Red Room March Newsletter

This month, the Red Room turned its space-rambling eye back towards our home planet, and commenced an exploration of nature here on Earth.

During our unit on outer space, the children often drew upon their knowledge of life on Earth when imagining what other galaxies may be like. We wondered: could people exist on other planets? What do other planets look like? Are there plants and animals on other planets? Or is Earth just special? In considering what other planets are like in our solar system, the Red Roomers began to realize how extraordinary our own planet is. They admired it for being the only planet “Earthlings can breathe on,” and “the only place water can be [drunk].” It was high time, we realized, for us to take a more in-depth look at the wonders of our own natural planet.

Planting Seeds

From the beginning of the year, the children have shown how eager they are to engage with nature: early only, they delighted in collecting rocks, sticks and seed pods. They opened the pods to find the seeds inside, and as a class we discovered that there were different types of seeds, with different sizes, and textures. During Circle Time a teacher asked, “What would happen if we planted these seeds?” Ellis said, “It will sprout.” Ian, Noa, and Liam all agreed, “They will grow.” We decided to give it a try.

Planting Lima Beans

Our first attempt at sprouting seeds was not wholly successful, but it made us think a lot about what seeds need in order to live. Starting with Lima bean seeds, the children looked closely at the seeds and considered what color the Lima bean plants might be once grown. We placed several Lima beans folded in moistened towels into individual zip-lock bags, creating “miniature greenhouses.” Most of the seeds sprouted after several days, but then shriveled. What had happened? Did the seeds not get enough water? Did they not get enough sun? The children considered how we could solve this problem, and decided to try and plant again. We resolved to experiment planting with different types of seeds to really compare what different plants need to grow.

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Self-Irrigating Planters

Next we tried cultivating pea plants, using the same sprouting method we had used with the Lima beans. The peas started growing rapidly, and soon it was clear to the children that we would need to transplant the seeds so they would have more room to grown. Together we made self-irrigating planters using recycled water bottles. The kids were so excited to be transforming every day bottles into new homes for our sprouts!

In their new water bottle planters, the peas began to grow with gusto, and teachers and children alike delighted in watching their progress. Red Roomers observed the root systems growing along the bottom of the bottles, and wondered what roots are for. We compared the pea plants to our one remaining Lima bean plant, examining differences and similarities between leaves, stems and roots. The Lima bean leaves were “big” and “like a flower,” and the peas’ leaves were “skinny” and “long.”

Jack and the Beanstalk

There is so much rich folklore and literature involving seeds and planting, and we decided to begin with Jack and the Beanstalk. We explored different adaptations of the story, reading aloud from a book, and listening to it on tape. The children were captivated by the story of transformation, and we encouraged them to tell their own versions of the tale. We acted out scenes from the story, which the children began incorporating into their daily play.

Just as they noticed the black bear statue in MorningsidePark during our early study of bears, the children were quick to seek and find elements from Jack and the Beanstalk all around them too. One day during outside time, Ellis noticed RiversideChurch looming in the distance. “Look, it’s the giant’s castle!” he exclaimed. Having just sketched our own beanstalks, we wondered if we had been somehow transported to the giant’s kingdom above the stalk. The next day we decided to take a field trip to the “giant’s castle” to investigate further. We didn’t find a giant (yet), but the class had fun singing songs and repeating “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum!” as we marched to our destination. Photographs of the “castle” are now placed in the block area, and children have been trying to build their own giant’s castles. We are wondering how we might create a life-size beanstalk in the classroom as well.

Why Nature?

In our few weeks of studying plants with the children, it has become clear just how lush a topic nature is for young children. In considering and documenting how a plant grows, for example, the Red Roomers wander through so many spheres of learning. Math is explored when the children count and measure seeds, and make charts for seed growth; they stretch their imaginations to consider how a seed could transform into a plant; they work on pre-reading and writing as they create stories about seeds and gardening and teachers record their plant predictions; and they engage in sensory development when they physically plant the seeds in dirt and water.

In thinking about how to cultivate our seed curriculum, the Red Room teachers have also been considering the idea of “environmental stewardship,” or one’s personal commitment to keeping the earth healthy. Research has stated the importance of exposing young children to nature in their formative years in order to create an appreciation of the Earth. In her article, Developmentally Appropriate Gardening, Vicki Stoeklin suggests that,

“ifchildren do not have time to explore and fully understand nature they

areat danger for developing what is known as bio-phobia, an aversion to

nature.Their first impulse, when confronted with some natural element

like an insect,is to first be afraid and then to kill whatever they have

observed. Children must be allowed time in their early years to interact

with nature and living elements before they can understand it well enough

to want to preserve it.”

This is an idea that the Red Room has taken to heart, and the children seem to be gaining a real sense of their responsibility to help the nature on our planet grow. With the recent addition of the frogs Piga-goo and Pretty Girl into the Red Room, we will have the chance to be up close with nature and see how different life forms, from a seed to an amphibian, all need help and nurturing to grow.

As we continue on with our nature exploration, we will be experimenting planting Narcissus, Daffodils, and Pink Buttercups plants, and are planning a special activity for Earth day on Tuesday, April 26th. We encourage any parents with gardening experience to join us during the coming weeks or make suggestions of how we may further celebrate the beauty of our home planet.

Reminders

Please sign up for Reading Time. Slots are daily at 9am and 12pm. Thanks to Liam’s and Ian’s dads for coming in to read with us and to Ian’s mom for inviting us to their home to make scallion pancakes as a group. Some important dates:

April 14th – Special Visitor’s Day

April 26th – Earth Day

May 5th – Parent Conferences

All the best,

The Red Room