The Life Of A Fish In The Forest Room: Whose Perspective: The Child's Or The Fish's?

This is an example of how the environment is a third teacher.  How do the environment, the teacher and the children's peers support learning and developing relationships?

April 17, 2013

Penelope:  "Why do you have a fish out?"

Teacher:  "Why do you think we have a fish in our classroom? What do you notice when
              you look at the fish?"

Vivian S:   "A fish! An orange fish."

Madison: "The fish is trying to eat the leaf!"

Bryce:  "I see the fish tank.  Maybe that's Nemo."

Penelope:  "Hi, little boy.  What do we do with that?"

Samuel:  "It's a fish.  Where do you put the tank?  If we lift it up it might spill on Penelope."

Penelope:  "Why do you put that plant in there?

Samuel:  "Because it is growing."

Scarlett:  "There's a plant so maybe the water helps plants grow."
             
George:  "His mom is not in there.  That's the mom." (Pointing to the leaf)
               He's flying!"  (Noticing the fish)

Teacher:  "Is that how fish move?"

Scarlett:  "No!  They swim!"

George:  "He stuck his tongue at me."  (the fish was moving its mouth at the surface of the water)

Vivian M:  "He's blowing bubbles out of his mouth."

George: "I want to catch him!"

Vivian S:  "You can catch him with a fishing rod."

George:  "Don't touch him!  He's going to bite me!"


Holding a mirror in front of the fish.  "He sees himself."

                                                    "I have a lot of fish.  Mine only 

                                                have fins on the side and the bottom."                     

                                                           

                                    "I'm going to draw his smiley face."


April 18, 2013

Madison:  "He's hungry.  I don't see any food in  there."
              ( Looking in a vase of flowers across from fish)  "Hey, there's no fish in there!  It is 
              not available for fish!"

Bryce:  (Looking in fish bowl) "He's blowing bubbles out.  He can fly out!"

George:  "I can see him blowing bubbles.  He's trying to get out.  He jumps out!" (Jumping up)

Penelope:  "We will get wet if he does that!  He will chase us."

George:  "I see something squishy, that tail."

Bryce and Penelope look under the table for fish.


                                                                                                                                       "He's going to swim out." (She draws fish swimming out of the bowl.)
                                                                                                                                  

George:  "Hey he's not in there."

Scarlett:  "I see him."

Penelope:  "He's missing his mommy."

Scarlett:  "Maybe his mommy and daddy went to the art show!"




April 22, 2013

Penelope: "He goes down and up." (Waving Vivian S's smiley fish in front of fish) "I'm
             trying to get him. His mommy and daddy are at lunch bunch."
                
Samuel:  "Why is there a tree in there?  Maybe fishies like dirt."

George:  "Aaah!  He's going to get me.  I'm going fishing."

Samuel:  "I think he's eating the plant.  Do you think he's hungry?"

Samuel asks for a piece of tracing paper.  He draws a fish and cuts it out with lots of cuts like fringe at the bottom.  "I made a noodle fishy!"

I am noticing the power of two year old children as they observe, hypothesize, and support each other in their learning.  Enriching the environment with provocations can cultivate new relationships as they observe nature together. Look at the ability of the children to challenge themselves in representing what they see. It is inspiring to me to let go of my own intentions. Look at what the children chose to do with their observations!