Gerome the Gnome and the Student Savers

This is such a fun cross curriculum unit I made it its own page!  This unit I created for my Environmental Education course.  This course taught not only how to include the outdoors in our lessons, but also how to include the mystery!  During the weekend camping part of our course we received notes from two forest gnomes guiding us on our progress.  

 

Gerome the Gnome and the Student Savers!

Note: at the school I work at although it is in the heart of a city surrounded by a high way, golf course, and subdivisions. On this property there are three outdoor classrooms built into wooded areas and a small forest located at the edge of the school’s property. Often deer are spotted on the property in the wooded area, forest, or even strolling across the open soccer field! It is true, humans have taken over their habitat however the subdivision surrounding the school is 50 years old, the adjacent golf course is 100 years old, and the newest housing development is 10 years old. So where are the deer coming from? How do they get onto the school’s property? And where do they go when they leave the school’s property?

 

This unit is designed in storyline format. The story features forest gnomes learning about the school's biodiversity. With this knowledge students (the gnomes) will be better equipped in future to “save” various living things, such as the school's deer.  

 

Outcomes for this unit focus on the Grade 3 teachings of plants, positive interactions, comprehension, and creativity. The outcomes are listed at the end of this unit. Please see Appendix A. This unit could be extended to or integrated with grade 4 teachings of habitats or 6 teachings of classification.

 

Note: This Unit is best done between Term 1, typically when lessons are taught outside, and Term 2, typically when lessons are done inside due to the time limitations of managing winter clothing (I call this snowsuit management!) Each lesson is designed for a half hour thus a lesson might need to be repeated or finished the following learning time.

 

Opening to All Lessons:

Teacher states one line, students repeat the line

Let us give thanks to this beautiful day

Let us give thanks for this life.

Let us give thanks for the water which life would not be possible.

Let us give thanks for the Grandmother Earth who protects and nourishes us.

-Lakota People (Purcell, 2022)

 

Lesson 1 - Greeting Gerome

Students might not know what a gnome is so it would be best to introduce gnomes to the students.  A story book could be read at the beginning of the unit and reintroduced throughout the unit.  Or a few pages or a section of Gnomes by Will Huygen could be read for this lesson and a few more pages at the beginning of each lesson.  

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Lesson 2 – Gaining Gnome Genomes

In this lesson the story for the storyline format begins.

 

Set-up:

1. When picking up the students in their classroom: Teacher will remove the gnome which she hid in the classroom for the past two weeks. She will listen for any reactions or questions. The answer will be Gerome the Gnome has been learning from you for the past two weeks. Let’s go outside to receive the mission he needs us to complete.

2. Prior to the lesson teacher will place a few gnomes (soft toys or pictures) in trees near the discussion point, hidden, but easily to spot once students know to look for them.

 

· Teacher holds Gerome the Gnome and says in a quiet, but excited voice while making eye contact with each student: Today we are going to be part of helping living things thrive! We will each get to pick a Nova Scotia living thing and YOU will get to help that living thing! Hmmm however there is one problem. [dramatic pause] We are too big! We will scare any wildlife that comes near.

· Teacher says in an extra quiet voice tapping her fingers on her mouth in a thinking gesture: What to do…What to do…I know! We will become gnomes!

· Teacher reaches into her bag and dramatically puts on her forest fairy cape and with a swooping arm gesture of the cape reaches back into her bag and pulls out gnome hats and magic shrinking gnome dust! (Boring humans call those items children’s cone shaped party hats and glitter).

· Teacher hands each student a gnome hat and sprinkles magic shrinking gnome dust on their hat. While wearing this hat you are a forest gnome with the name of… (student will get to choose a gnome name). Student places their hat on. When everyone has their hat and magic shrinking gnome dust on teacher explains we must now spin downward and snap our fingers three time. All do those actions.

· Teacher says in a quiet voice: It worked! It worked! Look at how tiny we are! Now that we are tiny I want you sit quietly and think about one living thing you can learn more about so you will be able to protect it. After a minute teacher takes responses from any student who might be ready. Teacher explains in future lesson we will begin to research our living thing and each make a book about that living thing so all living things can learn why the living thing is important to Nova Scotia’s biodiversity.

(Please see Appendix for research sheet)

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Lesson 3 – The Wood Wide Web

Outside remind students they are gnomes so they need to listen to the story thinking about the forest as a gnome would think about it.  Read and then discuss the book Be a Tree! by Maria Gianferrari. The book tells how trees and humans are alike. It ends with the message of being part of a forest is better than being a single tree.

 

Activity – As the book is read have students act out the actions in the book. After the book the teacher chooses one tree. The teacher places students in various spots around the tree. Students can lie down looking up at the tree, stand far away from the tree, stand near the tree, on a stump to gain a higher view of the tree, etc. Have students stare at the tree from their view point in silence for 30 seconds. Afterwards gather in a circle to discuss the tree from the various viewpoints.

 

Goal of this activity is to show working together to ensure success for all requires looking at things from a variety of viewpoints.

 

Lesson 4 – Together Trees Thrive (Note this lesson might be done in two lessons, thus part a and part b)

Outside remind students they are gnomes so they need to listen to the story thinking about the forest as a gnome would think about it. 

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Part A

Before reading the book remind students the interconnectedness of all living ecosystems on land, sky or sea is something

that all Indigenous peoples have known the world over.

 

Outside read and then discuss either of these books:

Walking Together by Elder Marshall.  This book is about biodiversity including humans and wildlife plants and animals.  The word together is repeated throughout the story as a reminder we must strive together to thrive.  

 

The Little Island by Smriti Prasadam-Halls. The book tells a tale of barnyard animals living harmoniously until the ducks decide to break away from the pack. The book makes the reader wonder if living independently or with several species is best for survival.

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While discussing the book prompt in lesson one we learned about the wood world web. Look at the plants nearest you. Discuss if the plants are thriving alone or what other species might be helping them thrive. Or are the plants helping any other species? Remind students the interconnectedness of all living ecosystems on land, sky or sea is something that all Indigenous peoples have known the world over.

 

Part B

Activity

State there is an old Japanese saying: “If you want to catch a fish, plant a tree”. (Ulnooweg Education Centre)

Ask students how could that be true?

Well let’s find out! Have four students stand in a row and tell them to be lush swaying leaf filled trees, have another four students stand in a row parallel to the tree row, tell them to be wavy water; they can hold one blue scarf together and wave it; have a third group parallel to the wavy water group; they are phytoplankton and can hold a paper chain. Have another student (the lumberjack) nearby with a long stick representing an ax.

 

· Teacher says: When leaves from trees fall down the leaves provide a source of fulvic acid into the soil which land or marine life uses to help thrive. So if we clear cut trees from a coastline or waterways, the source of fallen leaves is removed which means the fulvic acid in the soil is also removed.

· The lumberjack pretend to cut down the tree group.

· The tree group falls down and goes back to their seats.

· Teacher says: Now without the fulvic acid there is a negative effect on the marine food chain

· The wavy water group holds the scarf still and sits down on the ground.

· Teacher says: Since the marine food chain provides nutrients to the primary produces which are the beginning of the food chain, such phytoplankton the rest of the marine food chain is negatively effective.

· The phytoplankton group fade back to their seats.

· Have the audience (the rest of the students) pretend to be dead fish.

· All sit in silence for moment.

 

Author Note: I tell students although we are using difficult words that is ok. At his grade level you simply need to be aware of the concept and the details and language will come at a higher grade level.

 

Regroup and re-discuss again, “If you want to catch a fish, plant a tree.” Now think about the other living things on this property such as deer, raccoon, various birds, and various bugs. Are they thriving alone or relying on other species just like marine life rely on trees. Do the larger animals need the smaller animals or plants?

 

Extra: This discussion can end with a fun quick lesson on animal scat and how it helps other living things.

Together Trees Thrive lesson can be revisited in the spring to teach how bees rely on flowers for pollen so humans can enjoy honey!

 

Goal of this discussion is to begin to teach interconnectivity thus working together ensures success.

 

Extra: When inside, after this unit, teacher can pick out parts of the documentary, Call of the Forest. (Call of the Forest, 2018). It showcases Professor Matsunaga’s research on the interconnectedness of marine life and tree, starting at 27:00. You could start at 22:00 depending of student’s grade level and knowledge. There is an interesting piece at 28:41-33:00 or beyond on British Columbia forests, which it more appropriate for grade 6 or higher.

However, there is grade 3 plants and simple machines, grade 4 habitats, and grade 6 classification so depending on maturity of students it is important information with impactful images.

 

THE FOLLOWING LESSONS ARE DONE INDOORS

 

Lesson 5 – Research Living Thing (Note: This lesson will probably take at least two half hour periods plus needed time to create the book)

 

Students will choose a living thing.  Ask them what would a gnome like to research.  Students will use books on living things from the school library to research one living thing. They will fill out My Animal Report (See Appendix B) to help guide them to create a book on their living thing.  Note: non-fiction books are more streamlined than the internet for students’ at this age.  The internet can be used and might be necessary should a certain fact not be available in the book. Teacher will use knowledge and abilities of the students to best guide students on researching methods.

 

Lesson 6 – Creature Creation (Note: This lesson will probably take at least two half hour periods)

Students will create a simple face mask of their living as per the instructions in Appendix C.

 

Lesson 7 – Present Living Thing

Students will be invited into at least two other classrooms to present their books. Half the students can present to one class and the other half to the other class. Students will wear their face mask created in Creature Creation. Teacher will wear her Forest Fairy clock from the Gaining Gnome Genomes lesson. Teacher will give a brief introduction to the unit and then introduce the Springvale Savers!

 

 

APPENDIX A

Grade 3 Outcomes

 

Social Studies

Learners will implement strategies that promote positive interactions in the community.

 

Science

Learners will investigate plants in the environment.

 

Language Arts

Learners will demonstrate a variety of ways to comprehend and select from a range of culturally diverse texts.

Learners will select, interpret, and combine information in multicultural contexts.

Learners will convey meaning by creating print and digital texts collaboratively and independently using imagination, personal experiences, and feelings.

Learners will use writing and other forms of representation including, digital texts, to explore, clarify and reflect on their thoughts feeling and experiences and learnings.

Learners will create text including digital collaboratively and independently using a variety of forms for a range of audiences and purposes.

Learners will use a range of strategies to develop effective writing and media products to enhance their clarity, precision and effectiveness.

 

Visual Arts

Learners will create artworks that express feelings, ideas, and understandings.

 

APPENDIX B

MY ANIMAL REPORT

 

My Nova Scotia animal is:

 

Describe the climate this animal lives in.   

 

My animal is a(n) . invertebrate OR vertebrate

My animal is a(n) mammal OR reptile OR insect OR bird

My animal is warm-blooded OR cold-blooded.

My animal hatches from an egg OR born alive.

My animal’s body is mostly covered with:

 

My animal eats:

 

My animal eats these plants: 

 

Some predators that hunt my animal are:

 

Some prey that my animal hunts are:

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Please tell an interesting fact about your animal.

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Please draw or find a picture or your animal. 

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REFERENCES

Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v69ZwJGf38g. 2018

 

Purcell, L. Heartbeat of the Earth. P. 24. Ancestral Ties Press Salmon Arm, BC. 2022.

 

Ulnooweg Education Centre. Backyard Science Plant Edition Learning the L’Nu Way. https://ulnoowegeducation.ca/mp-files/plants p. 9. Digital Mi’kmaq Program of Ulnooweg. P. 2022