Author Archives: admin

#1177 Inquiry Video Anniversary (and Subscriber Goal!)

Posted on by

Shortly after COVID shut down live schooling a year ago, I created a video to support students learning from home…

Almost a year later, 70 inquiry videos support young students learning from home, public schools and forest schools. The videos support math, language, science through questions and curiosity – usually with an outdoor focus.

Since April 2020, the videos have boomed a little boom. At time of writing videos have attracted 981 subscribers. My goal is to exceed 1000 subscribers by the video anniversary – April 25, 2021.

Want to support young learners?

Subscribe!
… And click the notification bell to receive news of the latest videos:

The most viewed video:

One of my favourites:

Another favourite:

A recent video:

The first one in the style adopted:

Subscribe!
… And click the notification bell to receive news of the latest videos:

#1176 Estimating & Measuring Distance – Skating Trail.

Posted on by

I like being outside and active.
So I was recently skating on a beaver pond and got wondering how far I had traveled. I could count the number of laps but am trying to figure out how to estimate or measure how long one loop is…

I’m hoping you can help!
Watch the video, below. Ask your friends, family and teachers as you brainstorm different ways you can estimate or measure distances.

#1175 Inquiry: Barbed Wire Tree?!

Posted on by

I’ve heard of apple trees, maple trees and pine trees but recently I discovered a barbed wire tree! There is barbed wire growing out of this tree? Is that possible?

Barbed Wire Tree.

I want you to help investigate!
Watch this video:

Below the video, in the description when watched on YouTube, are questions, clues and links to help you find some answers about the barbed wire tree.

Barbed Wire Tree.

Write a story with words or pictures to explain how the barbed wire tree came to be!

Barbed Wire Tree.

Like this challenge?
See all the inquiry videos with math, language and science challenges.
Subscribe and click the bell to get notifications!

#1174 Mystery Car Challenge

Posted on by

Recently, I discovered a car in the middle of Gatineau Park! The closest road was about a kilometre away.

Read further for photos, a video and a creative writing assignment…

Abandoned car - Gatineau Park
Old car in the middle of Gatineau Park… How did it get here?!

It got me wondering about the history of the micro area I was travelling through. My head filled with questions!:
“How long has the car been there?”
“Why is the car in the middle of a forest?”
“Where are the people who owned the car?”
“Why did the people leave the car here?”
“How did people get the car here?

Where are the missing pieces of the car?!

The car is in the middle of Gatineau Park, a huge place (361 square kilometres or 139 square miles) just north of Ottawa and Gatineau in Canada. What happened to the missing parts of the car?

Watch to a video about the mystery of the car:

Your assignment – Use your imagination:
• Write a story with words or pictures about the mystery car. Explain what it is and how it got there…
• Create some artwork inspired by the mystery object.
• Tell your partner a story about the mystery object

#1173 Kindergarten and Primary Inquiry Videos – Gravity, Mystery Hole and Frozen Ponds

Posted on by

What keeps the water in the upside down bucket?!
What lives in the hole in the ground??
Why is the pond water hard?

This month’s videos challenge young learners to think, question and develop strategies to find the answers.

Watch the inquiry videos. They have easy connections to Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum!

See the notes (underneath the YouTube video in the description) for learning extensions and links to more information.

How does the water stay in the bucket… even when it’s upside down?!

Who or what lives in the hole in the ground?!

What happened to the water?

See all the videos.

We’re always looking for ideas to support Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 learning with links to the Ontario curriculum and appropriate for homeschoolers and Forest School fans!

Subscribe and share!

#1172 Inquiry Videos for Kinder and Elementary Students, Homeschoolers and Forest School

Posted on by

What keeps my milk in the cup?
Why are lemons and bubbles circular or spherical?
Building bird nests and human homes…

This month’s videos challenge young learners to think, question and develop strategies to find the answers.

Watch the inquiry videos. They have easy connections to Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum!

See the notes (underneath the YouTube video in the description) for learning extensions and links to more information.

What keeps my milk in the cup? What happens to a cup of milk in outer space?

Why are lemons (and so many other things in nature) spherical?!

Building bird nests and human homes… What would you use to build a home?

See all the videos.

We’re always looking for ideas to support Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 learning with links to the Ontario curriculum and appropriate for homeschoolers and Forest School fans!

Subscribe and share!

#1171 Counting Pickles, Estimating Tree Age and Cicadas

Posted on by

How many pickles are in the jar?
How old is this tree?
Investigate the lifecycle of the cicada!

This month’s videos challenge young learners to think, question and develop strategies to find the answers.

Watch the inquiry videos. They have easy connections to Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum!

See the notes (underneath the YouTube video in the description) for learning extensions and links to more information.

How many pickles are in the jar?! What is your strategy for guessing?

How old is this tree? How can you find out?

Explore the life of a cicada and create your own story!

See all the videos.

We’re always looking for ideas to support Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 learning with links to the Ontario curriculum and appropriate for homeschoolers and Forest School fans!

Subscribe and share!

#1170 Butterfly or Moth? Where Did the Water Go? And Thank-You!!

Posted on by

Can you tell the difference between moths and butterflies?
Can you figure out where the pond water went?
Or why “thank-you” is so contagious?

This month’s videos challenge young learners to think, question and develop strategies to find the answers.

Watch the inquiry videos. They have easy connections to Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum!

See the notes (underneath the YouTube video in the description) for learning extensions and links to more information.

Butterfly or moth? Do you know the difference? And what do you know about symmetry?! Check out this inquiry video:

What about the water in this pond? Where did it go? Can you figure it out?!

What happens when you say “thank-you?” Explore kindness with this video:

See all the videos.

We’re always looking for ideas to support Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 learning with links to the Ontario curriculum and appropriate for homeschoolers and Forest School fans!

Subscribe and share!

#1169 Pigs, Patterns, Sticks & Stones: Inquiry Videos for Kindergarten and Primary Students!

Posted on by

What do you know about pigs?
Find a way out of the fern forest using patterns!
What’s the difference between sticks and stones?!

This month’s videos challenge young learners to think, question and develop strategies to find answers.

Watch the videos. 
See the notes (underneath the YouTube video in the description) for learning extensions and links to more information.

PIGS!
Kindergaretn & primary grade inquiry into the the life of pigs on the farm!


Patterns
Where do you see patterns? Help Mr. Harry describe them and see if he can get out of the fern forest!


Sticks & Stones!
How are they different?
Which one floats?
Which one sinks?
WHY!?

See all the videos including:
• Baby chicks
• Gus the bull calf
• Wasps and nests

We’re always looking for ideas to support Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 learning with links to the Ontario curriculum and appropriate for homeschoolers and Forest School fans!

Subscribe and share!

#1168 Wiggly Worms, Decomposing, and BUGS!

Posted on by

What lives underground and wriggles?
Which decomposes faster: an apple core or a wrapper?
Black flies, mosquitoes and dragon flies: whose team do you want to be on?!

This month’s videos challenge young learners to think, question and develop strategies to find answers.

Watch the videos. 
See the notes underneath for learning extensions.

Wiggly worms!
Kindergaretn & Grade 1 inquiry into the the life of worms, soil and dirt!

Decomposing!
Which decomposes faster? Apple cores or wrappers?
Inquiry into natural vs plastic waste!

Bugs!!!
Who do you want on your team?
Black flies?
Mosquitoes?
Dragon flies?
… Pick very carefully!

See all the videos including:
• Mystery forest object
• Being happy
• Heart and breathing

We’re always looking for ideas to support Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 learning with links to the Ontario curriculum and appropriate for homeschoolers and Forest School fans!

Subscribe and share!