies getting eaten. Inviting wildlife to your garden is a great way to support your local ecosystem while Notes providing opportunities for observation, introductions to 1. Lear, Linda. Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature. New York: St. Martin’s, 2007, systems-thinking work, and biological research projects. pp. 401. 2. Lane, Margaret. The Tale of Beatrix Potter, A Biography. London: Fredrick Doing this may also qualify your garden to be certified as a Warne, 1978, pp. 36. NWF Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat. After your Peter Rabbit 3. Silverstone, Martin. “Scientist, Interrupted.” Canadian Wildlife. Tribute garden is successfully planted and integrated, theme plant Publishing Inc. 8.3 (2002): 22. gardens from other Tales. Engage in a water and amphibian 4. Lear, 106. study with the Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fischer, grow mushrooms 5. Lear, 142. and discover Potter’s mycology research, or investigate 6. Lane, 72. squirrel behaviors through the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin to 7. Lane, 16. study mammal anatomy and functions. 8. Eccleshare, Julia. “Peter Rabbit Turns 100.” Publishers Weekly 249.16 Potter’s life model demonstrates that a child does not (2002): 32. have to live in a “natural” setting to strongly bond with nature. It is the quality of experiences, subsequent outlets for creative assimilation, and (as Rachel Carson emphasized) the presence of an adult who encourages the interest, that leave lasting impressions which inspire eco-literacy. When Dawn Publications I was a child, Potter’s characters fed my imagination, and as Connecting Children and Nature since 1979 an adult, Potter’s life work provides a template for helping children build foundations for environmentally sustainable action. Beatrix Potter had a visionary enthusiasm said to be e Mouse and the Meadow far “ahead of her time in urging natural beauty as an impor- Written and Illustrated by Chad Wallace tant value in preserving a historic landscape.”1 This vision is Meadow Mouse is out for a day of adventure perfect for satisfying the developmental and academic needs — full of friends, danger, and surprises at of 21st-century children. every turn! As a teacher, I proudly watch as my students grow and go on to write conservation pieces for the local newspaper, win the EPA President’s Environmental Youth Award, and con- On Kiki’s Reef tinue to engage in local environmental activism. When I see Written by Carol L. Malnor former students around town, they excitedly tell me about Illustrated by Trina L. Hunner what they are growing in their home gardens, a new discov- A delightful introduction to the magical, ery they made in their natural world, or a tale of activism. hidden world of sea turtles. Witnessing the seeds planted in first grade continue to sprout is a driving force behind why I teach for ecological literacy. I am honored to have helped prepare the soil for e Swamp Where Gator Hides their future accomplishments. Written by Marianne Berkes For Beatrix Potter, conservation and inspiration were Illustrated by Roberta Baird inseparable. Throughout her career, it was always nature that Kids will search for the gator that is hiding inspired her actions. Her life and work prove to be models of while he waits for lunch to come near. creativity and responsible land stewardship, encouraged by a love and understanding of the natural world. This model of wonder, place connection, and conservation nurture the Phone (800) 545-7475 R www.dawnpub.com invaluable lessons Potter and her work bring to our class- R R rooms over a century after Peter first entered our gardens. Canadian Distributor Monarch Books 416-663-8231

Green Teacher 102 Page 33 Before and Beyond Peter Rabbit: A Look at Potter’s Life National Trust Images National Trust Left: Beatrix Potter aged 15 photographed by her father in 1883 accompanied by the family spaniel, Spot at Hilltop, Sawrey, Right: Beatrix Potter, aged 47

At first glance, Potter’s 19th century childhood seems nothing Her isolation in London was frustrating for young Beatrix, like that of 21st century children. But closer observation reveals but it provided her with many uninterrupted hours for drawing, many similarities. Potter’s lack of daily access to nature is not painting, and developing observation skills while studying natu- unlike today’s children who go from the car to school to the ral history. The fact that she spent more time with animals than car to various scheduled activities to the car to home in front humans in childhood accounts for Potter’s deep understanding of the television with little, if any, opportunity for creative of the animal nature and anatomy she illustrated so impeccably. exploration in nearby nature. Vacation or school gardening may As Potter grew into a young adult, she became especially be the only occasions modern children are granted free time interested in mycology, the study of fungi. At this period in to enjoy and connect with their local environment. Similarly, Victorian society, women were not educated to be scientists, the seeds for Potter’s lifeworks were all planted while sum- but painting was an acceptable way for a woman to study mering in Scotland and the English countryside. It was during botany. Her paintings were so accurately detailed that a century vacation times that Beatrix solidified her connection to place, after they were created they are still used for fungi identifica- relationship with, and lifelong love of the natural world through tion.3 Potter’s fungi infatuation culminated in her writing a exploration, observation, and nature study. Nature study was scientific paper on spore germination and an extensive port- immensely popular in Victorian times, and outdoor exploration folio of mycological paintings. “She never articulated a final was encouraged by Beatrix’s father, who was himself an amateur purpose for her [fungi] experiments other than the pleasure naturalist and photographer. of discovery.”4 This simple “pleasure of discovery” drove all of When the holidays were over, the family returned to London Potter’s work and is a foundation for what I try to inspire in and “Beatrix settled down to pursue the discoveries [she and my own students. The wonders of nature always have a new her brother] had made together.”2 Through all the experiences lesson to teach if we just open ourselves to discovery. It was gathered in the summers, Potter’s work sprouted in the isolated perhaps after Beatrix realized she had exhausted the myco- third floor nursery of the family’s London home. Here she kept a logical opportunities available to Victorian women that she menagerie of animals who were her friends, research subjects, turned her attention back toward drawing the animals she kept and later characters in her Tales. as companions. This time, however, she drew not for scientific

Page 34 Green Teacher 102 The front of the mainly c17th Hill Top, Sawrey, Cumbria, where Beatrix Potter wrote many of the Peter Rabbit stories National Trust Images/Stephen Robson, http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top/ National Trust

research, but for her own amusement and to cheer up a friend’s sick little boy with a story letter about a rabbit named Peter. Beatrix continued to send much loved story letters, full of naughty animal antics, to younger cousins and friends’ children. It was suggested to Beatrix in 1900, by a children’s book illustrator friend, that these letters would make successful books.5 Surprisingly, Beatrix “could not believe that her own ideas and fantasies about animals could appeal to children in general,”6 but her desire for financial freedom, as she was unmarried and still living in the isolated third floor of her parents’ home, prompted her to act on the advice and pursue the publishing of Peter Rab- bit. Publisher Frederick Warne & Co. released The Tale of Peter Rabbit in time for Christmas 1902, selling fifty-thousand copies the first year.7 Peter Rabbit continues to be one of the most popular children’s books ever written. By the book’s one-hundredth birthday, over forty-million copies had been sold worldwide in thirty-five languages.8

Green Teacher 102 Page 35 Activity: Exploring Life in a Square

So much life can be discovered in one unassuming marked off square. This lesson gets children really observing up close the amount of biodiversity that can be discovered in an area that may at first appear to have nothing in it.

Materials 4 bamboo stakes String Semi-wild space large enough to mark off a square that can allow multiple children space to work and observe Nature journal Pencils Local plant, animal, and insect field guides Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter: A Journal

Optional:

Field bags, Tape measure, Magnifying glass Kelly Johnson

Preparation Choose the location and use the stakes and string to delineate the outdoor area to be observed. When deciding on the space for the “square,” carefully observe the area including its proximity to the classroom, feasibility for independent observation in small groups or individually, and if keeping the particular area marked off for a length of time will it interfere with any other school events, schedules, or maintenance. Consider an area where students can have permission to regularly visit independently. The space could be semi-wild with no human planted material and considered weedy or unkempt–perfect for a little wild nearby nature. If possible, incorporate a tree or shrub in the square to encourage birds and small mammal visits. Inform the other teachers and the school staff of your project and ask that they not interfere with the space for the desired amount of time. Get them on board by inviting them to join your class in an observation activity. I label the area with a “Life in a Square” sign as a reminder to other school community members why the area is marked off.

Procedure Present the life and work of Beatrix Potter, emphasizing her illustrations as the result of many hours of careful observation. Explore the idea of how much wonderful and beautiful life can live in one small area if we take time to get to really know that area through observation. Explain that they will have opportunities to observe and explore a designated area documenting the different plants and animals found in “the square” in their journals. Give each student the opportunity to make predictions about what would be found in the space before the first visit. Bringing the nature journals, pencils, and any optional materials, present the space to the children. If they do not immediately engage with the space, begin asking questions such as, “Do you see anything you recognize or do you see anything new?” “Do you see anything that was predicted?” Point out an object that could provoke open-ended conversation. Give the students enough time to gather observations, collect data using the materials, and document their findings at “the square.” Be sure all the children are actively and productively engaged with the space. Once all the students have documented an acceptable amount of information, reassemble the group and discuss the prediction outcomes, relationships between the habitat and its inhabitants, the numbers of plant and animals observed, and the possibilities of why these species are there. Depending on the age and experience levels of the students, incorporate the journals either at this point or in the next lesson. Define how to record information about a subject next to a drawing in their nature journal. Also, have Potter’s books available for inspiration. Allow the students a minimum of one month to explore the space. Incorporate creative writing exercises (e.g. story letters) and provide opportunities for presenting research findings and fictional stories to the class. This assimilates learning and maintains enthusiasm for the project.

Extensions: Ideally, the “square” could be preserved through various seasons or the entire school year. If the square can be left designated for an extended period, compile all the research into a larger class project that could be developed into a schoolyard field guide, a community presentation, a nature study newsletter, or an illustrated booklet of poetry and prose.

This lesson was adapted from Johnson’s book Wings, Worms, and Wonder: A Guide for Creatively Integrating Gardening and Outdoor Learning into Children’s Lives.

Page 36 Green Teacher 102 Photographs: Community GroundWorks Creating School Gardens that Last Wellness policies can help ensure school gardens remain vibrant and vital long into the future

This tableaux may sound like an educator’s ultimate green By Jennica Skoug and Beth Hanna fantasy, but it became a reality largely due to Amherst’s use of a wellness policy. Too often, school gardens are abandoned IX YEARS BEFORE the Tomorrow River School due to changes in staff, reduced funding, or shifting educa- District garden existed in greens and yellows and tional trends. Having a wellness policy to support the sustain- Soranges, it existed in black and white. In 2006, a dedi- ability of a garden program not only increases the garden’s cated group of parents and teachers from the district—cen- longevity, but helps set goals to monitor its progress. tered in Amherst, Wisconsin—drafted a school wellness The ever-increasing focus on childhood obesity and policy identifying gardens as a strategy for implementing nutrition issues has helped launch school gardens into the a comprehensive nutrition education program. The policy forefront of the education movement. Gardens are consis- also included specific plans for installing the school garden tently identified as a great way to increase children’s knowl- within the school grounds master plan. Six years later, the edge, preference, and consumption of fruit and vegetables. district’s garden came to life. However, it is important to recall that trends in education— This fall, Mrs. Doll’s first grade class could be found even those supported by research—do not necessarily lead tiptoeing through a field of vines, hunting for pumpkins and to widespread implementation. School gardens were widely winter squash. Accompanying the children was the district’s popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s before fading food service director—the pumpkin harvest was bountiful into educational history in the 1920s. Wellness policies are enough to cook and serve for lunch at Amherst’s K-12 an essential tool for helping the school gardens of the 21st school. The wellness policy also lays out space for fruit century grow stronger not only now, but long into the future. trees, and the school district is hoping to raise funds to hire This is not a call to anxiety about the fate of gardens, a garden coordinator. but rather a call to action and inspiration. It is entirely pos-

Green Teacher 102 Page 37 sible to have confidence in the long-lasting nature of gardens, while recognizing the prudence of putting intentions into writing. “I think gardening is such a big initiative–I don’t think it will go away by any means,” says Amherst Elementary’s prin- cipal, Mike Toelle. “I also know that once a certain person leaves, these programs can die. But because this [garden] is in our wellness policy, it’s in our master plan and should be able to last.” Garden programs that are incorporated into wellness policies become a part of a goal-oriented plan, and attract attention as a part of essential school programming. The communication and assessment protocols that are a part of most wellness policies help gardens continue to gain respect as educational tools that can coordinate academic uses with nutrition and physical activity. Including gardening as an integral part of wellness policies will also help schools to expand the reach of their gardens, involving ever more students in garden-based education. While wellness policy regulations look different in different regions of the world, they often include the following: are always progressing. It also gives schools a chance to • Goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical incorporate positive changes in wellness efforts they have activity, and other school-based activities that promote made, or are planning to make. Case in point: Tomorrow wellness River’s gardens. • Nutrition guidelines for available foods Wellness committees that have chosen to incorporate • A way to inform the public about wellness policy content gardens into existing policies have made use of two strate- and implementation. gies to do so. Some committees choose to integrate garden • A plan to measure progress toward these goals language into existing sections of the policy, while others create a new section dedicated entirely to gardens. Those Just as a garden can be made stronger by including a who choose to integrate gardens into existing policy sections diversity of plants, schools can facilitate the development of have found that headings such as nutrition education, physi- a high-quality wellness policy by ensuring many different cal activity, and other school-based activities that promote parties come together to write and revise it. Parents, stu- wellness lend themselves most easily to garden language. In dents, school food authorities, physical education teachers, the case of the Tomorrow River School District, the nutrition school health professionals, the school board, and members education section states: of the community should all be involved. The presence of so many invested people serves to ensure that wellness poli- Schools should provide nutrition education and cies are likely to be long-standing documents. Many schools engage in nutrition promotion that: includes enjoy- form a wellness committee that meets at least annually to able, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, review and revise the policy. Yearly revisions help make cer- participatory activities, such as contests, promotions, tain that a school’s efforts at improving student health taste testing, farm visits, and school gardens.

Page 38 Green Teacher 102 Other districts have gotten even more specific in their roll into one. It is a center point and a launching pad for a choice of garden-highlighting language. In its nutrition edu- healthy school setting, and a conscious, healthy future. cation section, Wisconsin’s Shorewood School District states: Jennica Skoug and Beth Hanna work for the Wisconsin Goals include, but are not limited to….utilizing School Garden Initiative (WSGI), a project of Madison- instructional gardens to provide students with experi- based nonprofit Community GroundWorks. WSGI is a ences in planting, harvesting, preparation, serving, three-year project that aims to increase and improve school and tasting foods, including ceremonies and celebra- gardens throughout the state of Wisconsin by offering train- tions that observe food traditions, integrated with ing, support, and resources to garden educators. They can nutrition education and core curriculum, and articu- be reached at www.WIschoolgardens.org or at wsgi@com- lated with state standards. munitygroundworks.org.

Clearly, schools do not need to start from scratch. The Wisconsin School Garden Initiative (WSGI), which aims to connect and support garden educators throughout the state, has created a brief entitled Incorporating School Garden Language into a School Wellness Policy to assist wellness committees in achieving just that. In addition to the above examples, the brief includes a model for a stand-alone school garden wellness policy section from Minnesota’s Public Health Law Center. While not every region has a school garden network for support, most have organizations—or at least individuals—invested in educational policies that help kids grow up healthy. Local health coalitions, government health departments, non-profits, and public health professionals are likely sources. The much-heralded ‘Farm to School’ movement is another natural partner, with its focus on local food and garden-based nutrition education. Even if no local support organization exists, community support should not be underestimated. Often one fervent volunteer is enough to bring energy and action to a wellness committee. Schools need not fear that their garden program isn’t up to snuff as it makes its way into a formalized document. Indeed, a school’s garden may not exist as anything more than a distant dream at the time it is written in to a wellness policy. As Mrs. Doll’s first graders wade through tomato plants heavy with fall fruits—and ripe for the tasting!—they weren’t aware of the garden’s many shortcomings. Instead, they’re thinking about the surprising burst of flavor as they pick bright red treats straight from the vines; or the moment of pride when the afternoon’s biggest pumpkin appears in the cafeteria, an experience where biology, art, and lunch all

Green Teacher 102 Page 39 Tackling Invasive Species Using Citizen Science An online network of thousands of students and teachers can extend scientists’ otherwise limited research and monitoring efforts M. Denniston

through the lens of one growing citizen science community By Sarah Morrisseau and Christine Voyer in Maine, and how you can use what’s happening there as a model and inspiration for empowering your own students as PECIES ARE ON THE MOVE. Whether by human citizen scientists. activity, climate change, natural range shifts, or other An online network of tens of thousands of students and Smeans, plants, animals, and insects are finding their teachers can help to inform and extend scientists’ otherwise way to new places across the globe. Some species become limited research and monitoring efforts. The nature of the invasive in their new homes. They disrupt the ecological work demands students develop scientific habits of mind balance, reduce biodiversity, or impact our interactions with curiosity, observation, questioning, reasoning, and analysis. the environment. They use science practices and skills as they collaborate and Invasive species scientists and resource managers are communicate in person and online with peers and profes- charged with identifying and responding quickly to the arrival sionals. As citizen scientists, students can learn science by of potentially disruptive species. They monitor and manage being scientists. their spread, and investigate impacts on native species, ecosystem processes, and biodiversity. But with so many species on What does citizen science look like? the move and so much land, freshwater, and coastline to cover, Citizen science learning experiences look different across the task can move from difficult to downright daunting. grade levels, subject areas, ecosystems, and species studied. Elementary, middle, and high school students alike can While the context for learning may change, the underlying make important contributions to invasive species early detec- process that student scientists go through to make observation, monitoring, and research efforts by becoming keen citi- tions, collect data, and connect with and contribute to citizen zen scientists. They can post their own species observations, science communities is quite similar. comments, and multimedia projects to active online commu- Here’s an example of what middle school science learn- nities of peers and professionals across the globe. ing experiences in a freshwater ecosystem can look like. We’ll show you what this type of learning looks like Since 2009, thousands of students from across Maine have

Page 40 Green Teacher 102 “The setting appears ideal for rock snot, and your description—wool-like texture—got my attention! It’s defi- nitely worthy of further scrutiny. Can you mail me a sample for me to share with DEP colleagues? I look for to receiving your mystery alga!” He and his colleagues reviewed the sample that Equinox sent by mail. Paul was relieved to leave a final comment for Equinox stating that the algae was not invasive rock snot, but a close rela- tive native to Maine. Rhonda’s students were so excited by their close encounter and their online conversation with Paul that they made a video documenting their experience. They shared that video with the Vital Signs community, and played it for their school board to show how they prefer to learn science. Get involved with local groups

Gulf of Maine Research Institute Gulf of Maine Research The learning experience Rhonda’s students had—asking a question, doing been collecting baseline data on native species, alerting fieldwork, supporting a claim with evidence, interacting scientists to unfamiliar species, and collaborating with pro- with experts online, and creating media-rich projects—can fessionals to monitor and manage forested, freshwater, and be replicated in your classroom, wherever it may be. coastal areas that have invasive species. Keeping Rhonda and her students’ experience in mind, In Dedham, Maine, Rhonda Tate’s grade 8 students are here are some key steps to take and resources to use to get in their third year investigating their schoolyard habitats your students doing meaningful citizen science research on and contributing data to the Vital Signs community. In 2011 invasive species. Rhonda’s students decided to contribute data to “Mission: Rock snot.” Rock snot is an invasive diatom known to cover 1. Connect with an online community or and smother freshwater stream habitat. It is a species not yet database seen in Maine, but one that scientists at the Maine Depart- To give students’ learning real purpose and meaning beyond ment of Environmental Protection are particularly con- the classroom, start by connecting with an active citizen cerned about for its impact on fish habitat. science group, an online naturalist community, or a species Rhonda’s students practiced fieldwork skills, and headed database. to the stream behind their school with a species identifica- If you happen to teach in Maine, connect with Vital tion card for rock snot, water quality sampling tools, cam- Signs like Rhonda. If you’re not in Maine, find an authentic eras, GPS units, and datasheets. They made careful observa- audience for your invasive species data and projects through tions of the riparian habitat, as well as the texture and color platforms such as Texas Invasives, iNaturalist, EDDMapS, of the specimens that most resembled rock snot. One student iSpot, and ProjectNOAH. Use resources like CitSci.org and team called Equinox thought they found it. SciStarter.com to search for local citizen science projects. Team Equinox collected both written and visual evidence to support their “we think we found it” claim. Back in the 2. Ask a question classroom, they finalized their case online. They entered Get your students thinking like scientists, and interacting their claim, their supporting photographs and evidence state- with professionals who are interested in student-collected ments, and their field notes into an electronic datasheet on data by building your invasive species study around a real the Vital Signs website. research question. Whether in science, math, social studies, Their work then underwent an in-class quality check and or language arts class, investigations are more engaging and peer review process. Once Equinox was satisfied with their authentic when driven and guided by research questions. work and felt that they had made a strong case to support • Check newspapers and state websites for species of inter- their claim, they hit “publish.” When they published, their est or concern in your area. species observation was made public on the Vital Signs web- • The online community you connect with can help you site, and an email notification was immediately sent to Paul choose a question and species to look for. Join an inva- Gregory at the Maine Department of Environmental Pro- sive species project on iNaturalist or invasive species tection. From his office 90 miles away from Dedham, Paul mission on Project NOAH, or start a new mission and reviewed the evidence and left Team Equinox this comment: invite others to participate.

Green Teacher 102 Page 41 Cynthia Lambert

3. Practice fieldwork skills Species identification resources can be used to help students Once you have chosen your research question, practice hone in on the evidence they need to make a solid case. fieldwork skills and prepare to observe nature as scientists. Curriculum resources are available for building skills 5. Undergo peer-review around observation, data collection, species identification, Peer review is an integral part of scientific practice, and and teamwork, and for using tools like cameras, GPS units, an important collaboration skill for all learners to develop. quadrats, and species identification guides. You can have Students often need support to have positive and productive students develop expertise as individuals or in fieldwork experiences entering into these finicky discussions. With teams. the right tools, guidance, and time, students become self- Students typically need tools, scaffolding, and back- reflective learners, and gain comfort and confidence offering ground knowledge to make scientific observations and col- advice and ideas to others. Allowing students the time to lect useful information in the field. Asking students to study engage in peer dialogue lets them improve their data quality or create identification resources helps them focus in on rel- and communication skills in class as a precursor to interact- evant and distinguishing characteristics when they are in the ing with an online community. field. If you’re in the northeastern United States, Go Botany and Vital Signs species identification resources—which 6. Share your data have been designed to support novices in the field—can tell Students further hone their scientific communication and you what characteristics to look for, and how to tell your thinking skills when they connect with other novices and species apart from similar species. experts through an online scientific community. Online comments and conversations with scientists and expert natu- 4. Make a claim ralists can be empowering to students. Henry Ingwersen, An important part of scientific work is making claims and a grade three teacher in Wells, Maine explains; “When my backing up those claims with evidence. The book Ready, students see the comments that experts made on their Vital Set, SCIENCE! by Sarah Michaels, Andrew W. Shouse, and Signs observations they’ve looked at me and said, ‘Wow! Heidi A. Schweingruber lists generating scientific evidence I’m a scientist! I can do this!’ and they feel like a part of the as one of the four strands of science proficiency. scientific community because they are.” Whichever online platform your students use to share In socially-minded online communities, participants who data, design your fieldwork datasheet to guide students have developed certain expertise often use comments to through the process of making a claim about the presence of mentor and give advice to novices, acknowledge correct spe- their species. Ask them to collect up to three pieces of photo- cies identifications, and share relevant stories and resources. graphic, written, or sketched evidence to support their claim. Scientists and managers often encourage participants to col-

Page 42 Green Teacher 102 lect more data specific to their research. Students often use Vital Signs is a program of the Gulf of Maine Research comments to congratulate teammates and peers, share their Institute (GMRI) and is based in Portland, Maine. The Vital own expertise with species identifications, observation, pho- Signs curriculum carries a Creative Commons CC-BY tography, sketching, or evidence-based reasoning, and con- license that encourages anyone to use, remix, and share nect with others who have similar species interests. units, activities, and resources as long as attribution is given to GMRI. Adapt the resources and connect with a com- Start small and evolve over time munity of educators who are engaging students in invasive Experienced teachers maintain that it’s best to start small species investigations by visiting http://vitalsignsme.org/ with students’ first foray into citizen science. Commit to learning and experimenting together in your first year as you Resources explore local habitats, generate questions of interest, connect Ready, Set, SCIENCE! Putting Research to Work in K-8 Science Classrooms online, and get excited about taking part in a real research (2007), http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11882 From Everyday to Scientific Observation: How Children Learn to Observe the effort. With a solid foundation, you can easily and quickly Biologist’s World, Catherine Eberbach and Kevin Crowley, Learning Research evolve and deepen the ways that you participate over time. and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Review of Educational Here’s how three teachers from the Vital Signs commu- Research, Spring 2009, Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 39–68 nity have personalized citizen science learning experiences for their students, and expanded their work from year to year. Student-friendly citizen science online communities Henry Ingwersen and his grade three students are just 1. Vital Signs, http://vitalsignsme.org beginning to explore and learn together as citizen scientists. 2. iNaturalist, http://inaturalist.org He says; “This is really exciting. It’s new learning for me. 3. ProjectNOAH, http://projectnoah.org Our idea is to identify as much as we can for native spe- 4. iSpot, http://ispotnature.org cies and then the next question we are researching is, ‘What 5. Texas Invasives, www.texasinvasives.org are the invasive species out here in our woods?’ And the 6. Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System, www.eddmaps.org big question is, ‘Are the invasive species a problem to the 7. SciStarter, http://scistarter.org natives?’” 8. CitSci.org. http://citsci.org Pat Parent is in his fourth year immersing his grade seven students in invasive species research. They continue to map the biodiversity on their school campus (a project started in 2009) and have posted two field missions that challenge the community to investigate relationships among invasive purple loosestrife, biological control Galerucella beetles, and invasive Japanese beetles. “My classes have a real purpose. We’re on a mission on campus, in our communities, and in collaboration with students in other parts of the state. We have the encouragement of scientists and others who comment on and use our findings. Kids are excited Green Teacher Seeks Regional Editors about science class, and so am I,” says Parent. Jamien Jacobs’ grades five and six students used Vital When Green Teacher magazine began publishing in Signs to document native and invasive species on their small Canada in 1991, we took steps to ensure participation island campus. Then, they got a grant from the Casco Bay from environmental and global educators across the Estuary Project, teamed up with professionals at Maine continent. We established a group of volunteer regional editors who help to promote the magazine and keep us Department of Conservation and the older and younger stu- informed of interesting happenings in their area. dents at their school. They removed truckloads of invasive bittersweet and planted native gardens. Jacobs shares that Regional editors are lively, passionate individuals whose “students learned about the complexity of ecosystems sci- responsibilities include 1) spreading the word about ence, inventoried and mapped native and invasive species, Green Teacher; 2) encouraging educators who are increased the public’s awareness of the effects of invasive doing exciting work in environmental education to write species in Maine, and used their knowledge and energy to for the magazine; and 3) writing the occasional article. take action!” We are looking for Regional Editors Invasive species offer a rich and authentic opportunity in the following locations: for learning. By connecting online to share data with peers and professionals, students can communicate experiences United States: AL, AK, AR, ID, LA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NE and expertise across states, nations, and the world, bringing NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, SD, TN, TX, WA, WI a whole new dimension to invasive species citizen science Canada: PQ, NU, PEI efforts and online learning environments. Australia: each of the 8 states New Zealand: South Island, North Island Sarah Morrisseau was instrumental in the early design and growth of the Vital Signs community, and now works for the If you are interested and have the time to undertake interactive website development company Image Works in this volunteer position, please let us know by e-mailing Portland, Maine. Christine Voyer is the Vital Signs Science [email protected]. Education Program Manager.

Green Teacher 102 Page 43 Resources

Reviewers in this issue: Alan money or experi- ourselves to the unique gifts found Crook, Judy Halpern, Catherine ence but rather within each child. Nurturing ourselves Koons Hubbard, Julia Lawler, the courage to as individuals will allow us to interact Grant Linney, Phyllis McKenzie, pursue your with others—children, colleagues Deborah Roe dreams and be and families—from a heartfelt place. persistent. Their Based on personal experience and projects are as research, Rosenow promotes growing Earth Matters diverse as they our own gardens, literally and figu- Earth Matters are and include: ratively, as a means to healing heart, is an ecology community mind, and body. It is only through self- encyclopedia gardens in the acceptance that we gain the fortitude written for South Bronx, conservation work with needed to build strong communities a generation Ecuadorean Indians, and the develop- that support and nurture all of those that thrives on ment of a culturally-based, environ- with whom we engage. –(PM) 140-charac- mental curriculum for the children of Dimensions Educational Research Foun- ter texts and the Menominee Reservation. Fifteen- dation, 2012, ISBN 978-0-9839465-3-3 Instagram im- year-old Freya Chay helped to draft (pb), 92 pp., US $9.95 from (888) 908- ages. The book is organized by eight an Alaskan bill that removed taxes 8733, major biomes, with several ecosys- on alternative energy projects. Kyle tems nested within each. The book is Thiermann convinced hundreds of Insects: representative, not exhaustive. How people to move $340 million of their Their Natural else could you fit “everything you will money out of a large national bank History and ever want to know about the earth’s into community banks. The Forces ecology” into 256 albeit oversized of Nature DVD will be a source of Diversity pages? Fortunately, pictures can ac- inspiration for environmental youth This is not a count for quite a few words and there groups and a good addition to school coffee table are a lot of them, as well as good maps and public library collections. –(DR) book. Do not be fooled by and infographics. While the content is Video Project, 2012, Item#: FOR-891, 51 limited, the occasional nifty stat keeps min., US$79 (colleges/universities) or $49 its large format things interesting–e.g., it takes some (K-12), from (800) 475-2638, actually more like attending a series a butterfly. The description of each of third year entomology lectures, ecosystem includes a graphic food Heart-Centered Teaching complete with visuals, given by the web, threats to that ecosystem, and a Inspired by Nature best lecturer you have ever seen. representative animal species. Each How can we offer unconditional love Based on author Stephen A. Marshall’s biome page contains a detailed distri- to the children we nurture, if we can- experience teaching such a course, the bution map for each nested ecosystem, not offer ourselves that same uncon- book provides information on every and concludes with “what you can do.” ditional love? Knowing ourselves insect order and family found in North Global warming gets its two pages, deeply, under- America (i.e. west of the Mississippi and is a common, recurring theme standing our and north of Georgia). Included with throughout the text. The authors’ ad- own motivations each are details on things like taxono- vocacy for the planet is evident. This in the work we my, ecological relationships, predators is an excellent introductory resource do, and caring and predator defenses, and relation- for grades 6-8, or anyone with limited for ourselves are ships to people, from economics to knowledge who wants to learn about central themes disease vectors. Marshall presents this and care for the planet. –(AC) in Heart-Cen- information in such a fascinating and DK Publishing, (2011), ISBN 978-0-7566- tered Teach- idiosyncratic fashion that you get no 7492-2 (pb), 256 pp., CDN $16.99 from ing Inspired sense of the routine approach to clas- (800) 399-6858, by Nature. In sification typical of many field guides. this bright and encouraging guide to Nature nuggets abound, and this book Forces of Nature DVD becoming a healthier educator, author should become the interpretive natural- Forces of Nature, Volume 2 showcases Nancy Rosenow offers self-reflective ist’s best friend. It is also a field guide, the stories of the 13 environmental activities such as listening to our in- with well-illustrated and constructed change makers who won the Brower ner dialogue as a means to becoming keys and photos which go from “where Youth Awards in 2010 and 2011. The more balanced individuals. Doing so should I start with this bug?” to the stories of these young adults will will enable us to engage authenti- family/sub-family level for all of North inspire viewers to get out of their seats cally in our work with children. As American insects. This is a book for and make a change. They demonstrate we recognize our own gifts, we open the serious amateur or student who that positive change doesn’t require wishes to be immersed in the insect

Page 44 Green Teacher 102 world, and would be well-placed on The Video Project, 2012, Item#: BAT-1025, their resources? When did the first the bookshelf of biology teachers and 37 min., US $149 (colleges/universities) explorers arrive, and what was their outdoor centres. But don’t take my or $79 (K-12) from (800) 475-2638, effect on Native populations? Where word, take E. O. Wilson’s (the father of do modern Native Americans live and modern biodiversity studies): “I wish who are they today? The fact that so I’d had Stephen Marshall’s book when Dragonflies much useful information is effectively I started out in entomology.” –(AC) Enter the en- conveyed in a mere 48 pages is testa- Firefly Books Ltd., 2006, ISBN-13: 978-1- chanted world ment to the first rate maps, bar graphs, 55297-900-6 (hb), 732 pp., CDN/US $95.00 of dragonflies. pie charts and timelines, all carefully from (800) 387-5085, Dragonflies: publication as accessible as possible to Catching, a grades 4-7 target audience. The pub- Bat City, USA Identifying, lisher’s website offers a ‘Look Inside’ After repairs to How and Where They Live and head that will give you a good sense of the a local bridge in into the field with net in hand. Search attractive and informative infographics Austin, Texas the woods, ponds and streams for that fill this volume. Don’t be surprised provided an Dragon Hunters, Bog Haunters and if your young readers are spurred on to ideal roosting Unicorn Clubtails. Chris Earley’s 32- further research thanks to this compre- habitat, the city page book offers a fresh introduction hensive little book. –(GL) experienced an to dragonflies with close up photos of Annick Press, 2013, ISBN 9781554514854 influx of Mexi- life-cycle stages and details for iden- (hb), 48 pp., CDN $19.95 from (800) 387- can Free-tailed tification, what they eat, and who eats 6192, bats. Bat City, them. A mini field guide describes the USA is a short documentary that tells basic families of dragonflies found in The Practical the story of the unexpected arrival of North America and offers additional Naturalist the bat colony in the mid-1980s, and resources for more information. This For older the city’s gradual change in attitude is a great book for explorers ages 8 children and toward this little-understood animal. and up. –(PM) adults who are Initially, community members called Firefly Books Ltd., 2013, ISBN 978-1- just beginning for the extermination of the bats, wor- 77085-186-3 (pb), 32 pp., CDN/US $6.95 to explore the rying that they could spread disease from (800) 387-5085, natural wonders that occurred, bat expert and advocate of the Earth, The Practical Naturalist Merlin Tuttle used public outreach, Native may be the right starting place. This education, and photography to open Americans: ambitious publication covers every- the city’s eyes and hearts to the bats’ A Visual thing from habitats to cloud formation value. The film focuses on the natural to journaling and even appropriate history of grey and free-tailed bats and Exploration outdoor apparel. Aspiring naturalists their ecological significance. While set S.N. Paleja’s will learn how to interpret the night in Texas, the resource is also applicable small book is a sky and measure the distance be- to environmental issues such as species well-organized tween celestial objects using just their at risk, development, public educa- visual feast of hands. They will learn some basics of tion, and conservation across North information, weather forecasting as well as species America. The presentation would be answering questions like: Where did identification tips. Additionally, the most suitable for high school students the first Native Americans come from? book covers a multitude of biologi- studying biology, ecology, and envi- How did they get here? How did Native cal concepts, such as; decomposition, ronmental studies classes. –(JL) Americans obtain food and manage Become a Friend of Green Teacher

Help support our For only $100, all Friends of non-proﬁt magazine, so Green Teacher receive: that we can continue to provide environmental • A 2-year dual subscription ideas, lessons and • 4 back issues inspiration to thousands • Your choice of any one of educators. of our books A thank you in our Order online at • www.greenteacher.com magazine or call 1-888-804-1486

Green Teacher 102 Page 45 evolution, adaptation, bird migration, Ruth Wilson, “it’s adult-child interactions, and academic and so much more. Though small through play that integrity. The in-depth coverage of photos and text can sometimes be a children learn essential concepts for early childhood distraction, the overall composition about themselves education means it is most useful for is appealing and the information is and the world administrators and designers creating interesting and often quite practical for around them.” early childhood environments. –(PM) field studies. The Practical Naturalist This 118-page Routledge, 2012, ISBN 978-0-415-52674-6 may be appropriate for anyone looking early childhood (pb), 118 pp., US $39.95 from (800) 634- for an overview of the natural world. education text 7064, Many of the topics are certain to spark focuses on devel- further exploration. –(DR) oping the whole child, whether that How Maps Change Things DK Publishing, 2010, ISBN 978-0-7566- child is learning and playing indoors The world is round. Maps are flat. How 5899-1 (pb), 256 pp., CDN $22.95 from or outdoors. Natural environments we get from one to the other, according (646) 674-4000, provide opportunities for physical to author Ward Kaiser, says a lot about development as well as space and ma- how we view the world. In his book Nature and Young Children terials for aesthetic, cognitive, social, How Maps Change Things, he argues With parents, therapists and naturalists emotional and spiritual development. that maps have agendas and convey pushing to have children spend more Nature and Young Children provides messages. Picture a generic map of the time outdoors, one might wonder, criteria for creating and using natural world–almost unquestionably a Merca- what are the elements of an effective playscapes as well as an evaluation tor projection. It is very good at helping outdoor program for early childhood form for early childhood programs that navigators get places, but very bad at development? According to author assesses the playspace, the qualities of comparing the areas of land masses or

Books for Young Readers

The Secret Pool can help him: ptarmigans, caribou, snakes, dragonflies The Secret Pool, written by Kim- and even other warblers. Each stop Sammy makes is berly Ridley and illustrated by further south on his route but he begins to wonder how Rebekah Raye, introduces young he’ll know Panama when he gets there. Full of informa- children to the ever-changing tion, including a map of migrations routes, the book world of vernal ponds: those half- gives plenty of information about how different animals hidden, temporary bodies of migrate to find better nesting grounds or food in addition water that wax and wane through- to a good story. –(JH) out the seasons. Written in a Owlkids Books, 2013, ISBN: 978-1-926973-88-3 (hb), 40 pp., hushed, conversational tone, it begins with the fortuitous CDN $17.95 from from (416) 340-2700 x 227, appearance of the pool and ends as the pool slowly sinks into the earth, vanishing until the following spring. Ideal Vulture Verses: Love for preschool-1st grade classrooms, The Secret Pool is an Poems for the Unloved enchanting look at a seldom-explored habitat. Its poetic In Vulture Verses: Love P words and illustrations beautifully capture the mystery oems for the Unloved, author of this hidden world, while sidebars provide additional and naturalist Diane Lang scientific facts for those seeking more information. Best asks us to reconsider so of all, it encourages small-scale outdoor exploration. me of nature’s less-than-loved Teachers and parents alike can use the story to supple- creatures, reminding us that ment a real-life nature experience. –(CKH) even things that slither or Tilbury House, 2013, ISBN 978-0-88448-339-7 (hb), 32 pp., US sting are worthy of respect. Written in funny, upbeat $16.95 from (800) 582-1899, www.tilburyhouse.com rhymes with lively, bright illustrations, Vulture Verses is a book of valentines for traditionally gross or scary Is This Panama? animals. Here’s one example: “Skunk although you A Migration Story sometimes stink, you’re sweeter than most people think.” Sammy the Wilson Warbler There are additional notes on each page pointing out finds himself alone in his first ways in which each creature has a positive role to play. winter and it’s getting cold. Best suited for children preschool through third grade, He’s heard all about Panama this is a fun, engaging book that adults and kids will from the older warblers, enjoy reading aloud. The book is an excellent reminder where they go for the warm that the more we understand something, the less fright- weather and big juicy insects. ening it becomes. –(CKH) But it’s a long way away. It appears they’ve left without Prospect Park Books, 2012, ISBN 978-0-9834594-5-3 (hb), him and Sammy doesn’t know the way. As he begins his 32 pp., US $16.95 from (626) 793-9796,

Page 46 Green Teacher 102 oceans. It also able and the value of each, as well as to liberty in adapt- tends to empha- springboard discussions of the type of ing conversa- size the domi- world those maps represent. A useful, tions and scenes nant economies four-session lesson plan, designed for to dramatize of the world at adult study groups, follows the text. It various strug- the expense of can be led by facilitators with minimal gles, they are all the rest, which background in cartography, and could closely based on may not be an also be used in grades 7 through 12. true events and accident. For –(AC) the people who while this book Copperhouse/Wood Lake Publishing, sparked them. It focuses on maps, it is really “a conver- 2013, ISBN 978-1-77064-566-0 (pb), 160 is gratifying to sation about the maps we choose and pp., CDN $23.16 from (800) 841-9991, find both genders equally represented the world we want.” Kaiser makes an in these accounts of moral courage. effective case for social justice: shifting My one reservation is that the pub- the future from dominance and control People Who Said No lisher’s recommendation of the book to fairness and equality. He feels that Talk about character education: here being best suited to ages 9 to 12 is too maps, in particular Equal Area maps are seven inspirational profiles of narrow; older readers will also find (and most notably the Peters), are an individuals and groups from all over this book to be an informative and important tool for radically re-vision- the world who have stood up against motivational read. –(GL) ing the world. This book could be used various forms of oppression, from Annick Press, 2012, ISBN 978-1-55451- effectively to introduce the history of Nazi Germany to present. While 382-6 (pb), 172 pp., CDN $14.95 from from maps, the range of projections avail- author Laura Scandiffio takes some (800) 387-6192,

Over in a River father manages to untangle the chick. Marcy Dunn Over in a River counts up to Ramsey’s beautiful paintings are detailed and filled with 20 different riparian species expression and emotion that bring the story to life. –(JH) that make their home in ten Schiffer Publishing, 2008, ISBN: 978-0-7643-3684-3 (hb), 30 pp., different rivers that span US $13.95 from (610) 593-1777, North America. In addition to learning the names of the Nature’s Patchwork Quilt: animals’ young, this book’s Understanding Habitats interactive nature beckons Nature’s Patchwork Quilt: children to clap, chime, and move to the pattern of the Understanding Habitats, is a col- text. The last page reveals that a review of the detailed orfully-illustrated picture book for cut-and-paste illustrations will divulge another hidden children ages 4-12. Mary Miche animal on each page. The end pages are packed with ad- introduces readers to a wide range ditional information on the named animals, river habi- of habitats, while also explaining tats, additional resources and the notes to put the words complex concepts like niche, food to music. –(JH) webs, and biodiversity in ways that are clear and child- Dawn Publications, 2013, ISBN: 978-1-58469-330-7 (pb), 32 accessible. The writing is informative, yet simple enough pp., US $8.95 from (800) 545-7475 < http://www.dawnpub. to read aloud to younger children. Older children can com> also benefit from the environmental message. Having laid the groundwork for understanding habitats, the book Osprey Adventure concludes by showing what can happen when too many Jennifer Keats Curtis tells natural habitats are changed by humans; as well as what the lovely tale of a concerned we can do to help preserve these wild places. –(CKH) boy and his father who help Dawn Publications, 2012, ISBN 978-1-58469-169-3 (hb), 32 pp., save a local osprey. Pete and US $16.95 from (530) 274-7775, his dad, a wildlife biologist, spy some garbage caught in Mother Nature Knows… an osprey’s nest. Ospreys Simple yet poignant, Kelly Foxton reminds us that our often use whatever they can world is a very special place if we learn to pay attention find to line their nests for to the beauty of our surroundings. The book is written as their young: old clothing, dog toys, even kite strings and an affirmation of what Mother Nature knows and what fishing line that can pose dangers to their young. The she can teach us. Listen, do your best, pay attention, pair see a male osprey bring food to the female, and only inspire, be still and quiet and treat each other with kind- one chick reaches up to take the food. This concerns ness and we will live happily together for a very long Pete’s father as there is rarely only one chick in an osprey time.–(JH) nest. His instincts are right; the other chick has become tangled in some fishing line. Using his experience, Pete’s Kelly Foxton, ISBN: 978-0-9919131 (pb), 26 pp., US $12.99 from

Green Teacher 102 Page 47 Bees: A Natural History persists on such a destructive path. The the sheer greed of the financial elite, It feels good to hold a well-crafted answer is that, on a certain level, we and to China where we follow a tour book in your hands, but Bees is not can’t help ourselves. The human brain guide whose clientele are the newly just a pretty frontispiece. Large, hasn’t evolved much since the hunter- rich. As our journey bends, the original superb, close-up photos punctuate a gatherer age. We have developed thought-provoking question grows ever fairly in-depth incredible technologies, but our need more ominous: How will we survive? examination for immediate gains has blinded us to Whether you view Surviving Progress of the world’s the finite quality of natural capital. The on its own or pair it with a book such bees, both film touches on the illusory nature of as E.F. Schumacher’s Small is Beauti- solitary and economics, the consequences of an in- ful, it will generate deep discussion in social, stinging, dustrialized China, population growth, high school audiences and up. –(DR) honey-storing overconsumption in the developed National Film Board of Canada, 2011, UPC or not. There world, even artificial biology. We travel 065935580645 (DVD), 86 mins, CDN/US are more than to the Amazon to witness rainforest $27.95 from (514) 283-9000, 20,000 identi- destruction, to Wall Street to observe fied species of bees (significantly more than birds and mammals combined), the authors have selected representative species and genera to ensure the book doesn’t go on for too long. We learn that there is far more to bees than honey, and we must pay attention, as one-third of our food is bee-dependent. At times Bees reads like a gothic novel—sordid tales of entrapment and deception; queens being walled-in alive; murder most foul among the anthers. But the book also contains pertinent information on diversity among bees, including grades of sociality; the role of males in bee society; why bees are good pollinators; and the role of bees in human lives. We discover that many species are stressed, largely through habitat loss, and what we can do in our own back yards to give bees a helping Green Your School: hand. This is an excellent resource for schools and nature centres, and Save Energy, Save Money the clear prose and large text will be

com readable for advanced middle school Re mend e d tsn’ tCsh’ oic by erne Che, ara o 2 students and up. –(AC) PP ic0 e0

2 C

E h E

Firefly Books Ltd, 2013, ISBN 13:978-1- i N N l d E d Winnerr – Children’s Music 77085-208-2 (hb), 240 pp., CDN/US $40.00 e R D r n WebG Award, 2002 C a ’ Y E w s & ME A from (416) 499-1142, Engage Students in Surviving Real World STEM Learning

Progress DVD Project Learning Tree provides: Filmmakers # Energy & Society Activity Guide # Energy & Me Music CD Mathieu Roy and # Energy & Me Music and Dance DVD • Teacher professional # 8 “What powers the move?” posters Harold Crooks development # 8 “Where is the energy?” posters challenge the idea of “progress • Curriculum kits aligned at any cost” in with education standards their documen- • GreenSchools! investigations tary Surviving • Grants for student-led action projects Progress. Based on Ronald Wright’s best-selling book, A Short History of Progress, the film interviews some of the greatest scien- www.plt.org/energyresources tists and thinkers of our time, who offer perspective on why the human race

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