This week we began to delve a little more into our new Unit of Inquiry. As we are exploring the idea of the different resources we get from the earth, we felt it was important to first ensure the children clearly understood what a resource is. Together, we defined a resource as “something we get from the earth — our planet — that we can use.”
To make this concept meaningful and engaging, we started close to home by exploring the natural resources right here on our school campus. To add a little excitement, the children were placed into small groups and each group was given a simple riddle or clue. Following their clue led them to a specific natural resource.
For example:
“Walk to the farm. Look for something that moves. Listen… splash, splash. You will see rocks all around it.”
This clue led one group to the waterfall/water feature in the farm area.
Once each group identified their resource, they discussed how it could be used. The group who discovered water shared that it can be used for drinking, swimming, washing, and for fish to live in. Other resources our enthusiastic “resource detectives” located around the campus included chickens, goats, trees, rocks, and soil.
The photographs below capture the children in action as they followed their clues, collaborated with their peers, and discovered their assigned resource.
