Mapping Through Our Own Perspective

By: Dreas Ratteray, Sixth Grade Science Teacher
Last month, the sixth grade visited Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. We used an inquiry-based approach before and after our adventure in order to process our individual and collective experiences. In preparation for the trip, students composed a “Creature Wishlist” — a list of 12 creatures they hoped to see during their hikes in the Big Sur River Valley. This activity allowed them to build multiple skills, including independent exploration, and phylogenetic organization, while building a discernment for search engine query results.
To begin, students had to determine which species live in the Big Sur region by sifting through an array of sources generated with a search engine. They discovered that different search queries return results of varying levels of specificity, and determined how to curate a search query in order to explore their individual curiosities. As a self-directed activity, students were able to dig deeper into the specific organisms which interested them, organizing them into four phylogenetic groups: plants, algae, vertebrate animals and invertebrate animals. One of the most commonly wished for creatures was the cougar (Puma concolor), which we unfortunately did not see during our trip —maybe next time! Browser usage and document formatting are foundational skills for activities they will complete this year, not only in science, but also in humanities, mathematics, writing lab, and media literacy. 
 
Upon return to Live Oak, students completed a mapping activity to reflect on their experiences. We reviewed the ABCDs of scientific drawing — we want our drawings to be Accurate, Big, Colorful, and Detailed. This was a growth edge for a lot of students who insisted that they were “bad artists” who did not have the necessary skills to draw successfully. The activity was helpful for these students to realize that in science we are less concerned with how good or bad a drawing is and more focused on how descriptive it is. In the center of their maps, students placed their tents, which functioned as their de facto homes during their stay in the Big Sur River Valley. This was a good opportunity for students who typically fixate on seeking the
objective truth as they were instead able to create a map which was oriented around their own
experience. What the Valley looked like on an official map was less important than what it
looked and felt like in their personal experience. Helping our students to see themselves in their
world remains a top priority for us at Live Oak School.
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