Cloud-Gazing Ginkgo Walk

After a short spiel on haiku and becoming observers of seasonal changes, we took the students on a silent ginkgo walk around the school yard where they made observations and wrote poetry in their mindfulness journals.

Next, we did some preliminary experiments with marking bee habitat.

I am going to talk to the students about radial and bilateral symmetry and how scientists study which kinds of flowers attract different species of bees. It is thought that honey bees are generally attracted to flowers with radial symmetry.


I explained that feral bees sometimes nest in hollow trees, and that trees can provide propolis, pollen and nectar for bees.

I explained the rules for haiku, and that the rules are meant to be a guide and that they can be broken. The students drew stylized clouds and then wrote their poems following the lines of the clouds. Or they broke the rules and did their own thing.


Turns out that many of the students are gifted poets.


Spring is coming soon
The blossoms are gonna bloom
The branch died with honour