On Tuesday, one of the students brought us a lovely bouquet of white carnations. His beautiful gift proved to be the launching pad for a wonderful morning of rich learning. We began by estimating the number of flowers in his bouquet. When we estimate, the children are asked not to attempt to count the precise number of items, but instead to concentrate on making a reasonable guess. Being in the accurate range or zone is more important than arriving at the one right answer. If children wish to change their guesses along the way, we always accept modifications.
Next, we filled four jars with water, added red, blue, and green food colouring to three of the jars, and placed the flowers in the water. “Qu’est-ce qui va se passer?” With their elbow partners, the children discussed their predictions and shared their ideas with the rest of the group. From what we have already learned about how plants grow, many students anticipated that the coloured water would travel up the stems and change the colour of the white carnations. As a group, we tried to think about how much time might pass before we see any changes. Most of us thought that we might not notice any changes until after the weekend. BUT ... by later that same afternoon, the carnations were already tinged the colour of the water in which they were placed!
Children at this age are naturally inquisitive and ask many questions about their world and the things that puzzle them. We strive to build on their curiosity and sense of wonder by providing hands-on, child-centred, and inquiry-based opportunities. By using all their senses and through interacting with their classmates, the children build knowledge and develop understanding. Bravo !