MOTHER NATURE PROVOCATIONS
WINTER
By Sara Rocio Raeesi-Gujani
WOW! We definitely had a very cold but wonderful and enjoyable winter in the woods.
Following up with the four weeks of adventure in the creek how the Forest Preschool children planned and invented the snow designs and snow mobiles activity?
The activity: Snow designs and Snow Mobiles
A- Details of the planning of the activity
WHY:
1- We engaged in co-reflection with the children to find out other possibilities they will like to discover and explore: What other languages they will like to include and what other inquiries they will like to pursue in their quest to continue their exploration of the creek.
2- After debriefing with the children about how much fun we have had in the creek, how many types of play we have done, and how many changes we have observed in the creek since December. I encouraged the children to think about what other play we can create and if there is anything else we will like to investigate about the creek.
3- The children insisted they will like to continue to play in the creek, they suggested the idea of adding colour to it. They pointed out the creek will be more beautiful if we add paint. They recommended colour will be like decorating the creek. They add that perhaps we can add paint to the side where there is still a lot of snow. They also suggested that we can celebrate “Winter Lude” in the creek.
4- After all these ideas the children concluded that the best plan is to first add paint to the snow. [They question how we can keep a piece of snow with colour? And can we take it home?]
B- The implementation of the activity
WHAT:
1- After deciding to use various paint colours to paint on the snow
2- We started to pack the materials in our basket: the paint, all sorts of brushes, paint rolls, pipets, small towels, and a bottle with water. The children also added hand shovels just in case they will like to cut pieces of snow.
3- We head to the creek and after sliding, laughing, and wonder about the changes of the creek, the children decided to head to the waiting tree to play with the paint there. We sat in a semicircle and started to unpack our basket.
4- We poured the paint in ice cube makers and decided what colours we like best.
5- Then each child selected a space to create with colour paint on the snow.
HOW:
1- Each child started to use the paint in various forms along with brushes, paint rolls, and pipets.
2- They covered the snow surface with beautiful paint designs.
3- Then some children decided to carve around particular colours. They carved because the snow was frozen. It was perfect because a shape can be taken from the ground.
4- The children started to wonder how they can keep the piece of the snow. Can they take it home? Can they hang the snow pieces in the trees [so no one can touch it?]
5- How can it be possible? I asked.
6- The children suggested opening holes and passing a string through it.
7- Some children created beautiful snow mobiles.
8- Other children decided to add paint to the snow and create beautiful designs
9- Still they insisted they will like to take the snow mobile with them
10- Some took it in a container but by the afternoon the snow mobile was melted. They witnessed how the piece of snow changed in size until it became coloured water.
11- The next day some other children were curious about the snow mobiles on the trees. They started the same process again until the weather was too cold for snow mobile making.
12- They insisted they will like to continue with the project of decorating the trees of the forest. It will be like Christmas in winter says G.
WINTER
By Sara Rocio Raeesi-Gujani
WOW! We definitely had a very cold but wonderful and enjoyable winter in the woods.
Following up with the four weeks of adventure in the creek how the Forest Preschool children planned and invented the snow designs and snow mobiles activity?
The activity: Snow designs and Snow Mobiles
A- Details of the planning of the activity
WHY:
1- We engaged in co-reflection with the children to find out other possibilities they will like to discover and explore: What other languages they will like to include and what other inquiries they will like to pursue in their quest to continue their exploration of the creek.
2- After debriefing with the children about how much fun we have had in the creek, how many types of play we have done, and how many changes we have observed in the creek since December. I encouraged the children to think about what other play we can create and if there is anything else we will like to investigate about the creek.
3- The children insisted they will like to continue to play in the creek, they suggested the idea of adding colour to it. They pointed out the creek will be more beautiful if we add paint. They recommended colour will be like decorating the creek. They add that perhaps we can add paint to the side where there is still a lot of snow. They also suggested that we can celebrate “Winter Lude” in the creek.
4- After all these ideas the children concluded that the best plan is to first add paint to the snow. [They question how we can keep a piece of snow with colour? And can we take it home?]
B- The implementation of the activity
WHAT:
1- After deciding to use various paint colours to paint on the snow
2- We started to pack the materials in our basket: the paint, all sorts of brushes, paint rolls, pipets, small towels, and a bottle with water. The children also added hand shovels just in case they will like to cut pieces of snow.
3- We head to the creek and after sliding, laughing, and wonder about the changes of the creek, the children decided to head to the waiting tree to play with the paint there. We sat in a semicircle and started to unpack our basket.
4- We poured the paint in ice cube makers and decided what colours we like best.
5- Then each child selected a space to create with colour paint on the snow.
HOW:
1- Each child started to use the paint in various forms along with brushes, paint rolls, and pipets.
2- They covered the snow surface with beautiful paint designs.
3- Then some children decided to carve around particular colours. They carved because the snow was frozen. It was perfect because a shape can be taken from the ground.
4- The children started to wonder how they can keep the piece of the snow. Can they take it home? Can they hang the snow pieces in the trees [so no one can touch it?]
5- How can it be possible? I asked.
6- The children suggested opening holes and passing a string through it.
7- Some children created beautiful snow mobiles.
8- Other children decided to add paint to the snow and create beautiful designs
9- Still they insisted they will like to take the snow mobile with them
10- Some took it in a container but by the afternoon the snow mobile was melted. They witnessed how the piece of snow changed in size until it became coloured water.
11- The next day some other children were curious about the snow mobiles on the trees. They started the same process again until the weather was too cold for snow mobile making.
12- They insisted they will like to continue with the project of decorating the trees of the forest. It will be like Christmas in winter says G.
