NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOM

Living on the Wild Side of Nature in Preschool

News from the Preschool classroom

January 23, 2022

This month our Orca class focused on Alaskan animals and what animals do in the winter. The students chose some in-depth studies on a few Alaskan animals (polar bears and arctic foxes). They read many stories about these animals, learned about their habitats, and honed fine motor skills and imaginations as they drew their own rendition of these animals habitats. Later, the Orca class discovered what animals do in the winter and learned important vocabulary words such as migration, hibernation, and adaptation. They built shelters for bears to hibernate in and acted out a play about a fox and a beaver to identify particular adaptations of each. The students loved exploring adaptations that animals use to help them stay warm in the winter. We were fortunate enough to borrow a fur kit from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). The Orcas were enthralled by all the different furs, some thick, some thin, as we discussed how these furs helped the animals in their particular environment. A favorite was the sea otter fur. So warm and soft! We watched videos of Alaska Natives adapting to Alaskan winters by turning seal furs into warm winter coats. To top the week off we explored the tracks animals leave behind them in the snow and told stories about what the animals were doing, where they were going, and with whom/what they might be interacting. We became curious about what animals visit our own school grounds and spent time during recess looking for tracks and other clues of moose or mice or other animals that stop by when the school yard is quiet and deserted. In our curiosity we have had the great pleasure of borrowing a couple of trail cameras from ADF&G. Then we went on an adventure through thigh deep snow to discover the best places on our PNA campus for a trail camera to possibly capture the stories of the animals that visit PNA over the weekend. We have set up these cameras and eagerly wait to discover these stories next week.

Why is it so important for young children to be immersed in nature? Why go to all the effort to physically touch and explore the natural world? Richard Louv, author of the famous book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder said that, “Time in nature is not leisure time; it’s an essential investment in our chidlren’s health (and also, by the way, in our own).” He believes that time in nature not only teaches a child to be more observant to the world around them but also ignites their imagination. It allows them to be part of something so much bigger than themselves. They also develope a more robust vocabulary. Nature is calming and teaches so many vital life lessons such as perseverance and healing. Spending time in the natural environment also gives students opportunities to be more physically active. While searching for clues of the animal life on PNA’s campus the students worked hard physically stooping and bending down to look at little mouse holes in the snow, trudging through thigh high snow, and climbing (then sliding down) snow covered hills. The Orca class got great excersise, lots of fresh air, and developed more curiosity and love for the animals that live all around us.

 

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