SomeThoughts on Things to Do - #2
Hello, 5P kids and families!
I hope you are doing well! I am still feeling well.
I wanted to offer a few more thoughts about what you might do during this time of at-home, independent learning. (See disclaimer at the bottom of this post!)
MINDFUL OBSERVATION -- Nearly identical objects
Early this year I bought a book by art teacher, Rob Walker. He has a long-term goal to help his students learn how to see the world they move through every day in new and fresh ways.
Early in the year, we did a few exercises from this book in our classroom. I wanted to get back to some of them later in the year. With more time at home, this is a perfect time to get back to some of these practices.
So, here's a challenge I'm going to give myself, one that you might be interested in doing, too. It requires a digital camera (phone?). The goal is to make a collection of images of nearly identical objects.
The first step will be to decide on what category of things I want to document. Will it be something natural or man-made?
Once I pick the category, I'll want to keep my eyes open for examples of that category as I go for walks, poke around my yard, or do wherever I do. The goal is to use this self-imposed focus as a way for me to open myself up to the world around me. It will force me to think as I do my daily routines.
Finally, I'm going to make me some ART! After I collect some images, I'll probably crop them and turn them into a slideshow, maybe even write about what I notice about the world and/or about myself by such a focus on the ordinary. I'll post what I discover in a later post.
Art. Always art!
PHENOLOGY WEBSITE
Along the lines of observing and noticing what is happening, this time of forced isolation can be a great time to notice and wonder about the outdoors. Time seems to have stopped (at least it does to me), but I have to remember, the Earth is still revolving around the Sun, which means that the days are still getting longer and the temperatures warmer (generally, 'though not today!) and the plants and animals are responding to those changes.
Keep your eyes open for those changes!
One cool resource is this one that tracks the approach of spring: National Phenology Network: Spring. There are several maps to explore and, really, the entire site is pretty cool. Read about the maps and what they track.
From this .gif, you can see that first leaf-out (for lilacs and honeysuckle) is still down in northern Missouri. That seems like a long ways away, but spring is getting closer!
TWIG TRACKING NOTEBOOK
Below is my twig tracking notebook. I'm keeping track on a google spreadsheet, too, and graphing. In another post, I'll let you know how I made the graph. It's a fun skill to learn.
I haven't seen any changes in the length or width of the terminal buds that I am tracking, but it is still early in the process.
This morning, though, I noticed that the maple trees across the valley were looking "redder" than normal. That's a sure sign that the sap that's been moving this month is starting to ready the buds for an eventual burst. Spring is coming!
FINALLY: SOME WONDERFULNESS
These are challenging times, for sure. And there might be good reasons for a person to feel down, scared, or anxious.
So, I'm offering up this short video from the terrific collection of animated shorts put together by StoryCorps -- from their collection of interviews -- and UpWorthy. The collection is called, aptly, #WhoWeAre. The whole video series is both inspirational and aspirational, in my humble opinion.
This is the story of an unlikely friendship between an American soldier and his Iraqi interpreter and it never fails to bring (good) tears to my eyes. (The link.) I offer it up to you for its beauty and hopefulness.
Disclaimer: These resources are being offered as an opportunity for students and families during this time of closure due to COVID-19. There is no expectation that students and families use these resources. If you find that these resources are not accessible to your student please contact your teacher via email or phone for assistance or guidance to potential alternative resources.
I hope you are doing well! I am still feeling well.
I wanted to offer a few more thoughts about what you might do during this time of at-home, independent learning. (See disclaimer at the bottom of this post!)
MINDFUL OBSERVATION -- Nearly identical objects
Early in the year, we did a few exercises from this book in our classroom. I wanted to get back to some of them later in the year. With more time at home, this is a perfect time to get back to some of these practices.
So, here's a challenge I'm going to give myself, one that you might be interested in doing, too. It requires a digital camera (phone?). The goal is to make a collection of images of nearly identical objects.
The first step will be to decide on what category of things I want to document. Will it be something natural or man-made?
- If natural? Tree bark, then? A spot of ground? The sky directly above me? Dog faces? Terminal buds of plants? Small stones? What else?
- If man-made? How about railings? Steps? Telephone poles? Signposts? Signs? Shoes? Statues? What else?
Once I pick the category, I'll want to keep my eyes open for examples of that category as I go for walks, poke around my yard, or do wherever I do. The goal is to use this self-imposed focus as a way for me to open myself up to the world around me. It will force me to think as I do my daily routines.
Finally, I'm going to make me some ART! After I collect some images, I'll probably crop them and turn them into a slideshow, maybe even write about what I notice about the world and/or about myself by such a focus on the ordinary. I'll post what I discover in a later post.
Art. Always art!
PHENOLOGY WEBSITE
Along the lines of observing and noticing what is happening, this time of forced isolation can be a great time to notice and wonder about the outdoors. Time seems to have stopped (at least it does to me), but I have to remember, the Earth is still revolving around the Sun, which means that the days are still getting longer and the temperatures warmer (generally, 'though not today!) and the plants and animals are responding to those changes.
Keep your eyes open for those changes!
One cool resource is this one that tracks the approach of spring: National Phenology Network: Spring. There are several maps to explore and, really, the entire site is pretty cool. Read about the maps and what they track.
From this .gif, you can see that first leaf-out (for lilacs and honeysuckle) is still down in northern Missouri. That seems like a long ways away, but spring is getting closer!
TWIG TRACKING NOTEBOOK
Below is my twig tracking notebook. I'm keeping track on a google spreadsheet, too, and graphing. In another post, I'll let you know how I made the graph. It's a fun skill to learn.
I haven't seen any changes in the length or width of the terminal buds that I am tracking, but it is still early in the process.
This morning, though, I noticed that the maple trees across the valley were looking "redder" than normal. That's a sure sign that the sap that's been moving this month is starting to ready the buds for an eventual burst. Spring is coming!
FINALLY: SOME WONDERFULNESS
These are challenging times, for sure. And there might be good reasons for a person to feel down, scared, or anxious.
So, I'm offering up this short video from the terrific collection of animated shorts put together by StoryCorps -- from their collection of interviews -- and UpWorthy. The collection is called, aptly, #WhoWeAre. The whole video series is both inspirational and aspirational, in my humble opinion.
This is the story of an unlikely friendship between an American soldier and his Iraqi interpreter and it never fails to bring (good) tears to my eyes. (The link.) I offer it up to you for its beauty and hopefulness.
Disclaimer: These resources are being offered as an opportunity for students and families during this time of closure due to COVID-19. There is no expectation that students and families use these resources. If you find that these resources are not accessible to your student please contact your teacher via email or phone for assistance or guidance to potential alternative resources.
Comments
Post a Comment