Summer Solstice Celebrations

Today we had an opportunity to host the Summer Solstice celebration at the Orchard Garden. Even though it was cloudy, it did not rain! We arrived at 8:30am to set up the food and stations for the event. As soon as we put up the tent, we started off with setting up the food. We had a wonderful team of people preparing a lot of delicious food for the event: Tathali made two bowel of tasty guacamole; Mathew helped with making the yummy cookies and gluten-free brownies; Chantelle did a great job in making the potato salad. The vegetables of the garden salad were harvested from the Roots on the Roof garden yesterday. Therefore, the vegetables were very fresh. Last but not least, we had a lot of organic bread donated by the bakery - A Bread Affair. Since the store donated so much bread to the Orchard Garden, many of the guests brought at least a loaf of bread home. 

Besides setting up the food, we also had several stations to set up. These stations included potato stamp making, flower pounding, rope making, bucket chair making, lima bean necklace and storytelling. Soon after the set up, our guests began to arrive. The first ones to arrive were our faculty advisors, followed by our practicum coordinator, faculty members, UBC students as well as the Dean of Land and Food Systems, Dr. Rickey Yada. Late in the morning, children from Acadia Daycare Center and Hummingbird Child Care Center also arrived. They rotated around to different stations. Most of the children had a chance to harvest carrots from the ground, and once they harvested and cleaned the carrots, all of them ate their carrots! Some were very interested in carving the potato with a toothpick for potato stamp, and other children were very fascinated about transferring the plant dyes onto a piece of paper by pounding the plant with a mallet.

Making Lima Bean Necklace

Storytelling

Flowering Pounding

One of the highlights of the day was the Ghanaian dance led by Kofi. After lunch, the children and a group of adults went to the back of the garden to learn about the Ghanaian harvest dance. The children were very fascinated about some of the dance movements especially the parts where the dance imitated the harvesting of food. After the dance, several children still kept on dancing while waiting for their teachers to pack up! Overall, the event was a success, and it would not have been possible without the support of the Orchard Garden team!

Summer Solstice Celebrations!

You are warmly welcomed to our Summer Solstice Celebration tomorrow (Thursday June 28), from 10AM - 2 PM at the UBC Orchard Garden. It's going to be lovely! CFE students are organizing a great day:

Our sister learning garden, Roots on the Roof, is also holding a Summer Solstice Celebration the following day (Friday June 29) on the 4th floor roof garden at the new Nest student society building. Why not come to both exciting garden celebrations of the beautiful summer days?

Roots on the Roof: 

Sunflower?... More like SUMMER SOLSTICE!!! Have some fun with us with some music activities and celebrate some SUMMER 🌻🌻🌻 This Friday June 29 5:30-8:00pm !!! Also come harvest with us tmr 9:30-11:30 and grab some fresh vegezz at our weekly marketstand from 12-2pm by the honor roll entrance 🍆🐙🐞 #summersolstice #fresh#volunteer #marketstandmondays

CFE Day 10: Tomekichi Homma Elementary School -Megan Zeni

The 10th day of the Orchard Garden CFE took place at Tomekichi Homma Elementary School in south Richmond. It was here that students and members of the Orchard Garden community met with Megan Zeni, an outdoor classroom (not to be confused with outdoor education) educator who has seamlessly adapted BC’s new curriculum in a way that fosters growth via an emergent, place-based and skills-based curriculum. So what does that mean in English? Megan’s classroom in entirely outdoors and takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that nature provides. This can, of course, include learning through the garden, but the curriculum also takes advantage of emergent ideas and opportunities presented through place. As an example, students learned about science, geography, water, plants and animals through “Ditch Jumping” and exploring the wonders of Richmond’s ubiquitous drainage ditches. In a sense, Megan’s program is transformative and empowering, educational, experiential, and of course lots of fun.

Megan prefaced our tour and observation of her classes by highlighting the importance of process over product. Although the gardens appeared to be growing marvelously, she mentioned how planning with learning in mind requires that things like late planting for a September harvest (instead of during the summer when students are on break) take precedence over maximization of the growing season. As many a teacher has probably found out, classroom gardens require an awareness of the continuity, change, and maintenance required of tending to growing, living things. Similarly related to planning ahead, Megan advised that developing a similar curriculum in our schools would require commitment to the idea that things won’t always turn out the way that you had planned, and that teaching is as much about sales as it is about pedagogy. All teachers should be able to justify their methods and practice as there will inevitably be those who doubt your motivation or the eventual educational outcomes of your program. Speaking from experience, I can definitely relate to the idea that you need to be able to justify and defend not only what your students learn, but how they are learning it.

Although Megan’s work connecting students, the curriculum, and nature through the garden was truly inspiring, I was most impressed by her approach and support for risky play. Anyone who has read the literature (or observed the ever-changing shift towards safer playgrounds) will know what I’m talking about. In the rush to prevent children from hurting themselves, studies are showing that policy makers have hindered much of the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children. On any given weekday in Megan’s garden you’ll find children playing among, in, and around a stack of old tires, boards, mud, and sticks. The learning opportunities from play in the real-world with others are immediately evident when you stop to observe how children engage with each other in these kinds of environments. As Megan amusingly put it, “being hit with a 2”x4” builds empathy”, something not easily developed in the classroom and, dare I say, something we appear to need more of as we continue into the 21st century.

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to get to see not only Megan’s classroom, but the wide-range of gardens and learning environments the CFE has exposed me to over these past 2 weeks. Through these experiences and the theory they’ve been accompanied with I am slowly but surely beginning to develop a sense of how I can best incorporate nature into my classroom. While many of my ideas about what I’d like to implement are contingent on administrative support, funding, and the needs of the school community, I’m developing a sense of the small but meaningful changes available to me that can spark growth into the much more ambitious projects (perhaps like Megan’s) I would eventually like to see. In the same way that a plant begins with a tiny seed, through small, meaningful, and thought-provoking lessons a truly inspiring and transformative learning environment can be developed.




For those interested in learning more about Megan Zeni’s work (or if you’d like to hire her as a consultant) go here:

National Indigenous Peoples Day-Trout Lake

I arrived at the celebration for National Indigenous Peoples Day at Trout Lake Park with an empty stomach. My goal was to try some Gourmet Bannock from one of the many food trucks that were on site. To my dismay, the lineup for this traditional delicacy was enormous! It took about 25 minutes for me to finally reach the front, but I think the wait was worth it. With my belly (somewhat) full, I set out to enjoy the festivities. There was a stage set-up for live music and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. I also took some time to peruse the many booths that were selling their wares. It was great to see a blend of both traditional and contemporary items like paintings, jewelry, clothing and medicine.

Despite the reminders that we live, work, and play on unceded Coast Salish Territory (Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh in Vancouver) I am guilty of not always recognizing the many cultures and ways of life that are celebrated in the city of Vancouver, and more broadly, Canada. I think this ignorance is representative of the need for cultural events such as this to be recognized and celebrated in the community. It was great to see First Nations and Settler peoples alike celebrating together in harmony. With this being said, however, I couldn’t help but notice that the VPD and Canadian Forces were recruiting at the event. I found it a bit odd to see these booths at such an event, especially given the sensitive and troubled relationship each has had with Indigenous populations nationwide. While the event was overwhelmingly positive, a small but vocal protest toward the two was a powerful reminder that there is still much work to be done when considering reconciliation and restitution of historical injustices. 

 
Overall, the event was very educational and I feel like I learned a lot. I think it will be important to take advantage of these celebrations (potential field trip opportunities?) and to encourage students to be hopeful and to celebrate when looking to the future, while at the same time being mindful of the past.

National Indigenous Day at Trout Lake

Today was the first time I attended the events at Trout Lake celebrating National Indigenous Day. Being able to experience and participate in celebrating the diversity of Indigenous peoples across Canada was memorable. From the moment this day began at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre to the afternoon festivities held at Trout Lake, there was a strong sense of community, joy, and friendship amongst all peoples. 

Upon arriving at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, we were greeted and welcomed to partake in the breakfast being served. After receiving our food, we watched the opening ceremony wherein individuals from First Nations groups shared traditional dances--each holding significant meaning(s) and stories of Indigenous peoples. The movements displayed represented sacred and valued knowledge of Indigenous peoples, including ways of knowing and being. Witnessing the gathering of individuals from First Nations groups in song and dance was powerful, as it brought to light the unity among all First Nations people. 

Following the opening ceremony, we participated in the Friendship Walk. It was a privilege to be a part of and witness this significant event of the day. There was pride and joy felt from those around me, as people held signs displaying the nation they were from. Throughout the Friendship Walk, singing, the sound of drums, and music filled the air, attracting the attention of people passing and driving by. Being surrounded by the rich sound of music enhanced the strong sense of community and joy this day embodied. 

People proudly holding signs displaying the nation they are from 

When we reached Trout Lake, we explored the area and visited the booths. Many of the booths were selling either beautiful and intricate First Nations jewellery or lovely pieces of Indigenous art. Some festivities and activities that took place at Trout Lake included powwow dances, performances by various artists, and canoeing. 

In the afternoon, individuals from First Nations groups performed powwow dances. It was my first time being a part of this event and seeing powwow regalia up close. How beautiful the pieces of regalia were and ways in which they were decorated! Through watching the powwow dances, I found it particularly interesting and special how each piece of music was danced differently by each individual--showcasing distinct footwork. Additionally, seeing the joy and pride in their faces while dancing revealed the importance the movements held. As part of the powwow, there was a potato dance, which involved a man and a woman dancing to music while holding a potato between their heads. This was fun to watch as each duo danced to the music while trying not to drop the potato! It was an exciting time for all as we cheered on each duo!

Powwow dance being performed

Today was a joyous day and highlighted the unity among individuals from First Nations groups. From beginning to end, there was a strong sense of community. Everywhere we went, people welcomed and greeted each other, whether it was through a simple greeting or a hug. The sharing of song and dance revealed Indigenous ways of knowing and being, that has been passed down from generation to generation. It was a privilege being able to experience this momentous day, where Indigenous knowledge was made known through actions and words--whether it was through song and dance, words spoken, or conversations had with people around me.

National Indigenous Day 2018 - Trout Lake

June 21^st is National Indigenous Day and we went to Aboriginal Friendship Center to celebrate and explore the culture of Indigenous peoples. The morning featured traditional dances from the Squamish Nation and Nisga Nation and it was my first time watching the First Nations traditional dances in real life. During my practicum, I was teaching a unit on Indigenous peoples in BC so I learned about the button blankets, thunderbird masks and rattles First Nations used during a dance. Now I finally was able to see these items in real life. The button blankets the dancers wore looked so beautiful with various designs and patterns on them. When the dancers shook the feathers down the floor, I instantly was able to connect this move with the book that I have read to the students in my practicum class, Peace Dancer. Shaking the feathers is a way the dancer blesses the audience. Knowing the story behind the dance, I was able to enjoy the dance even more.

After the dances were finished, we gathered beside the Friendship Center for the Friendship Walk to Trout Lake along Commercial Drive. There were many people participating in the walk. During the walk, the Indigenous people were singing and playing with the drums. The walk was successful in raising the awareness and sharing of the Indigenous culture. Some pedestrians were asking what the walk was for and joined the walk after hearing that the walk was for celebrating National Indigenous Day.

Trout Lake hosted vendors selling various types of items including indigenous artwork, jewelry and decorations. One food truck was providing free bannock with chili, which was delicious. I was surprised that bannocks actually come in different flavours not just with jam and butter. For one of the booths, I have signed the petition about making National Indigenous Day as a statutory holiday in Canada. I feel that a major step towards reconciliation is for the government to recognize the contributions of Indigenous people. I have also learned that the four sacred medicines of First Nations from one of the booths. Overall, I am glad that I had a chance to come and celebrate the National Indigenous Day with the rest of the crowd. It was truly eye opening and I have learned a lot from this event.