In the Front Yard, the children have shown an interest in caring for the environment. They like to water the plants, pick up leaves from the ground, and use them as pretend food, plant seeds, as well as look for living creatures.
Teacher Adriana: Grey, Julian is very curious about bugs.
Grey: Well, you have to be very careful.
Adriana: How about you take a moment to show Julian how you look for bugs and where to look for them?
Julian: Donde estan? Where are they?
Grey: Inside the dirt. That’s their home. Oh, I got one.
Julian: It’s moving.
I invited Grey and Julian to bring their discoveries to reflection meeting.
Grey: We found some worms.
Hayes: I want to look for one, too.
Leo: It’s part of nature.
Chase: We have to be careful.
Paisley: Worms are delicate.
Adriana: Paisley, that’s what Miro also said, right? He did share with us how delicate bugs are.
Reflecting back, I discover the power our environment has on our experiences. The outdoor space gives the children the possibility to make connections with nature, as Leo said. Grey, Miro, and other children were able to share with others their passion for bugs and, therefore, this passion became not only theirs but ours. The actions that children take when looking for a living creature are values we hold in our school. Every day we practice being patient, careful, delicate, and adventurous and the living garden fosters our interest. -Teacher Adriana