By Randi Chapman and Erin Blair, Curriculum and Academics
Video calls with your teachers and virtual homework assignments may have come to an end for this school year, but that doesn’t mean it’s time for the learning to stop! There are plenty of ways to spark curiosity and inspire creativity, both in your house and around your neighbourhood. This summer, let’s closely explore our surroundings and discover what’s new, right in front of our eyes.
Go for a nature walk
If you’re looking to explore the biodiversity in your neighbourhood and engage all five senses, it’s time to go on a nature walk! Whether you live near the woods or a city park, there are plenty of opportunities to study flowers, trees, and insect varieties. Once you’ve found your perfect spot, create a biocube to study the biodiversity of the habitat.
As a comparison, study different areas, such as your backyard or the space around water sources. Listen for different bird and insect calls. Take a deep breath—what do you smell? Run your fingertips along various leaves, mosses, and grasses, and note the differences. Check out these nature walk activities you can do all year long!
Study the music of Earth
What do the sounds around you say about your tiny piece of Earth? You might be surprised! Take a 15-minute break and walk around your neighbourhood or simply listen in a particular room of your house. Seriously, do nothing but concentrate and listen. What can the sounds tell you? Do you hear nature or industry? Do you hear people? Is this music or just noise? Do you hear the music of your neighbourhood? Keep a record of what you hear and when. Do you notice any patterns?
Choose one or two sounds from your list and conduct some research about what you’re hearing. You can learn more about the species of birds, businesses, or your neighbours. This resource provides a number of tips and samples of bird songs so you can hone your skills!
Learn how to cook
Knowing how to cook is a great life skill to have, and this summer you can try your hand at learning this new skill. Ask an adult if you can help them make dinner one night, or help choose what’s for dinner by looking through a cookbook or by finding a new recipe online.
Cooking involves many skills, and an important one to know is how to handle a knife properly. Check out this basic knife skills video and, with supervision or permission, practice your chopping. There are lots of tutorial videos on YouTube that show how to make the basic cuts and more. Enjoy learning how to cook!
Paint a portrait
What makes a portrait? Portraits and photographs (yes, even selfies) can be used to send messages, convey feelings, share experiences, or gain power. How does a portrait illustrate the personality or interests of the person being painted? Start by checking out some portraits online.
After you’ve looked at some portraits, it’s time to be an artist! Ask a family member to sit for a portrait or use a photograph to help you. Pick whatever medium you want to use—paint, crayons, markers, watercolours, coloured pencils, or even chalk. Have fun testing out your artistic skills while thinking about the message your portrait is trying to convey.
Create a summer playlist
Music is powerful, and we all love rocking out to our favourite songs! Learn more about how music genres are interconnected with the Musicmap tool, and see how each genre has changed over time. Take some time to learn about a specific music genre and its sub-genres. See where some of the most iconic bands or your favourite artists fall on the music spectrum. Listen to a playlist or two to hear examples of different types of music. Use your new music knowledge to create a fun new playlist that is unique and share your favourite song with your friends! Rock on!
Hopefully, this summer gives you a chance to be curious about something that interests you or sparks your creativity. Imagine what you can share with your friends and teachers when school starts again! We’d love to see what dishes you cooked, the portrait you drew, or a photo from your nature walk. Feel free to share with us!