Exit slip: using our senses, writing poetry, making rope,

The start of today’s class was meditative and calming. We each found our own spot around the garden and examined what we saw, heard, smelled, and felt. I think, as teachers, we do need to encourage our students to be reflective and engaged with their environment. Even in secondary school, where teachers feel more pressure to cover the curriculum and students have increasing expectations from their parents, I think reflecting on our environment could be a valuable exercise for students to recentre and be primed for yet another engaging lesson. 

Next, we made rope out of various materials - grass, ripped shirt fabric, and corn husks. Doing this while also listening to a podcast really reminded me of how my sister likes playing with various fidget toys in class. I think it’s important for students to work with their hands and I’m looking forward to learning more hands-on math and science activities that I can share with my future classes. I will definitely try to look into how rope making is studied from a mathematical viewpoint. Maybe knot theory or topology? I wonder where this might fit into the BC curriculum and what interesting and accessible concepts I can teach with this rope making activity. 

I’m really enjoying the outdoor learning and will definitely try to introduce it to my own classrooms.