A Tribute to Our Earth

Learning about the Earth helps us make more sense of the natural world around us - why the seasons change, what causes weather, how plants grow, and where animals live. As much as we love the Earth as the place we live in, there are times we take things for granted. Do we even understand everything is part of a bigger story? And when we take time to learn, we often start to see the beauty and balance we may have overlooked.

When we learn how the Earth supports life, we begin to understand the importance of taking care of it. This builds environmental awareness and encourages eco-friendly habits like recycling, saving water, and protecting nature. Therefore, at this very moment of our dedication to Earth Day, we extend to Earth Week challenges. We ask this question to ourselves - how should we become more purposeful in reusing materials around us? What are our thoughts of it?

Becoming more purposeful in reusing materials starts with a shift in mindset - seeing value in what we might normally throw away. It is about asking questions like: 

• Can this be used again?
• Can I fix it?
• Can it become something else?

It also means slowing down, being a little more mindful before buying or tossing, and getting creative with what we already have.

Our thoughts on it? Reusing is powerful. It cuts waste, conserves resources, and often sparks innovation. It also connects us more closely with the things we own - instead of living in a disposable culture, we start living in a thoughtful one. We hope one day our Earth is not just eco-friendly, it is even soul-friendly.

For example, Kai who has been journeying together with Bluey, our little blue fish, is observed to take some time to pour out his grateful heart for Bluey's life over these past years. His act comes from a place of gratitude. His grateful heart sees value in things. It becomes an act of respect - he writes, "Bye, Bluey" as a way of saying thank you.

To make our mindset more inquisitive about water, as one of our Earth's vital natural resources, we can start by shifting from "What do I use water for?" to "Where does my water come from, and where does it go?" That curiosity opens doors. It helps us see that water is not just something that comes from a tap - it is part of a vast, living system, 

When we ask questions like "How can I reuse water?"  ... we start to see water as the precious, dynamic resource it truly is. Inquisitiveness invites responsibility. When we understand the story of water - its journey, its cycles, its limits - we naturally want to treat it with more care and creativity.

Pranssi and Kai firstly interact with a hose, as a supporting aid, in this experiment of water cycle. For Pranssi and Kai, the hose is more than just a tool - it is the beginning of an experiment, moment of wonder. We see how water pools, climbs up - only to return again. Fides arrives to raise the end of the hose higher. We finally observe the flow of the water. With every splash and spray, we are not just playing. We are witnessing the water cycle in motion.

In that moment, curiosity blooms. For once we have played with the cycle, once we have felt the water's journey in our own hands - we cannot help but want to protect it. The hose becomes a storyteller, showing us how Earth reuses its own resources in an endless rhythm. 

Learning to repurpose plastic bottles into artwork inspired by the beautiful glass sculpture of Dale Chihuly is a fun and educational experience. We understand that Chihuly's sculptures often have curves and spirals. With scissors, we learn to cut and manipulate the plastic bottles to create these flowing forms. Using a hairdryer, help us explore the possibilities of shapes. For added flair, we allow the bottles to hang or drape in specific ways.

​Today, we begin our morning with the “Caterpillar, la-la-la-la-la, and now it’s on my…” song. Each child points with their finger to a chosen body part—elbow, knee, or shoulder—placing our “caterpillar” right where it belongs. Friends name the body part aloud, then giggle as we move on to the next spot. This simple finger-placing game help everyone practice identifying parts of their bodies, taking turns, and listening closely.

For Earth Week, we craft our own “Flower Earth”. First, each child colors a printed outline of the planet, carefully shading oceans and continents. We glue that circle into the center of a coffee filter, add a green paper stem and leaves, then snip the filter into petal shapes all around. This project combines fine-motor practice with a chance to talk about caring for our world as we watch our “Earth flowers” bloom.

Later in the week, outside in the open air, Nora begins to speak about the languages she knows, not just in English, but in Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and French. With confident hands and voice, she moves between languages with ease, naming them one by one. This becomes a powerful moment of identity and expression, she sees communication as fluid, as something that connects rather than divides. Her multilingual knowledge becomes part of our Earth Week — a reminder that there are many ways to speak, many ways to care, many ways to belong.

​​As Earth Week progresses, we gather in circle, and something shifts, a quiet intention begins to take shape. It starts with a song:

"Give thanks to the Earth,  
Give thanks to the sun,  
Give thanks to the plants in the garden,  
Where the Earth and the sun are one."

These words float gently through the air, grounding the group in gratitude and inviting each of us to wonder: How can we show love for the Earth? The question lingers, and soon becomes a journey — a shared project, a conversation, a song, a home for the smallest creatures.

​Using recycled bottles and natural materials gathered as leaves, sticks, branches, trunks, we begin building bug homes. Each creation becomes a thoughtful expression of care for insects, a way to say: We see you. You belong.

Emily carefully crafts a home just for bees, choosing soft elements to line the inside.  

Nora proudly declares that “all bugs are welcome” and asks to write this message on her house. She makes space for everyone.  
​
Fides designs a “bug hotel” especially for roly-polies.

Kai contributes a brilliant idea — to place leaves on the roof, creating a shady spot for bugs to rest.  

Pranssi, with gentle hands, adds flowers to her cup, saying that they will be the beds and pillows. She places a large leaf on top and says it will act as a fan, for when the bugs are hot and tired. Then she pauses, looking at her cup and reflecting, “It won’t be big enough for all the bugs, but we need to try.”

These gestures reveal our empathy and belief that even the smallest lives deserve comfort, protection, and care.

Where Do Bugs Live? Theories from us:

​Nora believes bugs make their homes in bushes and trees, high above the ground.  

Fides insists that insects live in the soil — deep down where it’s dark and cool.  

Kai expands on this idea, adding that bugs live underground.

These theories come alive through gestures, drawings, and materials, they are hypotheses, shaped by experience, imagination, and observation.

​This week, we demonstrate our love for the Earth and our deep sense of responsibility toward it. Our bug homes are offerings, shelters, and stories. 

Through this project, we embody that every one is a capable, curious citizen of the world. In our small acts, shading a bug, making a pillow from a flower, welcoming all bugs, speaking many languages, showing us what it means to live in harmony with nature and with one another.

And so, we give thanks — to the Earth, the sun, the garden… and to ourselves, who remind us that care begins in the smallest of places.

​Fides  suggests to do  a hands-on science experiment all on his own. He gathers two clear plastic cups—one pink, one green—and fills them both with water. First, he places the pink cup on top of the green and notices that the bottom half of the pink cup looks green where the water meet. We talk about how the color beneath can show through when light passes through water. Then, Fides flips the cups so the green sits on top and the pink underneath, and both colors look “normal” again.

​Fides leads a water-play investigation using a clear funnel and hose. He pours water into the funnel and, observing the flow, asks Hannah to lift it up higher so the water will rush down faster. As we raise the funnel’s height, he watches the stream speeds up and notices how the bubbles and ripples change. We talk about how gravity makes water flow more quickly from greater heights and how changing the funnel’s position alters the speed. This self-directed experiment reinforces his understanding of cause and effect, encourages problem-solving skills, and shows how simple materials can spark scientific discovery. 

We sing “Bee Bee Bumble Bee” but this time each child spells their name quickly and clearly instead of just saying it. As we sing, friends cheer when each name is pronounced letter by letter in a clear, speedy way. This playful spelling learning experience reinforces letter recognition, phonics, and gives everyone a moment to shine.

We gather for story time with Heal the Earth by Julian Lennon. As we turn each page, we are delighted in clicking the interactive buttons--planting a tree here, picking up litter there—so they could help the Earth one step at a time.

We pause to discuss each action: planting trees, reducing waste, and protecting wildlife. We offer ideas like “We can pick up trash and throw it properly” and “Plant flowers and trees” showing we are already little Earth-helpers.

Inspired by the story, we move on to our “Balloons for the Earth” learning experience. We use balloons, and friends write directly on them what we want to give back to Earth—words like “hearts,” “plants,” “flowers,” and more. 

 We explore color and texture in our rock-painting session. Each one of us select a smooth rock, choose different paint colors, and pour them onto the surface. We then leave the rocks flat, allowing the paints to spread and blend naturally on their own. Watching the colors merge into soft gradients sparks lots of excitement and creativity.

We are so grateful for the time we have spent learning and building a friendship with you, Pranssi. We love your singing, reading stories, ideas-sharing, and so much more. Let us stay connected, and we wish you all the best on your next journey! With love, Us!

Kindest,
​Children & Friends.