“Nature uses only the longest threads to weave her patterns, so that each small piece of her fabric reveals the organization of the entire tapestry.” - Richard P. Feynman, physicist and author
A spiral in a sunflower or a seashell, the symmetry of a leaf, and the synchronous flight of a flock of birds are only a few of the patterns that nature displays. Nature’s patterns yield both a rich display and a glimpse of the underlying order in our world.
We can learn a great deal about design from studying the patterns found in natural systems. Also, understanding the concept of patterns, and being able to recognize them, helps us understand such things as the classification of plants and animals. In solving a problem, understanding patterns lets us see how the various pieces of information relate to each other, and can aid in predicting a solution.
I introduced the concept of patterns in nature by reading “Swirl by Swirl – Spirals in Nature” by Joyce Sidman. This book is a beautifully illustrated study of patterns in nature, specifically revealing the many spirals in
nature – from sea shells to fern fronds and ocean waves, from a flower bud to a distant galaxy and even inside the ear - and celebrating their beauty and value. To begin our study of spirals in nature, the children looked at pictures of spirals and then studied spiral patterns in seashells. We then made a more detailed study of the spiral pattern of sunflowers and learned about the anatomy of the sunflower plant. The children also practiced drawing spirals.
Seasons:
I introduced our study of Fall by reading “Leaf Man” by Lois Ehlert. Fall has come, the wind is blowing, and a Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows. With illustrations made from actual fall leaves this book celebrates the season and the rich imagination of children.Signs of fall:
Learning is all around. Using all five senses we explored the wonders of Fall. Watching leaves fall from the trees – hearing them crunch under our feet as we walked through them. We raked them up and smelled their scent - feeling their brittleness - as we added them to the compost bin. It's time to gather seeds from our garden to be used for planting next year. We watched squirrels gather seeds (acorns) as well and observed birds gathering sunflower seeds from the drooping flower heads.
We noticed how Canadian Geese gather together and begin to fly south in the fall. We looked overhead for their familiar V formation and listened to them honking to each other. What do you think they were saying? Look at the V shape formed by the geese as they fly. Does this formation help them on their journey?
Activities:
Art activities included pressing leaves onto colorful ink pads and making leaf prints on paper in creative designs. We also collected leaves and made our own leaf figures inspired by the “Leaf Man” book.Our science activity was a leaf study in which we compared differences and similarities between leaves and learned which trees they came from. We also sorted leaves for various attributes (color, symmetry, size) and counted leaves - graphing the results to see how many of each kind of leaf we had found.
Other books read included:
“In a Nutshell” by Joseph Anthony
Beautiful illustrations and lively text depict the life cycle of an oak – beginning with an acorn - and how it supports life, even after it is gone, when its energy passes into many other life forms.
“A Seed is Sleepy” by Dianna Hutts Aston
This gorgeous and informative book introduces children to a number of seed and plant facts, making it a valuable nature guide that can be read at home or in a classroom reading circle.
“The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle
A strong wind blows flower seeds high in the air and carries them far across the land. Many of the seeds are lost but some survive and sprout into plants that grow and flower, producing their own seeds to start the process over again. A wonderful nature lesson, and an inspiring message about the importance of perseverance.
Gardening:
I introduced garden activities by reading “Herman and Marguerite an Earth Story” by Jay O’Callahan. This is the story of Herman, a shy earthworm, who spends most of his time in the dark earth, eating dead leaves and making tunnels. He doesn’t think what he does is very important. He meets Marguerite, a “dogapillar,” who lives in the orchard above, where she munches on plants, and waits for the time when she will become a butterfly.
Herman and Marguerite become friends even though they are very different and through their friendship they learn to believe in themselves, and on the way help each other bring life back to a lonely orchard.
Garden activities included:
• Preparation of beds – digging with kids
• Planting with kids – vegetables, bulbs & CA poppies• Learning plant life cycles – seeds, flowers, etc.
• Studying decomposition in the compost and worm bins
• Learning about insects in the garden – beneficials and ones that are not; observed a Katydid and heard its song; studied insect body parts
• Observations – kids took digital pictures of their individual gardens
Also read:
“Compost – Growing Gardens from Garbage” by Linda Glaser
In this delightfully illustrated book, a little girl explains how her family turns garbage and garden waste into soil using their compost bin. She helps water the pile, watches her mother turn it, feels the heat of the compost, and helps spread it on the garden for spring planting.
