Litter explorations are ongoing at Childgarden over the last month. We have been cleaning up our neighbourhood with all classes and have noticed fish painted beside the drain, lots of litter: masks, plastic gloves, and lots of cigarette butts. Together with children we have created a web capturing the children's thoughts and ideas about 'what is litter' and 'why is litter bad'? Children have also initiated drawing pictures as they process these ideas and begun some storytelling provoked by a story scape set up by the teachers. From what we've heard children are taking this to heart and have become great litter detectives super heroes at home too:).
Here is a story to share created by some of our children:
Once upon a time there was a turtle stuck in a bag. The frog came and helped and took the bag off the turtle. A crab came and he went on top of the turtle's shell. Along came a big turtle and he went under the log and he put the crab back in the water. The lobster came and he went on top of the big turtle's back. The turtle found a garbage can. He put the bag inside the garbage can. Then a girl found all the animals lost in the lake and she bringed them all home to Africa. THE END
Here is a link to a couple of videos we've shared with the children to provoke more thinking around the Earth, litter and how our actions affect the environment.
Please Don’t Litter. https://youtu.be/FVArB2cnB4Y
No Litter Generation. https://youtu.be/kFzeEarX79k
How do you converse about littering and the Earth with your kiddo at home? Could they help sort the recycling with you? Have any questions come up? We would love it if you would share and comment your ideas with us in the comments:)
As one of our favourite teacher educators and author, Ann Pelo says, "Young children are forming the fundamental understandings that will shape how they engage with the earth. Will they learn that the earth is a resource to be used and abused by humans with little attention to the price of that use, or will they grow a more intimate relationship with the earth that ranks the environment high on the list of “things to consider” in every decision? Our planet cannot afford another generation of children to grow up disregarding the earth, the sky, the water, and all who live in them. And children cannot afford to grow up ignorant of the earth and its ways, displaced from their ecological home terrain by lack of intimate knowledge.
We would love it if you would share and comment your ideas with us in the comments:)
