Get to know the garden through photos.
The outdoor space is a mix of native plants, play space, herb and vegetable garden, gathering space, art gallery and more. We started with second hand cable reels as tables, container plants and compost before children placed their mark.
Garden Design
A wispy palm basks in the sunshine. Plants are another member of the school community at bia obi. We learn geometry, shapes, history, science and much more from plants through relationship. We watch and listen to how they grow and change as an opportunity to strengthen empathy, observational awareness, critical consciousness of the climate catastrophe and realistic steps that young children can take to reduce human-caused harm.
Plant life and Land Based Pedagogy
Everyday activities
Children create plant paintbrushes or examine tree life as opportunities to observe life in color and wonder about how plants feel about change. Singular activities can become longer inquiries that strengthen analysis and discernment skills, refine motor coordination, and build number sense.
This first picture of the koru (loop or coil in Māori) informs our pedagogy and curriculum. We draw on Maori perspectives from Aotearoa/New Zealand in an early learning curriculum where children are competent and capable learners. The koru is pictured with a local New Orleans fern to show the plant connections.
