For this week’s class we had an In-situ experience with one of the elementary schools. It was ‘Take me Outside Day’; a great excuse to get the kids out of the classroom for some experiential learning at a nearby park! For my reflection, I will be using the Gibb’s reflective cycle.
Description: What happened?
The focus of this in-situ was to incorporate technology into place-based experiential learning. Students read The Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, which tells a story about a character made of autumn leaves who is swept away and carried by the wind through various places, including marshes, orchards, and prairies.
We walked to Elizabeth Lake Park with the students along with an iPad per group of three to four. The iPad was to be primarily used for the app ‘Chatterbox Kids‘, which is an interactive app that allows students to animate pictures they take to make them talk.
We started with a nature scavenger hunt to get the kids paying attention and becoming fully immersed in their environment. It was so much fun!
Feelings: what were you thinking and feeling?
During our walk to the park, I felt very happy to be outside. It was a little breezy but it was wonderful seeing the autumn leaves swirling in the wind along with the spooky halloween decorations set up in passing yards. The park wasn’t very busy, given it was a weekday in the middle of the afternoon. It was so nice having such a beautiful place essentially to ourselves. It filled my heart with joy to see how excited the students in my group became about conducting a scavenger hunt. They worked very well together and did an exceptional job of taking turns and assuming responsibilities.
Evaluation: what was good and bad about the experience?
I think anytime spent outside is so important for us, especially kids. We spend so much time indoors looking at computers, phones, or television screens. It’s nice to get a break away from this! I think the scavenger hunt was a great way to get students moving, exploring, and reconnecting with the world around them.
I found the implementation of Chatterbox to be somewhat lacking, unfortunately. The students had a lot of fun with it, but I’m struggling to see the intention behind its incorporation. It did foster a sense of curiosity and amusement in our group, but I found it to take away from the experience of being outdoors.
Analysis: what do I make of this situation?
When possible, taking learning outside can foster wonder and curiosity. This helps students apply and synthesize their learning from inside the classroom to the world around them. Our time in the park allowed students to get moving, collaborate with one another, and enjoy a beautiful day. Research has shown that spending time outside in nature helps to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Encouraging healthy habits like spending time outdoors with elementary students is a great way to promote lifelong wellbeing.
Conclusion: what else could we have done?
Here are some possible activities with the book The Leaf Man that could be utilized outdoors:
- Have students create a leaf figure and write a short story about them. Share with peers with a gallery walk at the park.
- Sensory nature walk: have students record something they see, smell, hear, and feel.
- Have students create collages out of leaves, rocks, twigs, etc with a focus on symmetry and multiple colours.
Action Plan: what next?
For my future classroom I intend to take students outside on a regular basis. I find this is a great was to incorporate hands-on learning along with practicing being present in our lives. We live in an age where so many of us are constantly thinking about what is next. Simply going on a walk or sitting outside can reconnect us back to the present and with one another.