Putting our Lookers on in Search of Nature - A Great Idea to ReuseThose 3D Glasses ELP

The past few weeks have been very busy for the children. The JK's have been learning how to follow classroom routines and have also been exploring what Kindergarten is all about. The SK's have been getting reacquainted with school life as well. Needless to say, Ms. Switzer and I have also been very busy; hence this late post!

"Looking" for Nature:

Last year, we had so much fun with outdoor learning. We wanted to get the children excited about the outdoors so we decided to try an idea that I got from Pinterest (Teach Preschool). We read the books: The Looking Book (P.K. Hallinan) and The Listening Walk (Paul Showers)

The Looking Book is about a mother who wants to get her children outside instead of hanging around inside so she gives them a pair of "lookers" (plain glasses) to go outside and find things in nature. I had a bag of old 3D glasses so I decided to punch out the lenses and call them "lookers". After reading the book, I asked the children what they think "nature" is (I Think). Some responses were:

Trees, ladybugs, birds, squirrels, dogs, ants, snails, and butterflies.

The Listening Walk is about what sounds we hear when we go outside. I asked the children what they expect to hear when they get outside. Some responses were:

Cars, firetrucks, bees, birds, people,  and dogs.

Both books helped us to identify the senses of touch, sight, and hearing. 

I introduced the 3D glasses and called them "lookers". We put them on our inquiry table along with other interesting materials.

Then we stepped back and waited...

The children had fun trying them out at the inquiry table. Then we diced to take them outside! (I See..)

Armed with our iPad, Ms. Switzer and I followed the children and asked them what the found with their lookers...

They started by looking around.

They called me to capture their findings.

They collected stuff.

We brought some in to add to our inquiry table (some of the ants crawled away in the middle of the night).

Our next step is to ask the students what nature is and to collect their ideas. We will then ask if they have any wonderings; this will serve as the "I wonder" portion of our inquiry. We hope it will lead to the topic(s) for our focused inquiry.

This activity supports the Big Idea of the FDK Curriculum: 

"Children are curious and connect prior knowledge to new contexts in order to understand the world around them."

Overall Expectations:

1. demonstrate an awareness of the natural and built environment through

hands-on investigations, observations, questions, and representations of 

their findings;

2. conduct simple investigations through free exploration, focused exploration,

and guided activity, using inquiry skills (questioning, planning, predicting,

observing, communicating);

3. demonstrate an understanding of the natural world and the need to care for

and respect the environment;

(Taken from The Full-Day Early Learning–Kindergarten Program p. 114; 2010-11, Ontario Ministry of Education)

You can help us at home! The next time you go outside, ask your child what kind of nature they see. You can even send in interesting artifacts that you find for our inquiry table.