The Gravity of Water
Like that annoying twice-removed-cousin that shows up to Thanksgiving unannounced, our unwelcome visitor, the California Drought, is here and is making its presence known. Most of us California residents are only aware of the drought due to the fact that our lawns are dying and logos like "Brown is the New Green" are now popular. For most of us it is an inconvenience.
For our students, the drought has become a series of lessons in conservation, measurement, science and most of all patience. Choosing to irrigate with rain water over the traditIonal hose has been an interesting learning experience.
Students hover over the rain barrels and treat them as they would a regular water source. They place the hose in their watering can, open the valve and wait. But nothing happens. Yet, the team before them got water. They approach the people who preceded them and ask, “How did you get water?” They learned that if the rain barrel hose spout is above the valve, the water will not flow, therefore they must get down low, close to the ground and allow gravity to play a role. It’s slow, but it flows.
They wait, crouched down, until the water rises to that line. "What line?" Ask some students,
"That line," another student replies, "The one that says the watering can is full." And in an instant, my teacher antennae perk up and a lesson on measurement and conversion is on the writing block. Returning to the garden a week later with a whole new perspective and understanding of amounts, equalities, and weight.
And then as if prompted by the next science lesson on microorganisms a student asks, "Why is this water brownish?" and "Why can't we drink it, but the plants can?" All I could think is, "How many microscopes can I round up and how soon can I set them up?"
Rain in the forecast is unpredictable. Gray clouds loom above bringing an empty promise, failing to deliver. Meanwhile the students crouch even lower, trying to empty the barrel of what is left, knowing that if the rain barrel is empty, more rain can be harvested.
Can they turn the hose on? Yes they can, but are choosing not to. They know that they have a choice. The choice empowers, educates, allows them to take control, at least until the next rain cloud delivers.
In May 2015 as my plane was landing at home, following my expedition to the British and Irish Isles as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, I thought to myself, "How am I going to translate this experience to my kids?" I can write many lessons to teach my kids about the world, but they like me, need to be THERE. They need to experience the world with all their senses! One of the aspects of my expedition that impacted me the most was the scaffolded exploration. Any time I, or any of the guests, would slow down to study something a naturalist would be at hand explaining, clarifying, detailing, pointing out interesting facts related to the object in question. This was powerful. Therefore I decided that our garden, or outdoor classroom, the one we built last year would be the first step toward their worldly exploration. And so far, unlike the unpredictable rain clouds, it has delivered.
Like that annoying twice-removed-cousin that shows up to Thanksgiving unannounced, our unwelcome visitor, the California Drought, is here and is making its presence known. Most of us California residents are only aware of the drought due to the fact that our lawns are dying and logos like "Brown is the New Green" are now popular. For most of us it is an inconvenience.
For our students, the drought has become a series of lessons in conservation, measurement, science and most of all patience. Choosing to irrigate with rain water over the traditIonal hose has been an interesting learning experience.
Students hover over the rain barrels and treat them as they would a regular water source. They place the hose in their watering can, open the valve and wait. But nothing happens. Yet, the team before them got water. They approach the people who preceded them and ask, “How did you get water?” They learned that if the rain barrel hose spout is above the valve, the water will not flow, therefore they must get down low, close to the ground and allow gravity to play a role. It’s slow, but it flows.
They wait, crouched down, until the water rises to that line. "What line?" Ask some students,
"That line," another student replies, "The one that says the watering can is full." And in an instant, my teacher antennae perk up and a lesson on measurement and conversion is on the writing block. Returning to the garden a week later with a whole new perspective and understanding of amounts, equalities, and weight.
And then as if prompted by the next science lesson on microorganisms a student asks, "Why is this water brownish?" and "Why can't we drink it, but the plants can?" All I could think is, "How many microscopes can I round up and how soon can I set them up?"
Rain in the forecast is unpredictable. Gray clouds loom above bringing an empty promise, failing to deliver. Meanwhile the students crouch even lower, trying to empty the barrel of what is left, knowing that if the rain barrel is empty, more rain can be harvested.
Can they turn the hose on? Yes they can, but are choosing not to. They know that they have a choice. The choice empowers, educates, allows them to take control, at least until the next rain cloud delivers.
In May 2015 as my plane was landing at home, following my expedition to the British and Irish Isles as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, I thought to myself, "How am I going to translate this experience to my kids?" I can write many lessons to teach my kids about the world, but they like me, need to be THERE. They need to experience the world with all their senses! One of the aspects of my expedition that impacted me the most was the scaffolded exploration. Any time I, or any of the guests, would slow down to study something a naturalist would be at hand explaining, clarifying, detailing, pointing out interesting facts related to the object in question. This was powerful. Therefore I decided that our garden, or outdoor classroom, the one we built last year would be the first step toward their worldly exploration. And so far, unlike the unpredictable rain clouds, it has delivered.