•Every Wednesday after recess, classes are invited to go on a nature walk, focusing on connections, questions, and making inferences based on what students observed

•Following the nature walk, students brainstormed questions and engaged in the thinking routine “Explode an Image” to build content vocabulary connected to shared experience

 

•Shared experience provided an opportunity for students to engage with the land, noticing and learning new vocabulary, which made learning more engaging, connected, and meaningful

•Brainstorming questions following the experience helped students consolidate their thinking and frame their ideas as questions

•Weaving a thinking routine provided a springboard for writing and deepening comprehension through building vocabulary in context