December 14, 2021

The puddle turned into an ice patch due to the cold weather, and the children spend time navigating the new surface; walking back and forth, catching their balance when a foot slipped on the ice. Some of the children were stomping on the surface until it cracked. They repeated action several times. One of the children picked up a rock from the path and threw it at the ice. They looked at the ice, then bent down to retrieve another one. This rock was stuck. The child had to sit down and try to remove the rock but was unsuccessful. Others were picking up the ice and holding it in their hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once some of the children left the ice patch and there was more space, one of the children began to step across the ice patch. “Hockey!”, the child said once they reached the other side. The child continued to move across the patch, alternating between walking, running and a sliding motion while wearing their boots. Each time they crossed the ice patch, they said “hockey!” At times the child’s foot slipped and they fell down. “Slowly,” an educator said as the child stood up and began to run over the ice. When the educator said that, the child began to slow and lifted their feet up higher.

 

 

After a few more passes back and forth, the educator said “You don’t have your skates on!” The child replied “Yeah, boots!” while lifting up their left foot and stomping it on the ground. The child continued to move across the ice patch and said, “My hockey player!”, and  “hockey!”.

So What?

• “Children are engaged learners when they: express joy and wonder in their encounters with the environment, the natural world, and other people;” (HDLH, 2014, pg. 37).
• Recalled the area where the puddle is
• Experimented with movements across the ice
• Recognized the connection between ice and hockey from previous experience
• Tested the limit of  pressure on the ice when they stomped on it
• Reinforced the pressure point learning when they threw rocks on it
• Used the sense of touch to feel the ice in their hands

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now What?

• Continue to explore the different variations of the puddle
• What happens if we run or walk on the ice?
• Explore different areas of the forest to see if we can find other water sources
• How is ice formed?