Immersing themselves in the nature around them, the children of LOT Holland Village were on a mission to get to know the trees growing around the vicinity of their preschool. During their garden visit, the children were mesmerised by the different types of trees that they found; they were particularly intrigued by the discovery that some trees even bear fruits and flowers. While strolling around, they also discovered some nuts, and their curiosity led them to try opening them by throwing them on the ground to break them.
They really enjoyed observing the trees from different perspectives, especially from the bottom - while lying down on a mat to gaze at the leaves and branches as they danced and swayed lightly in the breeze. They described what they saw to their friends and shared about their favourite tree, and why they liked it.
Oistin: "Trees make paper." "Light green leaves mean young and dark means old." Melody: "The trees make crazy (wavy) lines." Samuel: "I see a tree that has a fruit." Mirza: "I like the tree because it is large and tall." "I haven't seen a plum tree in Singapore, but I saw it in Hong Kong."
As part of their State Of The Art (SOTA) lesson, teachers incorporated a beautiful tree into their activity. The children were introduced to the ancient art of coin rubbing and used a coin to create intricate patterns on the paper, mimicking the bark on the trunk and texture of branches on the tree.
The children also started work on their tree sculpture! They discovered the Tembusu tree on our Singapore $5 note. They carefully observed the picture of the tree and noted its location. The Tembusu Heritage Tree, thriving for over 180 years at the Botanic Gardens, exemplifies the importance of preserving heritage trees. It represents Singapore's strength, resilience, and continued drive for progress.
The children even took a trip to the Singapore Botanic Gardens to enjoy the lush flora and fauna there, and to visit the Tembusu tree in person! It was huge, it was majestic, it was beautiful! They were even more inspired for their art showcase.
Thus, through their Tembusu tree sculpture, they hope to emphasise the significance of trees to our everyday lives. Trees are a source of oxygen for us, and provides us with important materials such as paper. They are also a precious habitat for animals and other plants. Therefore, we must take good care of the environment we live in, which includes trees. Unfortunately, trees are being cut down at an alarming rate every day. We must take immediate action by either planting new trees or, at the very least, refraining from cutting down existing ones.
The children eagerly brought a variety of recycled materials from their homes to contribute to this project. Among the items were old newspapers, cardboard boxes, and plastic containers. Additionally, they scoured the classroom for green materials, such as green-coloured paper, plastic bottles, and caps, which they thought would add a nice touch to their creation.
As they began building the tree from scratch, the sound of the newspaper crumpling was a source of delight for them as they savoured the satisfying crunch it produced. Pouring seeds, stones, and marbles was not just a means of building a foundation for the tree but a tactile experience that they relished. They carefully arranged each item, taking care to ensure that the base was strong and secure.
Jianian: "Oh! We start with the roots first!" Kara: "We can use dirt (soil) first in a container, then make the tree." "We can use the newspaper to make our tree fat."
No doubt the tree will be a towering and impressive sight to see in time to come. Jiayou children!
Check out what Bukit Batok has been up to for Creation C.A.R.E as well below!
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