Using Outdoor Discoveries to Inspire Rich Math Talks

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."
John Wooden

Now that spring is emerging muddy conditions are common in our school yard. Although some educators shy away from messy spots, I find they are often one of the best places to notice and name rich, authentic math.

One morning the children were exploring the yard and noticed interesting tracks on the path. They took their time observing the different prints they found. They wondered who had been visiting the space and how the markings were made. They noticed that the prints appeared to be dried in the dirt and preserved in the thick mud. 

 

 

The tracks that fascinated us the most were those made by animals. Our school is located near a wooded trail and our yard is frequented after hours by coyotes, deer, geese, wild turkeys and dogs. The children compared the different tracks and used their prior knowledge to try and identify the animals. We also used a handy animal tracks identifier to help us as the difference between some tracks is minimal.

 

               

The children were also very curious about the shoe/boot tracks that they found alongside the animal tracks. Within each we noticed intricate shape and line details that differentiated them from one another. We identified many shapes including circles, diamonds, hexagons and squares. There were also many different lines in each - straight, wavy, and zigzag.

 

      

     

We wondered if our footwear matched any of the tracks. The children examined each other's feet to see if they could find a match between their shoes and any of the tracks. This inspired rich observation and discussion as small details were noted and comparisons were made. 

 

In order to capitalize on this interest I printed large photos of a shoe and animal print and brought them to our whole group discussion. I asked the children to consider what was the same and different about each print. I also used the thinking routine 'see, think, and wonder' to facilitate math talk and help the children mathematize the photos. 

We also brought this interest in prints to our art center where children were invited to paint our spare classroom boots and stamp them to see what kinds of prints they made. 

Once the tread prints were dry the children brought them to our whole group gathering time and we continued to observe and discuss the shapes and lines we saw in each. The children grouped the prints according to similarities and also compared the size of the marking to their feet in order to see which was the bigger foot. 

 

As spring weather continues to bring rain, the children's interest in tracks endures. The children are now curious about how long an entire track path is, how deep the prints are in the mud and how much space is in between each print. They wonder about how far and fast the person or animal might have been travelling and use these clues to help them hypothesize the speed and distance. Each time a discovery is made in the yard I carefully document the findings using photos and videos so we can bring the information back to our whole group conversations and build our collective knowledge about tracks. 

Our next step will be to record ourselves making tracks in the mud using digital tools. We will use the different recording options on our smart device including time lapse photography and slow motion recording. These will be interesting to watch and will hopefully help us understand more clearly how the distance, pressure and speed of movement will affect the way a print is made in mud. Stay tuned! 

Looking for a resource to support mud play? Check out my book Muddy Math available on Amazon!

The Many Benefits of Mud Play

"We can't blame children for occupying themselves with Facebook rather than playing in the mud. Our society doesn't put a priority on connecting with nature. In fact too often we tell them it's dirty and dangerous."     

David Suzuki

 

Mud play is an incredibly rich learning activity that many children enjoy. Although it can make some educators and families squeamish due to the potential mess, playing with dirt and mud offer so many learning benefits for children. Spending time outdoors exploring many natural elements helps children recognize that there is no such thing as bad surroundings or weather. There is beauty and wonder to be found in every aspect of nature. Sometimes in early childhood education we need to help our families and school community understand the authentic learning that can happen when children play with sensory materials like water and mud outdoors. Demonstrating the meaningful math and literacy connections that emerge in this type of play can build support for outdoor exploration and learning. Sharing this through regular communication including documentation can be incredibly helpful in cultivating positive partnerships and support for messy play outdoors.

There are many benefits for children playing in the mud: 

1. Playing with natural materials like mud and water help children build a relationship with nature. Fresh air and exploration of natural elements encourage creativity and exploration. Children are often drawn to messy sensory materials and enjoy the freedom that mud play provides. As children spend time in nature they will appreciate its beauty and wonder, hopefully encouraging them to grow into eco-warriors who will work to sustain and protect the natural environment. 

2. Mud play encourages problem-solving and innovation. When children work together to create mud cakes and other delicacies in the outdoor kitchen they use their imagination to transform the materials into dramatic play props. It's amazing to watch children as they explain their recipes, adding bits of dirt and weeds to a pot and stirring an imaginary stew or soup. Flower petals and grass become the decorations for a fancy cake.

3. Children explore many math concepts authentically through mud play. As children scoop and pour water and dirt using a variety of tools (e.g., spoons, cups, bowls, muffin tins) they quantify their work. They use math language to describe what they are doing (e.g., The cup is heavy with mud. My bowl is half full.). Educators who play alongside children can 'think aloud' and help mathematize what they see happening and advance the play. 

4. Mud play bolsters children's oral communication. As children work together in their play they describe their actions to one another. They share their thinking as they engage in imaginative and dramatic play, expressing their thoughts orally. Children work together cooperatively in play situations and these incorporate subject specific vocabulary and directions. Children can also use rich language to describe what they see and feel (e.g., The mud is sticky/gooey/crumbly/caked.)

5. Playing with dirt and mud strengthens children's fine and gross motor skills. The consistency of mud can be a challenging medium for children to use. When it is thin and runny it is quick to scoop and pour. As it hardens and thickens it becomes heavy and awkward. Children use their hand and arm muscles to manipulate it in different ways. Thicker mud can be formed using the hands in a fashion similar to clay or play dough, working fine motor muscles.

6. Mud play appeals to sensory learners and can be a calming and enjoyable activity for many. Sunlight, fresh air and exploring the elements help children connect to their surroundings and encourage big body exploration that is not always available indoors. Many children may be discouraged from playing in the mud at home and the act of doing so at school may be freeing for them. It is also a familiar activity that can be soothing for children who are still adjusting to the school setting.

7. Research shows that playing in the dirt can strengthen children's health and immunity. Exposure to microorganisms in the earth can strengthen our immune response and help our bodies adapt more efficiently to our surroundings.

Looking for a book to read with children to support their work with mud? You might be interested in my new book Muddy Math: See, Think and Wonder available now through Amazon!