Rainfall
The sound of falling rain. As a tired passenger on a long car ride, this sound has always been associated with comfort for me. Working with five-year-olds in kindergarten has opened me up to a new meaning of rain: mild chaos. Light rain means wet uniforms from sliding at recess, and heavy rain means indoor recess. Undoubtedly, the sound of rain brings a certain level of lethargic uneasy, creating a break in routine. I wonder, if this were a kindergarten class in somewhere much more prone to rain, would the reaction would be milder? If rain was the norm, would we go outside regardless, rain or shine?
This video was shown to my kindergarten class last year. My mentor teacher at the time had us all close our eyes (with the classroom lights off), and encouraged us to feel the rain. We all closed our eyes, and really felt it. Thinking back to then, I felt cozy and chilled simultaneously. Since "rain on a car rooftop" is a sleep noise I listen to religiously, listening to this during our Morning Meeting made me both calm and relaxed. The quiet calm could not quite render the scent that comes with rain, but I do recall smelling the crispness of our classroom (windows open, breeze blowing).
In terms of perception, I understand it as one's grasp on a situation. To be more precise--perception is how we experience our reality.
At first, I thought this video clip was merely a relaxing recording of rain falling. The authentic nature of this choir-created storm was convincing, especially to one whose eyes are closed. In regards to my re-imagination, seeing how these people truly created a storm made me wonder about the human capabilities to mimic nature. Through using only their bodies, each member of this chorus created a stormy experience...without anyone having to actually step foot in the rain. After watching this video, we tried to make rain in our classroom, copying their hand movements and timing.
This awareness of human-made, nature-inspired beauty is an excellent base for my studies of early childhood education and the importance of that schooling being infused with nature. It makes me wonder what other natural phenomenon could be experienced outdoors, then brought indoors and experienced in a new way. The first example that comes to mind is Aurora Borealis. What happens when nature is not only experienced outdoors, but also in the classroom?
This video was shown to my kindergarten class last year. My mentor teacher at the time had us all close our eyes (with the classroom lights off), and encouraged us to feel the rain. We all closed our eyes, and really felt it. Thinking back to then, I felt cozy and chilled simultaneously. Since "rain on a car rooftop" is a sleep noise I listen to religiously, listening to this during our Morning Meeting made me both calm and relaxed. The quiet calm could not quite render the scent that comes with rain, but I do recall smelling the crispness of our classroom (windows open, breeze blowing).
In terms of perception, I understand it as one's grasp on a situation. To be more precise--perception is how we experience our reality.
At first, I thought this video clip was merely a relaxing recording of rain falling. The authentic nature of this choir-created storm was convincing, especially to one whose eyes are closed. In regards to my re-imagination, seeing how these people truly created a storm made me wonder about the human capabilities to mimic nature. Through using only their bodies, each member of this chorus created a stormy experience...without anyone having to actually step foot in the rain. After watching this video, we tried to make rain in our classroom, copying their hand movements and timing.
This awareness of human-made, nature-inspired beauty is an excellent base for my studies of early childhood education and the importance of that schooling being infused with nature. It makes me wonder what other natural phenomenon could be experienced outdoors, then brought indoors and experienced in a new way. The first example that comes to mind is Aurora Borealis. What happens when nature is not only experienced outdoors, but also in the classroom?