MMS Science teacher Amanda Ripa took some time to help her middle school students reconnect with the tiny wonders all around them last month. The lesson was part of Mrs. Ripa’s into to science skills unit which encouraged students to develop the practice of observation.
The class read M.H. Clark’s “Tiny Perfect Things” together, a book about a child and a grandfather taking a walk and noticing all the little things around them with wonder. “I hoped to remind my middle schoolers to look more closely, observe nature, and see what they could find just in our little patch of forest,” said Mrs. Ripa. “Students found leaves, acorns, slugs, and one even found a salamander in just a short time of looking around us.”
Mrs. Ripa then introduced her students to nature journaling and sketching with a quick mini lesson. Everyone drew their “tiny perfect thing,” added color if they so chose, and added haikus to their sketch to capture descriptive details.
The only thing that makes this lesson even more impressive is that Mrs. Ripa wheeled out a wagon full of equipment to make sure that her remote learners didn’t miss out on this fun outdoor class.
RSU 18 Messenger 