When I first began visiting their classroom I some observation. The teachers were very supportive of me coming in and introducing gardening and nature into the classroom. The teachers asked me to say a few words to the children about why I was there and what I was going to be doing with them. On my second visit I came in with a provocation, a picture. (Provocation is an object or material that provokes the children to ask questions and think critically)
I showed them a picture I had taken of a tree after a snowstorm. A large branch had fallen from the tree, and I was concerned about the well being of the tree. I asked the children some questions such as, "will this tree stay alive without the branch?" "How did the branch break off of the tree?" These questions began a deeper conversation about what things are alive, and what things are dead during winter.
Afterwards we went on a nature walk. Along our walk the children found many things that were alive, and some that were not. We convened at a park where we found an extremely large branch that had moss, lots of smaller branches. The children began collecting smaller branches and brought them back to the classroom. They took some guesses whether they thought the branch was dead or alive, and we then put the branches in water to see what would happen.
The teachers continued the investigation while I was away for the rest of the week and each week that I returned to school the children noticed no growth, but was continuously watching it. Finally after a month of observation one of the children noticed a bud! Growth! How exciting for the children.
The branches still sit in the water and the bud continues to grow.
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