Skip to main content


YVR EXPLORER TOUR

FOUR-YEAR-OLD CLASS



Our four-year-old class recently took a wonderful trip to the airport for a YVR Explorer Tour.



It started with a skytrain ride to the airport. Once we arrived we walked to meet our tour-guide, Eliza, at The Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe. The Jade Canoe is a bronze cast art piece in the rotunda of the International Departures level. Eliza spoke to the children about the art piece and had them locate as many creatures and beings they could. The children were asked not to touch the art piece, and showed them how the jade green finish was being rubbed off by the many visitors touching it.


  


Eliza explained to the children that YVR's architecture was reflective of the province's diverse landscape and people. She encouraged them to look for art that was located throughout the airport, art that draws on the themes of land, sea and sky. As we took our short walk, Eliza pointed out the elements of nature the airport encompassed, wood, stone, water, trees, sky.... This included the beams leading up to the ceiling, and how they were shaped like trees.


 
                       



As we were walking we passed by an art piece of a pig (year of the pig) that was decorated in red flowers in honour of Chinese New Year. Eliza explained to the children that the screens throughout the airport displayed the times when planes were scheduled to arrive and depart. Children enjoyed sharing their experiences of flights they had taken themselves. Disneyland seemed to be a popular destination point!

                                      

The children had their snack in a beautiful atrium showcasing a totem pole, moon and sky. From there we went up a glass elevator to a look-out. There the children watched the suitcases being transferred to the planes, watched the planes reverse, get in position and... take-off!! We discussed the importance of the job the Traffic Controllers have. 

                                              

Before leaving the airport we had one last look at the atrium from the floor above. Eliza walked us to the train station and the children said a heartfelt good-bye to her. Each child then had the opportunity to push the buttons to collect their skytrain passes, and used them to open the gates to the train. 

    


On our return to Templeton Station to meet the parents, we passed by a construction sight, and went under a tunnel. Everything we saw seemed to provoke enthusiastic conversation. Once off the train we walked up the stairs to the top of the overpass, and watched an incoming train and a plane, and briefly discussed the different modes of transportation. We then walked downstairs to meet the parents. 


                                              
 

The conversation was flowing on this field-trip and the children seemed to be sincerely interested in the airport's architecture. Eliza was an informative and very engaging guide. The tour helped us all, child and adult, to remember to look around us as we walk, as there is so much beauty to behold, both at the airport and in the world around us.



Barbi




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mosaic Garden Stones

Today our children had an amazing opportunity to work with Glen Anderson, a local artist specializing in mosaics. You can see his work at http://www.mosaicplanet.net . I met Glen last year at Urban Weavers Studio in Strathcona. I asked him many, many questions about mosaics, all of which he patiently answered with expertise. I was gearing up for an art project in our preschool class so I really wanted to get any pointers I could from him. The plan was to have our students make mosaic tiles to place along our fence at the garden plot at Terra Nova Farm. They worked out very well, thanks to Glen's great advice and it was a beautiful moment when child and parent hung the stones at the farm on our last day of school. It was a moment of great pride for all of us. The garden that they cared for with their own hands- tended to its needs in sunshine and in rain. They will always remain part of that space, that land and their stone will remind them of this connection. Even though they turne...
Post a Comment
Read more

3 Year Old Class - Westham Island Herb Farm Field Trip

Our threes class recently visited the Pumpkin Patch at Westham Island Herb Farm in Delta. After a relatively short and scenic drive through Ladner en-route to the farm, we crossed a small, one-lane bridge that remarkably has been in place since 1911.    Westham Island Bridge We arrived at the farm in the early morning, before the school buses appeared. It was a very peaceful time of the day, and the morning mist floating over the fields only enhanced the feeling. Westham Island Herb Farm is a community oriented farm that promotes buying fruits and vegetables from local sources. This farm is part of the Ellis family farm and they have been in this location since 1916! Upon arrival at the farm, we were greeted by a beautiful display of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes. Prior to the tour of the farm, we visited the general store, which showcased a large variety of homemade jellies and honey selections such as wild flower, raspberry, pumpkin and ...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Day at the Farm... with a twist

We were all looking forward to heading to the farm. We had not been in two whole weeks so we were all experiencing farm deprivation disorder! We craved outdoor time, running on the paths, and checking out our favourite spots. We had no particular agenda- nothing to plant, nothing to weed, nothing to harvest and literally nothing to do! Perfect!!  Actually, we did have one special thing happening there but I will get to that in a moment. The children could not get off the bus fast enough, bounding down the tall stairs. Jackets on, zipped up, hats and mitts on, ready to face the chill of December. The children tossed their knapsacks onto the picnic table with abandon, and began to run around the courtyard area, obediently staying on the paths  ( finally, four months later they have learnt to stay out of the garden beds). They shouted, they chased and fell down! Once our initial burst of energy was out (only slightly), we walked over to the compost to see what the worms w...
Post a Comment
Read more