Observing in the front yard, we noticed that the children remembered connections they made with nature. The teachers, inspired by a workshop focused on technology and preschool from Ingrid Anderson, made an intention to create provocations that challenge the children’s connections and create new knowledge. To do that, we thought about the world the children live in which is very technological and we wanted to embrace technology as another tool for discovering worlds we can’t see, for slowing down time, and looking in depth. In the front yard, we are asking, “What do we notice as we play with nature?” and offering the children digital cameras. We will be introducing many more tools such as digital microscopes, iPhones, and iPads (not connected to the internet) to support deeper discoveries and extended learning.
Lola: I noticed spiders are different shapes because there is a mommy spider, a daddy one too. I didn’t find a baby one.
Grey: Look, everyone. We have baby sprouts!
Caitlin: I noticed under the dirt there are little rocks that help the seed to open up and then the baby sprout comes up.
Adriana: Wow, we do! The seeds we planted are growing.
Grey: I’m going to see how big they are. It’s one inch, then it will be two.
Emilio: The sprouts are getting bigger and bigger every day we come to school.
Jake: When I measured the sprouts, it was 1.5 inches.
Poppy: (As she notices Eva drawing some observations of the sprouts) Eva, look. The sprouts are green and they look like a butterfly. You can draw them like that.
As the children shared observations with one another, we are observing their awareness that nature comes in different shapes, colors, and sizes. The diversity that nature offers is supporting us to really begin a deeper dialogue that encompasses details about nature and its needs and processes. With such an ecologically minded group, we are very excited to encounter new opportunities using technology as a tool of discovery. – Teacher Adriana & Kristin