Getting outside and enjoying the environment is a passion to be fostered. Seeking out the insects that inhabit the outdoors, understanding where they live and how we can care for them are all part of gaining an understanding of our place in the world.
We have been taking an interest in the worms (noke) that like to live under our outdoor mat and we have been observing them for some time now. Observation and listening is an important learning disposition that supports children’s future learning. As I chat about what we can see the children crowd around and observe. There are maths concepts as we compare the long worms with the short worms, and language in context to what we are seeing i.e. fast wriggling worms and the slow steady stretching worms.
Charlie and I have dug the garden for worms and we have moved aside grasses in an attempt to discover the snails (ngata) that hide here. (It’s like a treasure hunt!)
Some children have no hesitation in touching snails while others are more confident to just watch. We observe when they blow bubbles and understand that this is when they are unhappy. Children are encouraged to put the snails back where we found them as this is their home and where they are trying to hide from birds who will eat them.
We have also watched snail Olympics as they swim through a plate of water and exit the pool. Children that are particularly fascinated with the snails like to draw a teacher over with them to show them what they have found.
Some children just like to wait, and watch. What patience! We will continue to make discoveries and develop an understanding of the characteristics of the insects and animals that live around us.
Teacher / Kaiako: Kaye