I am excited to be teaching second grade at Lapham School. This photo, taken by a kid, is of the muddiest trail we could find at a springtime Heron Conference. It represents, for me, something important about the connection between kids, nature, and wonder.
The more I read and the more I reflect, the more I believe that science education during the early years should focus on the affect, the emotional connection between kids and nature. Experiences with adults during the early years--planting seeds, digging for critters and collecting data in our Lapham Garden, visiting the UW Arboretum with the Heron Network, camping at the School Forest as a class, or local phenology study--can help guide kids to develop their sense of wonder. This is the foundation, I believe for creating environmental stewards.
Classroom Blog: heronnetwork.org/blog/225