Taking Science Outside!

One of my favourite parts of Play Based Learning is taking the learning outside.

While my school doesn't have a lot of space on the property for play and exploration, there is a trail system close by that we can explore.

This week we have continued our Living Things science unit with lots of outdoor learning.



How to animals move? 

Students brainstormed the different ways animals can move, and we chose 6 of those ways to put on our big active living cube. Then we took turns rolling the dice - they would call out the name of an animal who travels in that way and then they would pretend to be that animal. Students had lots of fun.

After the game, we had a discussion about why animals move in different ways.
Why to snakes slighter?
Do animals move in different ways so they can get to the food they want?
Why are some animals faster than other animals?
Crabs and bugs both crawl- but really differently- are they both called crawling?

So much wonder, inquiry and questioning can happen when you open the learning up to fun! Play makes children comfortable and makes them want to learn.

Where to animals live?

I printed photos of animals and placed them around the little forest area by the school. Some hanging in trees, some under rocks, some sticking out of little holes. The students went on a little 'hide & seek' in partners to find an animal and then came back to the group for us to discuss whether or not that animal could survive in our forest.
Lots of great questioning happened during this activity too!






Living VS Non Living Things

I took the sorting circles out to the trails. I placed a 'living things' sign in one circle and a 'non-living things' sign in the other. I gave them short and simple instructions to find small items to put in these circles, without hurting anything.
They went off on their way... about 2 minutes later I gathered them together to have a look at the sorting circles..... why was one empty?   The discussion that followed about conservation, leaving animals in their habitats and whether or not a dandelion is living or non-living ones you pick it was a real learning experience! Play Works!!






Sometimes, just going outside with a magnifying glass and some friends can be a learning experience in itself!


Rainbows and Sunshine,
Mrs. Lloyd

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

End of year gifts

Math Block~ Some Old, Some New!

Symmetry