Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/the-tomato-hornworm-project/5024263/
Teaching can be effortless! Share in the joy and wonder of an organic learning experience inspired by the unexpected arrival of the tomato hornworm in a toddler classroom.
Every moment is a snapshot of time in the life of a young child; something can capture their interest or dissipate like a bubble floating away beyond their reach. If captured in that moment, their senses come alive as they are drawn into the wonder of their natural world. Last spring, at the Early Childhood Education Center on the University of California, San Diego campus, the unexpected arrival of nine green worms captured the interest and the hearts of our two-year-olds. From that moment what evolved was a captivating learning experience, which engaged the whole school community. In an outdoor setting purposefully created to promote exploration and foster the spark of curiosity, children became researchers navigating their own process of inquiry. In preschool, we promote following the motivation of children as we foster dialogue to expand on their knowledge, but this experience was unique in that it happened with two-year-olds. As the children began to think about what these creatures were and why they were there, they embarked on a journey that ...