Immaculate Conception – on the Pathway

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Immaculate Conception – on the Pathway

“At Immaculate we don’t see the Pathway program as a checklist for individual classrooms. We are embracing the program and looking for ways to build relationships in the outdoors between younger and older students. We are weaving the landmarks into the fabric of our school. We are a school that is based on teamwork and providing leadership opportunities for our students.” 

Lindsay Bowen, Gr 2-3 teacher, Immaculate Conception C. E. S.
A nature walk with Immaculate Conception C. E. S. students.

January 24, 2019 – Immaculate Conception Elementary School is one of the Pathway’s pilot schools in the City of Peterborough. They’re doing so many great things! Here’s a small sample:

  • Pathway tracking sheets are posted in the hallways throughout the school. They’re a reminder of the Landmarks for each age group, and an inspiring record of what’s happening in the school, right now! 
  • Kindergarten classes go for a nature walk every week, and bring back treasures for their nature collection; they had a visitor talk to them about ants; they went hunting for ants, drew pictures and made ant sculptures with recycled materials. 
  • Grade 1-3 classes had an exciting visit from “Nature Nancy” from Think Outside; they visit favourite outdoor places every two weeks, and do activities to celebrate the season every week. 
  • Grade 4-5 classes go for walks every month to a favourite nearby place; they started plants from seed in the classroom, which they’re caring for over the winter, and they’ll take care of the school’s Food Forest this spring; they plan to borrow GPS units from a local high school and start geocaching as well. 
  • Grade 6 classes go for walks to the Art Gallery, Del Crary Park, the Museum, and they take nature walks with their kindergarten friends; they tried out a new sport – “sit volleyball” and they’ve built statues from found materials and taken pictures of changes to the natural environment. 
  • Grade 8 students have taken on a leadership role in planning and conducting projects to benefit the whole school community; they’ve been working with GreenUP to promote walking and wheeling to school, organizing a school fitness program, and they’re working on plans for an outdoor classroom and possible greenhouse. 

Keep up the great work, Immaculate! They’d like to hear what other schools are doing, so share your ideas through info@pathwayproject.ca 

Frozen Sun Catchers

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Frozen Sun Catchers

A recipe for easy mid-winter magic

January 23, 2019

Ingredients

  • Found nature objects – Twigs, leaves, berries, pine cones
  • Container to freeze the water in – aluminum pie plates are perfect!
  • Water
  • Something to hang them: twine, yarn, ribbon
  • Freezing temperatures

Steps

  1. Lay out your nature objects in the base of your container for freezing
  2. Lay the twine amidst the nature objects with a large loop or two loose ends hanging out – this will be your hang or tie 
  3. Place your creations on a flat outdoor surface where they can freeze undisturbed (window sill, picnic table, etc.)
  4. Slowly pour in water until the container is full and ensure your twine/ribbon are still submerged
  5. Set the outdoor temperature to below freezing 😉 **freeze overnight for best results

Hang this ice art from a tree branch in a sunny spot where the sun will shine through and slowly melt it away, transforming your creation throughout the day.

Tips

  • play with colours, textures, patterns… Eating oranges?  Add visual a-peel with pieces of rind or slices interspersed 
  • Make minis in ice cube trays
  • Fancy a rainbow catcher? Add food coloring
  • Use bundt pans for a frozen wreath

 

Warning: This recipe will quickly become a staple on your nature crafting menu!

 

Stories in the Soft Snow

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Stories in the Soft Snow

A lesson in animal tracking with Jacob Rodenburg

“We humans often think we’re the only ones who write stories, but in truth animals write stories in the soft snow every winter, and we can follow them and learn what they were doing…It’s just nice for us to know that animals have a life – they’re looking for food, they’re finding shelter.  It’s great to get out in the cold winter with your family and follow tracks.” 

Jacob Rodenburg, Executive Director, Camp Kawartha and co-author of The Big Book of Nature Activities: A Year-Round Guide to Outdoor Learning

January 23, 2019 – Some animals hibernate but you don’t need to!  In this lovely video lesson in Animal Tracking, Jacob Rodenburg, Executive Director at Camp Kawartha shares the joy and rich learning that arise when a fresh blanket of snow reveals the oft-hidden lives of animals all around us, through their tracks in the snow.  All we need to do is venture out and follow along.

VIDEO: A Lesson in Animal Tracking with Jacob Rodenburg

Watch as Jacob introduces us to animal tracking in the snow, demonstrating a great winter tracking activity we can all try with the children in our lives, as well as what to look for as we venture out and onto a fresh blanket of snow.  This clip is both a playful demonstration and chalk full of fun facts and important naturalist insights.

Ready to try?  Jacob shares two great steps for getting started:

Step 1 – When you look at an animal track, try to figure out what direction it was going in?  Often when animals walk they have a scuff mark at the heal which is a good hint which way it was going.

Step 2 – How was it moving? Walking? Stride is close together.  Why is this stride so long?  Was the animal running?

As you follow its trail, what was the animal doing? Look for: was it running, was it walking, was it eating?

Look alongside the sidewalks or the trails you travel.  Have you seen the tracks Jacob stamped in the snow?

Thanks to Jacob for sharing the stories of animals in the snow!

Follow an animal Pathway – where will it lead?

Want more info?  Enjoy these articles: Take it Outside: Enjoying the Gifts of Winter, by Jacob Rodenburg and How to be a Winter Wildlife Detective, by David Bree of Ontario Parks.

 

Parent and Educator Survey Results

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The Results Are In

Pathway Parent and Educator Surveys

January 23, 2019 – Three cheers to all the teachers, parents and students who completed surveys for the Pathway pilot sites.  What a lot of great information you provided!  We received 684 surveys that help us learn what’s important to you and the challenges in your life.  We were impressed by the thought and effort shown by the responses.  
 
Each age group had its own survey, ranging from preschool to grade eight.  We wanted to know how many of the Pathway “Landmarks” are already part of your lives, how familiar you are with our local community, and what barriers you face in including more outdoor time in your lives.  We’re still compiling and assessing this wonderful wealth of information, but here are a few tidbits to share, based on responses from the primary grades: 

  1. Parents shared lots of great ideas for outdoor activities for each season; teachers find a much bigger challenge in getting outdoors with their classes, with fewer ideas for larger groups of children. 
  2. For parents, the biggest barrier to getting outside is lack of time; for teachers, it’s lack of resources, ideas for outdoor activities, and support. 
  3. Parents indicated relatively low worries about safety when their families are outdoors; teachers are very worried about safety issues (liability concerns are huge). 
  4. Teachers love to use natural areas in their schoolyards, if they’re available.  They find it difficult to take classes off the school property. 
  5. Families love to spend time in familiar places, especially family cottages, farms or their own backyards.  They also love local parks, especially if they’re easy to get to. 
  6. Most-mentioned favourite public places include Riverview Park and Zoo, Jackson Park, Millbrook Trails, Rogers Cove and Peterborough’s trail system. 
  7. Teachers and parents want IDEAS for outdoor games, nature art, crafts and songs. 
  8. The majority of teachers and parents said that their interest in the outdoors was greater than their knowledge – many felt they didn’t know much about nature. 
  9. Most teachers and parents said that their students/kids were very interested in the natural world. 
  10. Teachers and parents who completed our surveys all agreed that physical activity, outdoor play, and play in nature are very important for children. 

Based on these preliminary responses, you’ll find some ideas for nature games, crafts and other activities on this website.

Cold, Wet, Muddy and Fun

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Cold, Wet, Muddy and Fun

January 23, 2019 – Our Cold, Wet, Muddy and Fun! workshop with Sue Ferren was so true to name!  Not only did we experience first-hand all of the chilly temps, rain, mud and snow within the span of our Saturday morning together, but we enjoyed a rich morning of learning, sharing and FUN.  Sue revealed the magic that can be found when we courageously bundle our wee ones and venture out, whatever the weather! 

All 15 folks who attended, including 2 wee ones, were led on a clear pathway to providing the invitation, clothing and materials necessary for children to explore, create and engage in any weather.  Sue shared her wealth of knowledge, beautifully curated resources, an enviable nature-themed library, and a treasure trove of hands-on activities – both indoor and out – for us to explore.  She also shared the challenges and barriers we know can keep the most intrepid explorers from venturing out, and ways to make that challenge more manageable and more fun.


In the warmth of the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre we brainstormed Barrier Breakers, models of how to bring nature in, loose parts of every description, and shared stories of mishaps and magic-making with wee ones in all weather.  Then we were invited outdoors on a beautiful story walk with the laminated pages of In the Snow – Who’s Been Here.  The story trail wove us through the cedar grove and opened to a clearing lovingly spread with activity centres showcasing simple and powerful activities to spark early years engagement.  Mud kitchens, rain-filled tube mazes, tarp painting, and making nature-found masterpieces within empty ornate frames – all ready for hours of exploration.  The wee ones who had been enjoying the morning under the watchful care of Jumping Mouse’s Martine Cleary, joined us to explore these centres.  It was immediately obvious that with a few thoughtful materials, comfortable all-weather clothing, and adults willing to venture out, cold, wet and muddy are Fun!

Want Inspirations and Ideas for venturing out this Winter? Join us Saturday February 9th for Wonder-Full Winter:  Your Toolkit for Nature Crafting and Outdoor Play with Children.

The Day Starla Came to Stay

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The Day Starla Came to Stay

Fostering empathy by fostering a turtle

What could be the title of a children’s picture book became a Pathway Landmark brought to life, when a PSK pilot kindergarten class at Millbrook/South Cavan Public School were treated to a special long-term guest in their quiet corner – Starla the red-eared slider – a foster animal provided by the Riverview Park and Zoo.  

Landmark #5 reads:  Look after an animal. Develop empathy by watching and caring for living things.  Jenny Todd’s Kindergarten class, part of our Pathway Pilots, did just that.  But affording children positive interactions with animals in the classroom requires extra care and consideration.  With the generosity of Zoo curator Jim Moloney, The Riverview Park and Zoo helped bring Landmark #5 to life, and into the classroom.  For Pathway pilot kindergarten classes, the zoo has offered short term animal fostering.

“We had a wonderful experience with the turtle” said Jenny Todd.

Matt Dixon, a zookeeper from Riverview Park and Zoo, brought Starla and her habitat,  food and cleaning supplies.  While showing Miss Turtle around, Matt provided guidance on safety and hygiene, animal wellness and maintenance to Jenny and her students, to make the experience safe for both the human and non-human animals.  The kids were captivated by his set-up, and as he explained all the necessary care and concerns, he was treated to many enthusiastic turtle stories the kids were keen to share!

The awe, care and empathy nurtured in children when they foster an animal was obvious as Jenny Todd’s class cared for Starla – a moniker decided after the class held a vote on their new classmate, the former “Miss Turtle”.  As the class became more comfortable with Starla and she with them, she could be found basking under the sun lamp as children came to gaze at her in the quiet corner, admiring her and drawing her likeness. Every student also had the opportunity to feed her, and the once-a-week raw fish feed was a favourite!

Starla has moved onto yet another kinder class at Millbrook/South Cavan and the children were sad to see her go.  But Ms Todd and class are already looking towards possible future fosters. What other pals might join Ms Todd’s class on the Pathway? 

Thanks to Jim, Matt and the Riverview Park and Zoo for this incredible Partnership on the Pathway!