Slowing Down

Our recent field trip to experience life at the farm opened up so many meaningful opportunities for learning and discovery. With the support of Auntie Lois, Luka notices and takes a closer look at the squirrel’s house nested high up between the branches of a tree. Seeing the squirrel’s house high in the tree helps us begin to understand that animals creat homes in places that help keep them safe.

Through this close encounter, we are not only seeing an animal. We are learning how to slow down and observe the living world around us. Our curiosity grows as questions begin to emerge:

• Where does the squirrel live?
• What is it carrying?
• Is it looking for food?

The moment invites us to think about the relationships between animals and their habitats. We begin to understand that the trees, branches, and forest floor provide homes and food for many creatures.

Out on the forest floor, we move freely across the soft earth. Our feet step onto damp soil, and slowly into areas where the ground becomes muddy. At first, it happens almost without notice. One step sinks slightly, then another. Soon, Emily and Luka begin to feel the soft mud beneath their boots.

Laughter and excitement fill the space as we test out how far our boots can sink. Our bodies balance, shift, and adjust as we explore the uneven ground. The mud becomes more than just wet soil. It becomes a place of discovery.

Through this experience, we are learning with our whole bodies. We feel the texture of the earth, notice how the ground changes under our feet, and experiment with movement and balance. The invites us to slow down, to look closely. and to explore the natural materials beneath us.

Nearby, we pause as our attention shifts toward the water. A group of ducks glide gently across the surface. We stand together, watching closely as the ducks move. Rebecca notices how smoothly they float, while others point out how their feet paddle beneath the water.

Rebecca begins to move her own bodies, slowly swaying or stepping lightly, trying to imitate the gentle rhythm of the ducks. In this shared moment, we learn through observation. She notices patterns of the paddling. The quiet act of watching invites patience and curiosity, allowing us to see how animals move and live within their environment. Together, we begin to recognize that the water, the land, and the animals are all part of the same living place. 

• ​After our recent field trip to the farm, we want to revisit and reflect on what we have observed together. We have seen many animals during our visit, including ducks and chickens. As we talk about our experiences, we begin noticing something interesting about their feet. The friends observe that ducks have webbed feet, while chickens have separate toes without webbing.

​To begin our learning experience, we invite ourselves to create duck feet and chicken feet using pipe cleaners. As we bend and shape the pipe cleaners, we carefully look at the differences between the two animals. For the duck feet, we connect the pipe cleaners together to represent the webbing between the toes. For the chicken feet, we make three separate toes extending outward without webbing. This hands-on learning experience helps us think more deeply about the physical differences between animals and why those differences may exist.

We continue our exploration by building the bodies of our ducks and chickens. We are provided with a variety of materials such as plastic eggs, ping-pong balls, feathers, googly eyes, and additional pipe cleaners. We are able to freely design our animals, deciding how our ducks or chickens will look. Some friends add many colourful feathers, while others focus on carefully placing the eyes and shaping the bodies.

​Through this creative process, we are not only revisiting our memories from the farm but also expressing our understanding through art and construction. The learning experience encourages us to make connections between what we observe in real life and how we can represent those ideas using materials.

As we work, we share our ideas with each other and help one another attach pieces or adjust our animals. This collaborative moment reflects the sense of community in our classroom, where learning often happens through conversation and shared discoveries.
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By recreating ducks and chickens in our own unique ways, we demonstrate how learning experiences outside the classroom can inspire meaningful exploration and creativity inside our learning environment. Revisiting our field trip allows ourselves to deepen our understanding of animals and our environments while expressing our ideas through open-ended materials.

We use our observational drawing of the photograph to revisit the moment when Elie Mae, the horse, gently tried to use her sense of taste to get to know us. As we look closely at the image and draw what we notice, we remember how Elie Mae leaned in with curiosity, exploring the world through her senses.

This experience invites us to slow down, pay attention to details, and reflect on how animals, just like us, use their senses to understand and connect with others. Through our effortful attempts of observational drawing, we communicate how we feel and react during the moment.

Our curiosity, wonder, and perhaps a little surprise as we encountered Elie Mae so closely. In this way, drawing becomes not only a way of seeing carefully, but also a way of expressing our relationship with the experience.

When we go outdoors, we take a moment to watch for birds flying around us. Their gentle tweeting or cheerful chirping invites our curiosity, drawing us to look more closely and wonder where they might be hiding among the branches of nearby trees. As Luka pauses and listens carefully, his eyes begin to search the sky and the leaves above, hoping to catch a glimpse of their small movements.

These moments encourage Dhanika, Anthony, and Ryan to slow down and pay attention to the sounds and rhythm of nature. By following the birds' songs, we begin to notice how they communicate, move, and find their places in the world around us. Through this simple act of listening and observing, we deepen our connection with the natural environment and discover how much life is quietly happening all around us.​

Emily, while searching for moss the tree barks, demonstrates her ability to slow down and pay attention to details. As she looks carefully, she notices that a small worm is living there. This discovery invites us to pause and wonder about the tiny lives that share the same spaces in nature. 

Through Emily's careful observation, we are reminded that when we take our time and look closely, we can uncover many small surprises in the natural world. These moments help nurture curiosity, patience, and a deeper appreciation for the living things that quietly exist around us.

Emily and Ryan work together to arrange and rearrange their collection of natural materials such as twigs, moss, sticks, and leaves. As they move the pieces around, they explore different possibilities, noticing how each material fits with the others. Through this process of moving hands, they share ideas, negotiate their thoughts, and patiently adjust their design. Their collaboration shows how we naturally engage in problem-solving and creative thinking while connecting with the textures and beauty of the natural materials we have gathered.

It is time to place our handmade nest to the top of the branches. With careful hands and thoughtful movements, we lift the nest Emily and Ryan created from twigs, moss, sticks, and leaves. Together, we look for a safe and steady place among the branches, imagining how a bird may feel resting inside the cozy home we have made. This moment brings our work full circle. Transforming loose natural materials into a meaningful creation while deepening our connection to the living world around us.

Kindest,
Children & Friends.