4-5 Grade Character Developmental Stage:
8-11 YEARS OLD - Read seasonal reflections here:
CHILDREN THIS AGE NEED SIMILAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR NATURE ACTIVITIES AS THEIR YOUNGER PEERS BUT IN LARGER SCALE. (TYPICALLY EXTENDS LONGER FOR BOYS THAN GIRLS BECAUSE OF THE EARLIER ONSET OF PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE IN FEMALES.)
CREATE STRONG FRIENDSHIPS ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE SAME SEX AND WANT TO BELONG TO A GROUP THAT IS SOCIALLY SECURE. IMAGINATION CAN BE EXERCISED IN ACTIVITIES THAT THEY SEE AS ADVENTUROUS – THAT SUPPORT GROWTH OF CONFIDENCE THROUGH AUTONOMOUS ACTION (FORT BUILDING EX.) SPACE LARGE ENOUGH TO PRETEND TO BE LOST. TERRITORY EXPANDS AND COLLECTING AND CLASSIFYING BECOMES POPULAR.
During late elementary years our Adventures follow a theme titled “Bodies, Behaviors and Biodiversity”. The Adventures cycles continue to emphasize creating a community, cooperation, communication and conflict resolution with similar experiences to their younger peers but in larger scale. Students know this as “Play Hard”, “Play Fair” and “Play Safe”. As an example students may continue their investigation of insects but identify species with a field guide and explore insect biodiversity from four different model habitats in our observation field. Students will become more proficient with the primitive fire making tools and begin learning how to create a tinder nest that they can turn into flames with an ember. These experiences will elicit conflicts that might escalate and students will learn to use specific conflict resolution strategies.
LATE SUMMER: Edible forest - I CAN PRACTICE RESPONSIBILITY BY DESCRIBING AND APPLYING SYSTEMATIC DECISION MAKING TO THE 3-5TH GRADE ADVENTURE NORMS OF PLAY HARD, PLAY FAIR AND PLAY SAFE.
FALL: trees as tools - I CAN PRACTICE COLLABORATION BY PROBLEM SOLVING IN MY WORK TEAM TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CREW AND OHANA.
WINTER: ethnobotany and kapa haka - I CAN PRACTICE COLLABORATION BY LEARNING FROM CONFLICTS AND CONTRIBUTING TO GROUP GOALS.
SPRING: life cycles - I CAN PRACTICE COURAGE BY IDENTIFYING WHAT IS A HEALTHY AND AN UNHEALTHY RISK.
SEASONAL TOPICS AND ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW CAN BE READ HERE:
K-8 SCIENCE CONNECTIONS CAN BE READ HERE: