Bloom at the Banda School
At The Banda School, Nairobi, Year 8 undertook a Bloom project to reconnect them with the natural world, and to use the Bloom principles as conceptual lenses through which to reflect on their own lives. As they will soon be leaving us for Secondary School, this was a very pertinent time to do so!
In the first session, Super Senses, students undertook a range of activities to reconnect them to their senses and the natural world. Especially popular was the ‘sight sense’ session, where students engaged with nature’s natural patterns and symmetry- exploring spiral, radial and bilateral symmetry in natural ‘bodies’ from plants to the galaxy. This session acted as an introductory launch pad for the next, where they seek to identify all Bloom’s principles in the natural world.
The second session imbues students with a deeper understanding of how the principles function in the natural world. This was done through a fun and engaging ‘Eco-Nature Hunt’. Students are given a range of clues such as ‘find something small which will sprout into something new’, and asked to draw detailed images of what they find to encourage deep connection, before relating each question back to a Bloom principle. In this way, they experience the natural phenomena before trying to articulate it. With success criteria such as ‘independent engagement’, ‘variety of answers’ and ‘detail of drawings’, students were encouraged to be reflective and explorative when completing the task. We were impressed to see absorbed, thoughtful and curious students ranging around the school grounds!
Our last session brought all the principles together, and allowed students to enact them experientially, whilst relating them to their personal lives. In ‘Creative Creatures’, students are encouraged to select their favourite ‘natural body’ from their nature hunt, and given time to draw it in detail. They then sourced raw materials from the school grounds and created mosaics which symbolised their image. Whilst reflecting, students were able to articulate that the skills of precision, focused attention, and working quietly were great practice for the rest of their lives- in conversation, whilst playing sport, or cooking. When reflecting on the principles imbued in their finished product, many chose diversity, geometry and interdependence as key principles being embodied in their mosaic. As transient creations, they will disappear back into nature’s cycles, too. This was a wonderful series of sessions which allowed students an opportunity to connect and reflect at the end of their school career at the Banda. Thanks so much for sharing the experience with us!