Welcoming Spring at Woodside National Historic Site
The inhabitants of the woods at Woodside National Historic Site welcomed us with song and acrobatics. New voices returning from the South joined the beautiful chorus in the Trees. We said hello to the large Maples and compared the consistency and coulour of Maple sap to Maple syrup. We revisited our previous experiences exploring the textures of Maple bark, listening to the sap rising in the Maple Trees. We have been observing the annual changes in the lifecycle of trees simultaneously discovering other plants surrounding or growing on them.
The children took charge of gathering the kindling such as: grass, leaves, pine cones to create our fire of the day inside the Kelly Kettle. The children gathered loose materials testing each piece for moisture content. Groups found dry grasses, and announced: “I tell you, this will burn very well and will make a good little fire!”.
A group of children gathered around a friend to ensure everyone was included in the process. They brought the loose materials to him and discussed how to best arrange the kindling in the small vessel.
The fire was small but burned beautifully carrying the smoke into the air through the “tiny chimney”. The water in the kettle sang for us and the children expressed their satisfaction at the work well done: “We told you, you needed that good grass for a great little fire!”. We made chamomile tea with Maple Syrup and thanked the Trees for this delicious gift.
It is heartwarming to see the children taking care of each other, taking initiative to build fires independently and building an experiential understanding of the science of combustion.
As the children gathered dry leaves from last year’s bounty for the fire they surprised us by identifying Oak, Maple and Birch leaves.
Some children explored the colours of the tiny fungi on the decomposing leaves commenting on the beauty of the patterns. The children explored lichens on the bark of trees and mosses around the base of the trees with magnifying glasses, marveling at the details, forms and colours.
The Trees are inspiring teachers connecting us to the Wood-Wide-Web underground, to the birds and insects exploring the canopy and the complex yet small systems they create for other life forms to flourish.
Love, Eva
