The Hunt

Monarch Caterpillars were the treasures!

This week in Garden Classes, it was all about the hunt. Isn't it a primitive and instinctual behavior of humans after all? Aren't we always seeking more and hoping to discover something more? Whether it be food, shelter or inspiration, we are beings of wonder. Perhaps our evolved brains since our ancestors who had to worry more about seeking food and basic needs, allow us the luxury to seek more.

My second graders absolutely loved the Bug Hunt activity we did this week. This group of second graders is a little more challenging. Every student evolves at a different rate in terms of maturity level, and academic capacities. These students, with more strengths in creative faculties, struggle with behaving like students frequently. They have shorter attention spans, easily get into arguments over trivial instances with each other, and breakdown quickly when things get hard.

So, I had to restructure my lesson with the wisdom of my room mate and fellow teacher Jessie. She suggested that these students need a simple lesson to follow through on and discover success with. We have to keep garden enlightening and fun, along with learning, instead of just being a challenge all the time for this particular class. I thought of doing a Bug Hunt, where they would search for different bugs in the garden and draw their recordings on a worksheet I would draft up. Jessie suggested that sometimes, even looking at a worksheet can be too daunting to students. There are so many things you are expected to do when you get a worksheet: write your name in the upper-right hand corner, figure out the date and how to write that, read directions, etc. And some students who really struggle academically, will give up immediately upon seeing a worksheet. I have seen it happen.

Henry's Monarch Caterpillar!

On the Hunt!

 
Instead of a worksheet, Jessie suggested just a small white note card. Students can just draw one bug they see. And if that is too easy for some, they can turn the card around and draw another bug. The idea is to stratify the lesson, so that all levels of learners can gain something from the lesson.

It turned out to be a pressure-free, fun, and successful activity. I was happy for my students, watching them work together to hunt for bugs and especially for those students who felt a sense of success and accomplishment because they were able to manage the assignment. And, happily for me, keeping the mean and stressed garden teacher at home that day, was liberating.

Jessie also gave me another great tip. You can guess how long a student can sit attentively by how old the student is. So if a student is 7-years-old, he or she can probably sit for 7-minutes max. This means I had to tailor my lecture and explanation to a quick 7-minutes. Sometimes I forget that I am working with kids and they have not cultivated the ability to sit and attentively listen for too long yet. I am so thankful to Jessie for sharing her experience with me. These moments shape me into a better teacher.





*Photos by Tiffanie Ma