GR. 9 'GLS'/'GLE' CONNECTIONS TO PART 403 WOODLAND

 

Park 403 Woodland is a natural community. It is made up of a myriad of ecological relationships (e.g., photo of Jack-in-the- Pulpit's habitat) - a communication system that is being impacted by local human community development. Students of Stephen Lewis S.S.'s grade 9 GLS/GLE programmes are attempting to recognize and understand the 'ecological issues' by developing their sense of ecological aesthetics. Hopefully solutions will be realized that could slow down local mono-cultural development. Is this even possible? The teachers and students believe that connecting through experience will provide them with an important sense of ecological community. Stay tuned. 

FALLINGBROOK STUDENTS RECEIVE RECOGNITION FOR THEIR WETLAND ART CONNECTIONS

Congrats 'R' on receiving such an amazing prize  - that community donated 'camera'. All of the Wetland committee members loved your water-colour and photos. Your theme 'Home of the Geese' - your connection to the Canada Goose family on the east buffer was special. Your comments "This is my first water-colour. (One of my subjects) I kept taking pictures...like 50 pics...In a few of (them) I saw the baby goose. I had no idea that I took a picture of the baby..." (R.L.) lends insight into your experience.

K.T. received a $40.00 gift certificate from Henry's Photo - donated by Tutored by Nature on behalf of the Creditview Wetland Committee. K.T.'s theme is "Family". It makes so much sense as do your words... "I really enjoyed going to the 'Bog'. I learned a lot of a new things...I mean, a lot. The Bog is very special to our community... (it) is very beautiful.. my class got to keep a log book...and we would sketch ...sometimes water-colour... we mulched trees and (I) made a water-colour of my Mandala (left). (The community doesn't) understand the importance (of this place)."

 

"... my entries for the contest...included 2 photographs and 1 water-colour painting. The title of my first picture is 'the Pollinator'. It has a bee in one of the flowers... My water-colour (left) painting is ... of 'my mandala'. "(A.I.) Thank you so much K.T. for sharing your connections to the Wetland from your excursions. The water-colour is amazing and your theme 'Exploration of Nature' is sooo appropriate. You certainly deserve the recognition for your work - enjoy the $40.00 gift certificate.

C.Y. was awarded a neat water-colour kit to encourage her to continue her creativity and aesthetic connections with Nature. 'C's' theme is "People of the Mire". "...because of what I learned about how plants...were sort of an intelligent being because of how they communicate...the mire part...that means bog/wetland too and it seemed regal (kind of like the actual place)...the sketch 'The Lady Butterfly-Leafed Tree' ...seemed like a feminine version of another tree... (it) had groups of leaves that were shaped like delicate butterfly wings ...grouped in 2's sometimes." (C.Y.)

S.R. was also awarded a water-colour kit. Her excursions were filled with wonder, awe and energy. She helped to organize the environment club, share input at the CWS committee meetings (planning of BogFest) and lead activities for young people at BogFest. WOW! Your theme for your art and photography entries 'Life in a Wetland' is so appropriate. The water-colour (left) - interestingly simple yet complex. Love the title 'Smudged World, small world' - imagery of her Mandala. Check out 'S.C.'s' photos in the slide show.

R.A-F. themed her 2 photos and water-colour sketches 'Snakessssss'. Wonder why? Her comments?  "I took these (my photos) at the bog at one of the class excursions... my little brother and I painted the water-colour at the (BogFest)...After further research, I found out that these snakes are actually 'Garter Snakes' and are quite common in North America. But they will always be special to me because this is the first time I saw a snake so close." Congrats 'R' - your Garter Snake's kin is the Rattle Snake.

Love yours and your brother's water-colour 'Abstract'! Have you used your new water-colour kit yet?

FALLINGBROOK'S WETLAND STEWARDSHIP CONTINUES

 That's right. Fallingbrook grade 7A and 7C were at it again. These amazing students followed Mr. Zirnis (their wise teacher) out to the Creditview Wetland to meet Tutored by Nature and - away we went. Students were out a total of 6 - 1 hour excursions - April through to beginning of June. We sauntered (payed close attention while in Nature) the east buffer, the north cultural meadow and north swamp ecosites. Their pencil and water-colour sketches, and photography reflects meaningful personal knowledge gained of the Creditview Wetland. If you're a parent, make sure you read their informative naturalist's log books. (e.g., S.C's amazing sense of the Wetland's beauty (left) - her mandala at the marsh eco-site). 

With the support and direction of the City of Mississauga Parks and Forestry (thanks John), the students ably mulched many of the trees already planted in the north meadow - to dissuade the bindweed from choking them out. Each student also set up and existed in his/her solo site - a Mandala - an ecosystem within the Wetland. They sensed and connected with some of the multiple relationships using all of their senses and then captured life and non-life here with their camera and water-colours. 

 

Many of these young'uns from Fallingbrook were leaders at this year's BogFest and helped to make it such a success. Thanks for getting your parents out - you guys and gals are very special! Check out their connections made in the slide show - soon to be created (right). 

STEPHEN LEWIS S.S. - ECOLOGICALLY, WELL SEASONED

Thanks to the cooperation, support, and guidance of Mississauga Parks and Foresty (esp. JC-G & JM), six classes of Stephen Lewis S.S. gr.9 sci/tech teachers and students continued their eco-stewardship of Park 403 Woodlands this past spring. Their first excursion with Tutored by Nature Inc started up March 25, just after the vernal equinox - the last excursion May 29, 2013 -  classroom debriefing mid June.

 

 Outside the woodland is self-explanatory. Unrelenting development once again compounds local watershed fragmentation and creates a myriad of local ecological issues. Photo on the left -worth a thousand words? Inside the woodland, the students sauntered, sketched, water-coloured, photographed, set up personal mandalas and logged connections to this local urban wilderness. Their experience - their aesthetic knowledge is shared within the language, water-colours and photos. A sense of change in the season captured their imaginations  - impact of the local community on this part of the watershed raised their compassion and concern.

 

Debriefing? Our progeny's solutions? Decrease soil compaction within the woodland, lessen the community air, water, soil and noise pollution and the littering; i.e., somehow remediate the problems caused by watershed fragmentation - local human behaviour. Actions recommended? Clean-up the litter, alert the local community to the beauty and importance of the biotic/abiotic relationships within the vernal pools and woodland, and totally support the City's decision to fence Park 403 before it disappears. Is there a sense of immediacy? Stay tuned next fall.

 

 

CONGRATS STEPHEN LEWIS GR 9'ERS

Steven Lewis S.S. gr. 9 prized 'saunterers' of Park 403 Woodland entered a contest to publish their 'sense of aesthetics' - display their connection to this amazing Urban Wilderness within their community. Each of the following received $50.00 gift certificates for DeSerres Art Store and Henry's  Photography - complements of Tutored by Nature Inc and Stephen Lewis S.S. administration.  

 

"Blossoming Spring 2 the MAX"... "The shape and colour of the flower intrigued me...a Hawthorne Tree was blossoming ...and it looked very beautiful. I thought about all the trees that must have been where the construction was happening and about how (it) took away a lot of the natural beauty. I focused on this particular branch ...it showed the raindrops well and the different colours of the flowers. (H.S.)

"Green Spring" "It's amazing to see the changes in the leaves in the (woodland). First it was filled with snow and now, everything is turned into a beautiful shade of green." (S.L.)

"Down Below" (J.C.)..."Usually when I see fungus, it reminds me of something ugly but now looking back on this photo, there's just something about it that seems beautiful. It just depends on how you look at it."

"Wilting Trillium" (S.L.)... "I water-coloured this Trillium because I liked how its colours (were) a nice change of pace from all the green in the (Woodland). I also thought that the shape of the leaves were interesting because while the flowers were wilting, the leaves were still bright and green."

 

 

 





The Who - What - Where When - Why ?

 

 BogFest 5... May 25th, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm - a community celebration of Mississauga's jewel, the Creditview Wetland and its eco-stewardship...checkout the CWS website http://creditviewwetland.org (or access from this blogspot - right)

                      

 

 

 

  

 

Stephen Lewis S.S. Gift Certificates

tbyn@rogers.com

TbyN's Eco-Stewardship Partners, Spring 2013

 

        

Stephen Lewis S.S. (gr.9 Science classes, March - May - Park 403/Sawmill Creek) and Fallingbroom M.S. (gr.7 Science classes, April - June) - Creditview Wetland- Carolyn Creek  will partner-up once again with Tutored by Nature. The students and teachers will participate in a series of excursions on/in local ecosystems (see images). The purpose of the excursions is to develop personal knowledge - Nature relationship, through eco-stewardship and eco-aesthetics. Do you recognize the two ecosystems? Very special places in Mississauga and on the Credit River Watershed. Is there an 'Urban Wilderness' near your school?



S.L.S.S. ...So Many Winners - Congrats to All

N.J.'s "50 Shades of Autumn"- a worthy recipient of the $50.00 gift certificate donated by Tutored by Nature Inc. for the water-colour entries. Lots of competition N.J. including another water-colour you submitted. Check out some of the others in the slide show. See! Sorry that you didn't get to feed those chick-a-dees! N.J.'s log book was full of wonderous thoughts, questions and images.

 Z.A.'s "Almost Maple Leaf" was one of three amazing photos submitted - all three were under consideration. Part of Z.A.'s story included that she thought that this looked a bit like the Maple Leaf and "This plant was eye-catching because of it's vibrant colours, and the way the colours blended in with each other made it look captivating." Congrats on receiving your $50.00 gift certificate Z. There were so many great photos - a credit to the gr.9's at S.L.S.S.

Last but not least - U.M. receives the pencil sketch award (also a $50.00 gift certificate) - a"Logbook Pencil Sketch" entry. Titles within are "Purple Flower", "Beautiful" and "Ugly". He submitted 3 pencil sketches that were all worthy - straight out of the logbook. Interesting comparison between your backyard environment and Park 403, U. Is the "Purple Flower" in this sketch, native or non-native? Check out a couple of the other pencil sketches in the slide show?

 

 

Fall 2012: Sense of Aesthetics - Stephen Lewis S.S.and Upper Sawmill Creek Sub-Watershed

Many Stephen Lewis S.S. gr.9 science students (35 students, 150 entries) have submitted amazing logbook entries/pencil sketches (b) water-colour sketches, and (c) photos to Tutored by Nature. The art work respresents some of their 'eco' experiences while participating in excursions to Park 403 forest and Sixteen Mile Creek corridor this fall.  You can view select images in the slide show - opposite this article. 

Which are your 'favs'? If you have been inspired, submit a comment or critique your choices? Click the image and you'll notice the student's intials and art title (not all are titled). Those students receiving a gift certificate will be named Sunday evening. Good luck to all.