CREATING LITTLE BOTANIST

Katie Olson MAT ECE

Where to start?

Go on walks Zoom in and out on specific areas Break out the magnifiers, insect nets, tweezers,

containers, colored pencils/field journals Take time to mediate, pray and simply have peace time in

one area outside. Let the students pick their own spots MANY feet away from their

friends (under a tree, by flower bed, by a tall stand of weeds, a log, etc) (What do you think might happen if they return to spot each day?)

No talking –(This is self time) fellowship with everything in that tiny area

Start off for one minute then gradual build up to 5+ (try 1 min) Have students orally or through writing/drawing describe their

experience each day with the group

Your goal

Create a relationship with the outside world Maria Montessori believed the best way to captivate a

child’s interest in learning is through preparing a thoughtful “prepared environment” (nature vs. classroom learning)

Create a natural rhythm of input to children’s worlds Christakis and Zimmerman (2009) state “Young brains

undergo rapid changes during the first three years of life. External stimuli are known to influence neurological development and to set patterns for life. Therefore the quality and quantity of stimulation that young children are exposed to, carries lifelong cognitive effects.” (sleep patterns, impulsivity control, reflection, appreciation of the natural world, health)

Reggio Approaches http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Reggio_Emilia/

The child as an active participant in learning. The Reggio approach “sees a child as a very competent protagonist and initiator who interacts with their environment,” Lyon says. Andra Young, head teacher of a Reggio-inspired school in San Francisco, says that students are allowed to follow their own interests, but that “it's not willy-nilly.” For example, she says, students in her classroom were showing an interest in building, so she brought wood stumps and building materials into the classroom. While exploring how to hammer nails, the children were given the opportunity to reinforce math skills, problem-solving and emerging literacy—all in relationship to their hands-on project.

The significance of environment. “The environment of the school is seen as the third educator,” after the teacher and the parent, says Lyon. Most Reggio classrooms include a studio, or “atelier,” which is filled with materials such as clay, paint and writing implements. Children use these materials to represent concepts that they are learning in a hands-on way.

The teacher, parent and child as collaborators in the process of learning.“Normally,” says Lyon, “parents are not seen as part of the educational process in an authentic way.” But the Reggio approach views the parent as an essential resource for the child's learning. To foster community, Reggio schools host a variety of events throughout each school year, including conferences and special lectures for parents. “For example, a teacher observed that a lot of parents were complaining that their children weren't sleeping well,” Lyon says. The school responded by bringing someone in to speak to parents about the issue.

Making learning visible. “The teacher observes and documents the daily life of the school to make learning visible,” says Lyon. In Reggio-inspired classrooms, teachers use a variety of documentation methods, such as cameras, tape recorders and journals, to track children's thoughts and ideas as they play together or work with materials. For example, says Young, each child has a portfolio binder, including photographs of their projects, quotes from the child, artwork and writing samples. “It's kind of like a narrative of what the child learns at school,” says Young, noting that the children take great pride and satisfaction in their portfolios.

Laying the foundation

After your morning outside time 15-30 minutes (allow energy released and interest peaked) I normally return to classroom for morning meeting/snack. Then create a bank of questions to engage inquiry, such as:

What is a plant? (have students share orally, draw, paint and create)

Introduce plant puzzles Why are these puzzles broken up into parts? (anatomy

and physiology) Who knows the names of these parts or what they do?

(share or break up in groups and collaborate/share) Share anatomical names and functions (one each day or

as long as your group can stay engaged)

Laying the Foundation by posing questions:

Do all plants look alike? (have students share/draw) Why do you think scientist group plants? After a time of sharing, show an example There are THOUSANDS and thousands of plants so

let’s start with how we know about plants? Study a group of plants and examine them more

closely What purpose do you think this plant (plant group)has?

(let students share their own personal experiences/knowledge)

Maybe show a video, share a book, a personal story about the group of plants

Children as Researchers

Prepare your environment for your purpose Have students select a task based on their age and

interest. Examples:Students should each have a field journal or a folder to compile their research to bind into a portfolio from their studies. Research three types of angiosperms and tell 3 different

uses for that particular plant. (books, computers, iPads) (teach older students how to cite their work for reference)

Draw/paint/create one type of angiosperm Have pre-printed coloring sheets with facts about that

particular plant group.

Great Resources for your students Wild Herbs Pictures and Usagehttp://

mamarosemary.com/blog/2014/7/9/teaching-children-about-wild-herbs-summer-herb-camp-extra

USDA Forest Service Wildflowers and Herbs Coloring sheets with common usages

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/kids/coloring/pages/westernyarrow.html

The Taste of Herbs Charthttp://

www.methowvalleyherbs.com/2013/10/6-reasons-why-herbalists-should-study.html

Resources for children and families Wild Craft Board Game: http://learningherbs.com/wildcraft/#

wildcraft_intro Montessori 3 part cards Youtube (prescreen) How to harvest,

dry/use

Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 1

Wild PlantainPlantago major

•Crush and use to soothe mosquito/bug bites•Leaves can be eaten in salad, stews/soups or frozen/dried for teas

Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 2

Yarrow•Use leaves to stop nose bleeds and superficial bleeds of the body.•Dry the plant and grind up in a coffee grinder for tea to help with upper respiratory colds and kidney infections.

Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 3

Dandelion Root•Good for purification of gallbladder and liver•Diuretic cleans kidneys•Source of B vitamins, protein, zinc, fiber and more•Can have a laxative effect for constipation•Steve Brill notes “The leafís white, milky sap removes warts, moles, pimples, calluses, and sores, and soothes bee stings and blisters.”

Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 4

Wild Chamomile or Pineapple Weed•Relaxes•Calms tummies•Helps with headaches•Calms colic babies

Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 5

Wild Alaskan Clover•Great cancer fighting agent•Legume and high in fiber•Helps with inflammation of all sorts •Used as a expectorant and great for chest colds

Our Favorite Herbs/Weeds 6

Horsetail •Dried and used as a tea for urinary tract infections, inflammatory illnesses•Kidney stones

Our Favorite Wild Alaskan Tree

Spruce•High in vitamin C (Captain Cook)•Expectorant for respiratory colds•New needle buds used for teas (helps asthma) •Can be made into jams

Katie and Lia’s Spruce Gum Recipe Materials needed:

Clean container for collecting sap Clean paint scraper or anything with wide blunt

edge Old Sauce pan (will never be able to use for

anything else ever again) Camp stove Cheese cloth and hemp thread Old metal spoon Pan filled with water Wax paper or Aluminum Foil

Katie and Lia’s Spruce Gum Recipe Collect sap Place your collection in the middle of double folded

cheese cloth. Tie tightly with hemp rope at top. Boil water in your sauce pan. Once boiling, place cheesecloth sap into the pan. The sap will float out and the bark and bits will stay in

the cheese cloth. Collect floating sap and place in cool water. Continue until all sap is melted. Take all clean sap out of water and place on wax paper. Tear off a bit and have yourself a chew. It has a wonderful fresh piney flavor

Spruce Gum

Other Outdoor Activities/Fun with Kids

Zen Gardens

Gardening with Children

For more information:

Katie serves as Directress/Owner at The Learning Tree Montessori (Preschool/Kindergarten-Youth Summer Programs)

Faculty-Chair Paraprofessional Education at Alaska Christian College

Follow us on Facebook: https://

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Learning-Tree-Montessori/117807091634383

kolson@alaskacc.edu 260-7422 ext 113