Rainbows in the Green Classroom

Our school has an amazing outdoor learning space called The Green Classroom. It was established about 10 years ago by a visionary teacher named Barb Logan, who has since retired. Since those first days as simply an unmown patch of grass, it has grown into a natural habitat with diverse areas. There are garden beds, a meadow, and maturing forest. 

As a passionate outdoors person, I try to bring a group of children out a few times a week. We started with just an introduction to the space and how to move in it respectfully. I ask them to think of it as Mother Nature's house. When we visit a friend's house we are polite and don't run, scream, climb the furniture or be destructive. So far, the children are showing a lot of self regulation in this exciting space. 

Today, we brought out some paint chips and went looking for the colours of the rainbow. We soon discovered that green is not the only colour in the Green Classroom. 

Once the children were finished with a card, they traded with a friend. They cooperated beautifully together. 

When return to play this game again in a few weeks, it will be interesting to observe all the new fall colours!