Ritual, Memory, and Mud

Each time we visit the forest we begin our stay by circling around the large beech tree near our "Singing Circle." We join hands and silently observe the tree starting with the upper branches and moving down to where the trunk meets the earth and the roots begin. After a quiet moment, children volunteer to say what they notice about the tree. They comment on how bare the branches are now that winter has arrived. They note the color of the fallen leaves and the texture of the bark. They wonder about the carved letters that dot the base of the tree. What do they say? How did they get there? We imagine how deep the roots must go under the ground and wonder if the roots of all the trees somehow touch each other. Is this how trees hold hands? These questions will percolate for a while, perhaps for a lifetime, as we get to know our forest hosts.

This simple ritual of forming a circle and noticing the changes in one individual tree will, hopefully, become one of the strongest memories for the children as they themselves grow and change. It is a ritual of quiet observation, a peaceful communion with the wonder that is life. If we get to know this one tree as a friend it may change the way we see all trees, just as getting to know one person as a friend can change the way we see all people.

Circling around the beech tree.

The burl on the side of this tree prompted some children to speculate that there must be a baby tree inside.

Testing the flexibility of a young tree and the strength of a young child.

Experiencing the shelter of tree branches.

The adventure of entering a new place.

Children in Amy's class became fascinated with making mud and began thinking about what they would need to make mud back in the classroom. On this visit they gathered the raw materials they thought they would need: dirt, leaves, sticks, and water. Discovering that the pump was not working prompted them to reason that water was available back at school.

Gathering leaves for making mud.

Gathering dirt for making mud.

Discovering ice in the pump trough.

Gathering sticks for making mud.

Making mud back at school.

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