Teaching hibernation

Ensconced within a pile of leaves, children’s senses will teach them what it means to hibernate, say Susan Humphries and Susan Rowe...

During hibernation, animals spend many weeks without food or water – so how do they stay alive? Whilst we can explain the facts to children, we have found giving them the chance to ‘hibernate’ takes learning on a step further.

Each autumn, our work starts with a request to parents and families to fill a carrier bag with fallen leaves, which should be as clean and dry as possible. The children then bring the leaves into school and mix them together, along with leaves collected from the school garden. The collection is stockpiled on a groundsheet (covered with a dust sheet) in our library where the leaves continue to dry out. It is vital to tip the leaves out of their plastic bags to prevent rapid decomposition.

The leaves have a slightly abrasive texture when they are dry and their concentrated fragrance is reminiscent of toast and malt – the children often refer to the smell of cornflakes in the air.

Initially the children play with the leaves, sorting them and creating patterns. Strings of leaves with coloured edges are joined yellow to yellow or brown to brown, and piles of the same leaf type are fitted one on top of the other.

After they have designed individual leaf mosaics, we ask the children to join them together with an intersecting patchwork of leaves, which serves as a reminder that everyone has contributed to the leaf pile. Working cooperatively, they achieve some of the most beautiful patterns – coming to better understand the characteristics of leaves at the same time. It’s a process that builds strong associations with the natural world as the children enjoy experimenting with organic materials.

Next, the children stand around the edge of the dust sheet and gather up armloads of leaves. We tell them about the leaf cycle and suggest they let a few leaves fall as gracefully as possible, so they release a handful of leaves at a time until their arms are empty. In this circling, spiralling drift, a new carpet is spread. We talk to the children about leaves being an asset to the earth and to the creatures who live on and beneath it.

By lifting the edges of the dust sheet, the children create hills of leaves. Five or six at a time, the children are asked to burrow into these mounds and cover themselves, feeling the warmth of the leaf blanket. The other children carefully step around the still bodies, adding leaves where they are needed to ensure the ‘hibernating’ children are well covered. In their ‘dormant’ state, the children hear the teacher describing how creatures lower their respiratory rate, their heart rate and their use of calories to keep alive. She reminds them how leaves trap air and provide insulation. She talks about how the hedgehog is able to build a sheath of leaves around its spines and whole body, and how the squirrel, badger and dormouse carry leaves into their winter quarters to use as coverings. The children are told how the leaves trap air, envelop scent and cushion the animals so they have a scent and visibility screen to protect against predators. Verbal cues are given for the children to be as still as possible, only waking with the longer daylight hours and increasing temperature of spring. All the children have the chance to hibernate in this way.

The whole experience is delightfully sensory, and one the children remember and talk about for years to come. As such, learning about death, decomposition and survival takes on a new perspective.