Co-Designly Practice, (CDLY P) case study 6:

Re/turning to nature. 

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And what if it were nature that produced the structure of the mind? Are we not all nature? And isn't 'being' always 

phenomenological?

 

1. We exist within a pluriversal complexity of shared and recursive, living ecologies - constellations of interrelated 'systems of

    systems' that we simultaneously: embody, inhabit, and are embedded. So, first of all, we learn that we are all nature (biologic-

    al), are symbiotically in synthesis, and have an elemental, autopoietic, and cyclical (temporal) life.

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Nature is the Apeiron place where we shimmer-reflect in existential constellation.

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2. Children CDLY P their own forms of data capture and encoding, classifying techniques, observational sketching or descriptive

    diagramming, and analytical techniques for measurement, monitoring, and assessment:

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Last year, the infants, juniors (4-11-year olds), their parents, grandparents, and friends planted 327 mature tree saplings in

Beckenham Place Park (BBP). Our tree planting was CDLY P–initiated local community advocacy - a unique collaboration bet-

ween the school, BPP Futures, Lewisham BMX Club, the Woodland Trust, and Lewisham Council.

 

We conducted experiments in class to test the differing resilience of 1. randomly collected seeds, 2. seeds from our supermarket 

brought "snack fruit," and 3. organic fruit seeds. We repeat this experiment yearly, so each class learns about the complex trans-

ition from seed, to sapling, to tree and how to measure, monitor, map, and understand tree growth. Through arts-design projects
we look for recursive, scale-invariant patterns between leaf, sapling, twig, and tree and in our own physiology. Currently, we have

six, yearly iterations of trees grown from our collected seeds, (consisting of twenty-three trees: oak, three types of apple, pear,

lemon, cherry, nut, and chestnut mature saplings, plus our own school Christmas tree. We also experimented with herbs, tomato-

es, carrots, beetroot, beans, rhubarb, and raspberries. "I Love You Rose Rainbow Cherry," (her name by consensus), sat at a

desk at the back of class for 4 years. Each week, the children negotiated a rota to water and care for her. Aged 4, we planted

her in BPP; “Her branches look like two twig arms wide open for a big, bye-bye hug”. (D., 9)

 

For the last six years, we have collected samples of local leaf morphology in the playground: leaves on angiosperms (flowering)

shrubs or deciduous trees; conifer needles; fronds and palms, and grasses. We closely observed, measured, and identified a

dataset of 27 flora species, made (messy) documentary observational sketches, ink prints, sun prints, and clay-imprint “fossils”

(from our current time: the Phanerozoic eon, Cenozoic era, Quaternary period, Holocene epoch of the Meghalaya age). Of our

most recent, (2021), seed saplings only ten survived their first year, but they are poorly and diseased. According to accesspoll-

ution.org our school nitrogen dioxide annual average is between 33 and 47.69 micrograms/M3, (above the World Health Org-

anisation’s annual legal average and limit of 40 mcg/m3). So, this Autumn, we repeated our seed experiments, testing if pollution

is a negative factor by simultaneously growing indoor plants that may clear air toxins (according to a 1989 NASA research study). 


We recycled this study when Class 2 made a massive space rocket from painted cardboard, (inspired by Elon Musk’s Falcon

Heavy space rocket with a Tesla car inside). Class 3 turned their classroom into the International Space Station. Here, we tested

different species of plants as means to maintain safe oxygen levels and source a food supply whilst we were 'in orbit'.

 

Working with Kew Gardens (who provided our flower seeds), the infants and juniors also planted an outdoor bee-friendly, wild-

flower meadow. Again, we used CDLY P visual methods to study, monitor, and track our local flora, bee, butterfly, bird, and locally endangered stag-beetle populations via our school meadow. In some art-design exercises we become tree, flower, bumblebee,

butterfly, ladybird, stag beetle, or swift to comprehend concepts such as hibernation, metamorphosis, migration, reproduction,

food webs, and biodiversity within ecosystems. Using “I” pronouns in anthropomorphic narratives stimulates phenomenological "imaginative variation" and has the possibility to activate empathic, ethical, and environmental stewardship life skills. We particip-

ated in the People’s Trust for Endangered Species Summer Stag Beetle Watch; The Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s KS1 and 2

learning programme and used the Woodland Trust’s outreach leaf, twig, and tree identification kits for schools, eventually using

CDLY P to make our own toolkits, (for more localised fauna and flora study) – such as our more hands-on and "diffractively crea-

tive" fungi, bee, stag beetle, ladybird, aphid insect, and daffodil projects.

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On their way to delicately excavate worms and slugs for drawing, the children badly wanted to run where they weren't permitted

– "Yeah! You can run as fast as you can! (It has to be in slow motion though)". So nuts; slow motion running infant "co-researchers!

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The following week, we create a snail habitat with carefully collected soil, rocks, plant vegetation, and a mollusc 'wet play' area in

a glass aquarium. After a class of closely observing equally curious, playful slugs and snails, we excitedly settle them into their

new habitat, making sure to leave the lid off so they can come and go. Several days later, the habitat floor is a thick viscous slime

with an orgy of giant, brown carnivorous Spanish Stealth Slugs (Arion Flagellu). They have consumed every native slug and snail

leaving upended and darkly forlorn hollow shells. At home time, I briefly show the children the thick brown slugs as I briskly empty

the habitat into the compost, careful not to mention the absent snails. By creating a protective and nurturing, observable habitat

our collected fauna were left exposed and vulnerable with catastrophic, fatal consequences. That night, I fret about dumping the

knotting, sliming mass in the compost - had I caused further (ongoing) indigenous mollusc carnage?  The following class, using

books in our library we identify the horizontally ridged, "NASTY!" and "disgusting" giant brown slugs. The clear lesson is to be

observing, but as non-intervening as possible. If we had left our little new friends in their camouflage-matching, secret hiding

places they might have survived ...

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Other members of staff and expert specialists augmented our CDLY P nature study in unique ways. For example, Class 2 built 

a small pond and using magnifying glasses they observed, identified and monitored semi-aquatic species attracted to it. Class 1

designed handmade bird feeders to attract and track local bird species. The RSPB came to school to give a talk and the children participated in their Birdwatch, species counting event.

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In a Design Thinking, Autumn Term-long project, we follow the United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the

Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly referred to as COP27, 2022. We make a seed bank: collecting, harvesting, and planting

seeds, making observational drawings and models in red clay for a class display. We further experiment with turning our clay

seeds into jewellery or magical amulets to wear around our necks. "To remind everybody that seeds are very precious and like

treasure".

 

An empty classroom becomes a "Climate Crash" plant nursery for growing our own food from our collected seeds and test planting anything edible we can find! Our Climate Crash classroom looks a bit like Walter De Maria's 1977 New York Earth Room (except it

is now a lush, verdant green).

 

In a later class, we collectively redesign the car to be "post-apocalyptic", "a seed-like survival pod", photosynthesis-powered, and "breathing-out oxygen." It "collects and stores solar power" and "filters rainwater for long journeys". Inside the "see-through bubble"

(orb structure), the seating forms a central, three-seat (3D) triangle with a vertical axis mainframe that supports three different types

of "lift-up control panels", a touch keypad, a joystick and a steering wheel (we can't decide which is optimal). It is covered (360

degrees) in "spiky sails" ("fin-like," sailed trusses) "for rolling over land or bobbing in water" with "uprighting [gyroscopic] seating". Retractable, Nasa-tech (Mars Rover), rough terrain "wobbly wheels" which double as "underwater propellors" can additionally

"rotate 90 degrees for crab-like, sideways movement". Without technical know-how, we (hilariously) struggle to make a prototype

model, so opt for 'the curiously, incredulously imaginary!'

 

"So, are we 'design thinking' for an alien, extra-terrestrial landscape?"

 

V, 11., "Maybe after Climate Change and nuclear war?"

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K, 10., "We are 'at war' with Russia now aren't we?"

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We experiment with non-synthetic polymer fibres (weaving different dried grasses) and (unsuccessfully) setting them in natural

resins. Very coincidentally, Porsche has made similar woven pampas grass and natural resin prototypes. On reflection, we decide

that our coloured wool and woven grasses make terrific ties for Father's Day!

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Throughout, it seemed integral to follow their lines of inquiry (flight), digressive child curiosity, wonder, and reflexive incredulity.

Children were actively encouraged to generate new research subjects, hypotheses to test, data-harvesting methods, and arts-

design materiality.

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