I read the directions and it sounds like I am being asked to discover nature on my own which I do on a regular basis with hikes and trail walking. I thought I would do this with my extended day program because this group could use a reason to slow down and enjoy what nature has to offer.

I planned a walk around our large school yard by the fence because it is an area the children don’t explore in their daily activities. The only thing I excluded from the exploration was the play structure. We discussed the various types of things we would be looking for but, not being specific just using the terms provided in the assignment leaving the discovery open to interpretation.

Our nature walk was wonderful with discoveries, meaningful questions and lots of excitement about that was found in our school yard space.

Figure 1. Tall and Short Figure 2. Old

S: “We have to use this as ‘old’ because it’s been here since I started going to school here in kindergarten.”

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Figure 3. Smooth and Straight Figure 4. Warm

Figure 5. Small and New Figure 6. Colourful and Small

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Figure 7. Cold and Above Us Figure 8. Below Us, Round and Furry

Figure 9. Big and Rough Figure 10. Field Notes

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Figure 11. Field Notes

Some of the interests that arises from this nature walk are grasshoppers from seeing the very tiny green bug. We discovered an ant hole and watched ants going in and out of the hole in the sand. Cause and affect such as what happens when we blow on a dandelion that has gone to seed. What do coins look like? Based on the comment, “That maple leaf looks likes just like the one on the penny.” Caterpillars and its life cycle based on the discovery of tiny eggs on a leaf, and what do they eat based on the discovery of a leaf with tiny holes in it. Wet sand or mud for a sensory bin because of the sand found and molded in a child’s hand.

One question the children discussed was, why are tree roots so big, and why do they go so deep? This might open the door to growing sprouts to observe the roots of the plant as it is started in a clear plastic cup.

I had picked a day that was rainy to do the nature walk when there was a break in the rain. I think it would be interesting for the children to do an experiment with making rain clouds. The nature walk made me think of summer and all of the things related to summer because of all the new and growing life around me.

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Ant Farm – Activity 1

Age: School-age (7-10)

Location: Art Area

Number of children involved: 6 children

Materials Needed:

A small narrow glass jar A larger, wide-mouth jar with a lid Bowl Can opener Cheesecloth Water Measuring cup Sand Stick Ants String or rubber band

Directions:

1. Measure enough sand to fill half of the large jar with sand and place it in a bowl.2. Pour enough water into the sand to moisten.3. Put a 1-inch (2.5cm) layer of moist sand in the larger glass jar.4. Go to the ant hill we discovered on the nature walk and poke the hill with a stick to catch a

few ants that come out.5. Place the ants into a small glass jar, put this jar upside down on the sand inside the larger

jar.6. Fill the space between the two jars with moist sand.7. Poke holes in the jar lid with the can opener. Cover the top with cheesecloth, fasten with a

string or rubber band8. Watch the ants burrow through the sand for a few days.

Math concepts addressed:

Predictions of what the children think will happen with the ants in the container. Patterns based on observing the burrowing of the ants. Comparison between the predictions and what was observed.

Counting how many ants were placed in the jar and how many tunnels have been created.

Texture and consistency with the touching of the dry sand compared to the moist sand

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Measurement is addressed when measuring out the water to pour into the sand making it moist as well as the mass amount of sand needed to fill the container half full (percentage or fractions).

Skills being Developed:

This activity is developmentally appropriate because school-age children are at a co-operative stage. “Co-operation involves sharing ideas and materials. As children’s co-operation develops, increasing the exchange of ideas promotes thought before action.” (ELECT, 2007)

“School-age children are also using conventional units of measurement…” (ELECT, 2007) such as, cups or millilitres. These children are also at an age where they are developing their ability to describe patterns as well as create them using various items such as blocks, making a sketch and many more.

This activity is inclusive because containers and sticks can be varying in size as well as shovels can be added if there is a need for a child who may need assistance with fine motor skills.

Possible extension activity:

Researching the ants body structure and determine where their stomach is located by providing coloured sugar water for the children to feed to the ants.

Sketch the ant tunnels using various mediums, charcoal, crayon, or pastels

Read the book One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes. This book illustrates the various ways to make 100 with rows of ants in a cute story about trying to get to the picnic food as quickly as possible.

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Shaving Cream Rain Clouds – Activity 2

Age: School-age (6-10)

Location: Sensory table

Number of children involved: 6 children

Materials required:

A couple of clear glasses, vases, or bowls (whatever you have on hand) Food colouring Shaving cream Measuring cup 4 small bowls or containers that hold 1 to 2 ounces Water A ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon

Directions:

1. Start by filling the small containers with water, 1 to 2 ounces. 2. Add different colours of food colouring to each of the small containers approximately 5

drops. 3. Fill one of the clear glass container about 2/3 full. 4. On top of the water add a generous amount of shaving cream. 5. Using the ¼ teaspoon drop the different colours of water onto the shaving cream cloud.

Math concepts addressed:

Math concepts being addressed are conventional measurements with the use of ounces, and teaspoons. Measuring out in cups how much water will fill the glass container 2/3 full and fractions or percentage because we have to figure out how much two thirds is. This can be visually demonstrated using a 1/3 cup measure and a one cup measure if some of the children are not at that level in math yet.

The children predict what they think will happen in the experiment and compare it with what is observed. The school-age children can hypothesize why they think the experiment is like a rain cloud; what is happening.

The children are also experiencing different textures and colours as well as what new colours primary colours mixed together will make.

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Skills being developed:

School-age children participating in this activity are developing their ability to “…gather information, make predictions, record observations, discuss procedures they are engaging in elements of the inquiry process.” (ELECT, 2007)

Cognitive recall skills are being developed as the children are recalling the nature walk, and the rain clouds that were above us while participating in this activity.

This activity is inclusive because the experiment is mostly visual; the measurement aspect of the activity may need some assistance depending what the child’s need. Larger spoons, measuring cups and containers can be incorporated into the activity. There are also shaving cream containers that offer different types of nozzles.

Possible extension activity:

A puffy paint craft would be a fun sensory activity that builds on the clouds and shaving cream, the children could create rain cloud pictures with the puffy paint.

Read the book Clouds, Rain, Clouds Again I Wonder Why by Lawrence F. Lowery which will explain to the children why rain is important.

A craft creating rainsticks followed up with music and movement.

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Ice Cream in a Bag Activity 3

Age: School-age (7-10)

Location: In the Gym

Number of children involved: 10 children

Materials needed: Ice Cream Ingredients:

1-Gallon zippered plastic bags 1 Cup or 250 ml whole milk 1-Quart zippered plastic bags 1 Teaspoon or 5ml vanilla extract 4 Cups or 1 liter of ice 2 Tablespoons or 30 ml Sugar ¼ Cup or 60 ml salt 2 Bowls and 2 spoons A cloth towel or paper towel

Directions:

1. Partner the children up in pairs (2).2. Set up two stations (tables), the first station is the ice cream ingredients and the second

table has the other ingredients.3. On the first table place the 1-quart plastic bag, milk, vanilla and sugar.4. On the second table place the 1-gallon plastic bag, ice and salt.5. Person one pours the milk, vanilla and sugar into the 1-quart plastic bag (smaller one)

Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible carefully and seal it6. Person two place the 1-quart bag (small bag) into the 1-gallon bag (large bag). Pour the

ice and salt into the large bag on top of the small bag, seal the large bag tightly.7. Partners (2) pass the bag back and forth, gently tossing it and flipping it for about 10

minutes.8. To make this part fun add music and create a dance party for the 10 minutes9. If the bag gets too cold wrap it in a towel, do not open the plastic bag to see if its ready

because it may not refasten due to the melted water.10. Person one when the ice cream thickens and seems ready open both bags carefully

making sure the salt water doesn’t get inside the small bag. Then wash your hand.11. Person two wash your hands and spoon the ice cream into the bowls dividing it equally

between them.

This recipe is for 2 people, increasing the amount for the number of children in the group.

Math Concepts Addressed:

Multiplication or addition of a repeated number is used when the children figure out how much ingredients are needed for the group.

“School-age children are also using conventional units of measurement…” (ELECT, 2007) such as, cups, liters and millilitres.

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Texture is addressed in this activity with the ice, liquid and salt. The texture of the milk is also changing when it freezes.

Skills Being Developed

This activity is developmentally appropriate because the children need to cooperate and work as a team to achieve a common goal. School-age children are at a co-operative stage of development and “[c]o-operation involves sharing ideas and materials. As children’s co-operation develops, increasing the exchange of ideas promotes thought before action.” (ELECT, 2007)

School-age children are throwing with increased accuracy (ELECT, 2007) this activity when tossing and flipping the bag to each other.

This activity is inclusive when containers are placed under the bags to stabilize them for a child to pour the liquids. The shaking of the bag can be done from a sitting or standing position, and no fine motor skills are needed so the bag can be shaken while held between two arms. This is a partner activity so children will have someone with them throughout the activity.

Possible Extension Activities:

Ice block excavation, using tools to chip away and discover some items found in nature.

Read the book, Curious George Goes to an Ice Cream Shop by H.A. Rey

Dramatic play with ice cream shop items such as, an apron, ice cream scoop, cones made out of paper.

Reference:

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Arlina design. (2013). How to Make an Ant Farm for Kids. Retrieved 6 June, 2016, from www.ency123.comCandler, L. (2015). How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag. Retrieved 6 June, 2016, from http://apareferencing.ukessays.com/generator/website.php

Chapman, D. (2015). One Little Project. Retrieved 6 June, 2016, from http://onelittleproject.com

Chelsey. (2016, 8th February). How to Make a Rainstick Instrument [Weblog]. Retrieved 6 June 2016, from www.buggyandbuddy.com

ELECT. (2007). Ontario Ministry of Education. Retrieved 6 June, 2016, from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/oelf/continuum/continuum.pdf

Lowery, L. (2013). Clouds, Rain, Clouds Again: I Wonder Why.: NSTA Kids, a division of NSTA Press.

Pinczes, E. J. (1999). One Hundred Hungry Ants.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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