For this journal entry, I decided to spend some time outside while we got a big snow dump on Sunday afternoon. Fresh snow is always so beautiful and relaxing when it is coming down. I looked at how the branches on the trees sunk down as the weight of the snow slowly became too much for them to handle, eventually letting the snow fall to the ground. I chose to use the trees as my first movement exploration dance, as trees go through so many changes throughout their life span. I started as a small tree slowly growing taller, then going through the seasons. In the winter the tree would lose it’s leaves and become sad, then through spring it would blow in the wind as the leaves slowly start to grow back and becoming happy in the warmth of the summer sun. My second movement exploration dance was a bird. I moved with my arms spread out representing the wings and being able to fly wherever they please. I chose a bird because I always thought it would be awesome to be able to have the freedom to fly to wherever I felt for the day without any obligations. Third, I did a movement exploration dance of a flower, although I did not see a flower while spending time in nature yesterday, a flower shows the beauty of nature. I started the dance as a seed and slowly grew into a flower, swaying in the breeze and had my hands spread out around my face to represent the petals. The petals slowly closing in as the cold weather brings its current life to an end, but as the weather warms up again in the spring, the flower blossoms once again.
This would be a great activity to implement into the classroom. It could be used when the class is learning about the season and they could all choose a plant to represent going through the changes of seasons. Another way this could be used in the classroom is when learning about photosynthesis. The students could make movements showing the stages of photosynthesis, this would likely be easiest as a group activity to really understand. Having these eco-art forms present in the classroom allows for the Indigenous ways of learning to be present. The students are learning from nature and truly becoming one through their experiences from activities such as these movement responses. Learning is an aspect that should not just take place within the four walls of the classroom but use the outside world as well.