Leading 25, 5-6 year old, students and their chaperones on a nature hike has many joys and challenges. One challenge is finding the right noise level. Hiking the majestic forest of Seward Park we do a few quiet listening activities but we also explore with glee. If the students are quiet they may hear a woodpecker and yet it is hard to stop the students from merrily counting out…”18 , 19…20 slugs!”
The goal is not just what we can discover in a single day, but rather a connection to the forest for life. We do this by engaging our senses in myriads of ways. Besides listening and pointing in the directions we hear I also have students touch and hear stories about the numerous plants along the paths. I remind them to look up look, down and all around. I also try to have them compare and contrast different plants and trees and I incorporate pair share as often as possible.
Nonetheless at the end of a hike it is sometimes hard to know what each student has experienced in the forest. Reflecting on this makes me realize that I should ask: What was one thing that was most exciting for you as we experienced the forest? Maybe I could make it a ritual goodbye as each child leaves the forest have them say, “thank you forest for …”
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