This week, a story of how nature and tech can create a unique outdoor learning experience for kindergarteners.
Anticipation and looming rain clouds were in the air as we prepared for our field trip with Ms. Gabrielle’s Kindergarteners. After weeks of planning, the mission was clear: send our team of 25 little explorers to Record the Natural World through sound. With iPads at the ready, our expedition gathered at Little Cates Park in North Vancouver where we split off into smaller parties and ventured forth to the marked destinations.
- Ye Old Cedar Mill 🪵: They walked in and around the old cement remnants of a cedar mill with some small echoey tunnels.
- Beach 🏖️: Students investigated the beach where they smacked rocks and sand, and recorded the sounds of splashing water.
- Forest 🌲: They explored the forest, with mushy leaves, sticks, logs, and swaying branches.
- Trail 🥾: Students walked along a forest path, with the crunchy sounds of a gravel trail underfoot.
There were two main learning objectives for the Kindergarteners this field trip:
- I can identify a sound from my surroundings.
- I can hold an iPad and record a clear sound.
Each zone had a facilitator and an iPad to share among the students. Despite the cold weather, the kids had a fun time rotating through the zones and capturing the unique sounds of nature. Even the 45 minutes of rain in the middle of our adventure didn’t deter their efforts — rain falling on leaves and in puddles was just another sound to add to their audio recording library. It all came together: the sounds of snapping of twigs, lapping waves, and the scraping of sticks across logs.
Sound Recordings 🎧
It was a wonderful adventure, and I'm so happy that Ms. Gabrielle collaborated with us to make this happen. It was one of the most unique classroom experiences I've had — and to pull it off at the Kindergarten level is truly amazing. I can't say enough good things about how the class was managed, and you can tell there is a relationship of care in Ms. Gabrielle’s classroom where the students adore and respect her.
Tips for a Similar Field Trip ✍️
Planning a field trip like this with the use of technology in the field is more than just learning to press record. Here are some tips if you want to try this yourself:
- Teach your students how to log into devices and record sounds in class well beforehand.
- Let them practice! Give them ample time to practice these skills a few times, so they’re comfortable and familiar with what to do.
- Make sure you have enough devices for the groups they’ll be in.
- Agree on class rules for the safe handling of digital devices — this should be done well ahead of the field trip and practiced in class.
- For the recordings, we used the Camera App to record video, but covered the camera since we only needed the audio. You also have the option of using the native Voice Recording app.
- You don’t have to go far – find an area around your school. If you don’t have a forest nearby, you can capture the sounds of the city.
Thanks for reading The Classroom Chronicles. This post is public so feel free to share it!
What’s Next?
Now that the students have begun to build their audio library, the next steps are to listen to their recordings in class and make connections to what they experienced, and how the sounds might be unique to that specific area and time of the year. Caterina’s plan is to visit Little Cates Park two more times: once in winter and once in spring to compare how the sounds might differ depending on the seasons.
Taking students beyond the walls of their classroom for outdoor education like this allows them to connect with the natural world. I really appreciated that we focused on listening to nature and slowing down in an otherwise fast paced, visual world.
I’m excited to accompany this class again on their next visit to the Little Cates Park. Each time will bring a different set of sounds for the students to observe, identify and record.
Want to know more? You can reach out to Ms. Gabrielle at: [email protected]
Extending this Project
If you want to do this with your class, it’s a good idea to purchase a few of these Wired Mics for your class iPads. You can use them later on in all sorts of projects in the classroom too!