Teachers workshop with Ruud Kleinpaste 18 August 2019
Ruud’s straight to the point summary of the state of our earth as an ecosystem switched to the wonder of biodiversity on earth and how this biodiversity provides us with ecosystem services that means we (as humans) can live on earth! Many ecosystem services are provided by insects and bugs, such as pollination and seed dispersal, dung clean up (just imagine if there were no bugs cleaning up the dung of this world!), predator and other roles. Insects and bugs have been on this earth for 3.8 billion years and have been doing a fine job of not destroying the planet!
Ruud then very honestly outlined how disconnected we as humans have become from nature in our relatively short stay on earth, his statements and graphics giving us all something to ponder. So as teachers we have to help humans rediscover the operations manual of planet earth…to become nature literate again. If teachers are nature literate, children will be nature literate and New Zealanders will be nature literate.
Ruud very easily outlined how nature literacy infuses all curriculum subjects – numeracy, science ecology, chemistry, literacy, social studies, art, music, dance, design and technology and more! Learning about nature, learning in nature and learning from nature were all aspects that Ruud covered in an inspiring way.
We then did what he thought is most important and we went outside into nature. We noticed algae on harakeke, fungi up tree trunks, spider webs, notches and scrapes up harakeke, and so much more…insects and bugs at work everywhere. Afterwards Ruud shared his friends with us – getting to hold weta and look up close at insects and what insects build. What amazing creatures bugs are! A great morning learning about bugs!
Check out https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/education-centre/activities/school-activities/ for Beaut Bugs and Who Did That?
Posted: 20 August 2019