Traidhos Three-Generation Barge Program

Developing an attitude of service, of caring for the world around us and of doing things for others is an important characteristic of a global citizen. Today Y4 students helped increase plant cover and promote more biodiversity by planting trees and picked up rubbish that could be harmful to local wildlife.

A day of discovery in the rainforest.

Late afternoon sunshine and a warm breeze welcomed us to explore the grassland.
This is learning outdoors at its best with time to listen to sounds of nature; to watch a trail of ants hurrying by and to ponder the owner of tracks deep in the mud.

Observing the details of buildings in Ayutthaya while painting and drawing .

Today is celebrated as International Day of Forests. Forests sustain all aspects of our health, from cleaning our air and water to providing us with essential food, fuel, medicines and income.

How can you celebrate the forests near to your home or school?

Welcoming Sunday with alms giving.

Experiencing the sensory o reload of a riverside market, students commented on how friendly the vendors were and how they had time to interact.
A lesson here for our increasingly fast paced society.

Welcome to Thailand ! Exciting for Traidhos Barge Program to welcome students from Canada to explore the Chao Phraya.

Barge staff never imagined we would see our storyboards on the “big screen”!
Great to see the power of story capturing the minds of young listeners and reminding us that the arts are an important part of environmental education.

Unpacking what is meant by “polluted water” revealed that all types of land use change the river bank in some way and are at risk of changing the river water too.
Students saw that as a river travels further from its source it gets dirtier and dirtier:

The Chao Phraya is sometimes called the “River of Kings”. Students from Harrow Y3 discovered more about this river and the problems associated with seasonal flooding during an in-school program.

Developing the skill of observation while outside the classroom is an important part of an EE experience especially for our youngest participants. Being curious about the the things we see helps students to make connections and build an understanding of how the natural world works as students from International School Chonburi discovered this
week.

Mangroves provide so many ecosystem services so Traidhos Barge Program worked with Bangkok Montessori to help regenerate some areas and clear others of marine rubbish.

Mud Play is important for children to develop and practice their fine and gross motor skills, increase awareness of their senses, particularly touch and to build confidence that it is ok to be muddy!
We created mud pizzas using our imagination to create toppings of different textures.

Today we were appreciating colour, texture and pattern in nature while working in small groups to create tree garlands to honor trees and the work that they do.

Sensory play encourages learning through exploration, curiosity, problem solving and creativity. Today students explored different smells in the natural world and thought about the properties of plants.

Today we were investigating how climate change might impact people living on Ko Kret and the biodiversity on the island.
It was a fun day traveling around the island looking for signs of flooding, wildlife and trying out pit making.

Discovering the story of salt production in Samut Songkram

Traidhos Barge Program enjoys using Compass Education tools to help students see connections and make suggestions of how to develop community systems.

Students observe a fresh market and gain understanding of the systems at work through making connections using the Compass of Sustainability.
Check out this lesson plan by Lynda Rolph at ow.ly/fCc650MW1xb
This and much more free lesson plans & other educational resources at: compasseducation.org/resources/

A great collaboration with students from Wat Pananchoern school Ayutthaya and Wellington College Bangkok to create a mural with an Ayutthayan theme on the school wall.

We must teach our children to smell the earth, to taste the rain, to touch the wind, to see things grow, to hear the sun rise and night fall – to care.' John Clea

What skills does a team use to plan and construct a shelter made from natural materials?
Students from Tara Patana drew on their knowledge of shapes, discussed and revised their plan and helped and supported each other to complete the challenge.

Surrounded by thousands of nesting Asian open billed storks, we could not help but be fascinated by their behaviour, use of habitat and the adaptations that help them survive.
Wat Pai Lom is a favourite destination for these
Migratory birds.

Today we reflected on how Chao Phraya River’s sands and silts were responsible for building Ayutthaya, with a visit to one of the remaining traditional brick makers .
We
Followed the process from mixing brick ingredients by foot to smoothing into the brick frames to seeing the traditional brick kiln.

Barge Program loves the fun of glowing campfires, but when PM2.5 is high and fires are prohibited, a lovely atmosphere was created with local candles.
We are greatful to be outside !

Valentines Day - and what better place
to be than traveling along the Chao Phraya River helping students appreciate its importance and to
develop an appreciation to “Love Chao Phraya”. ♥️

Nature and humans living side by side in Khao Yai.
How can we ensure that our excitement at seeing wild animals close up does not drive them away?

Take a look at this course to develop sustainable habits of mind .

🌱Are you an educator looking for tools to transform learning & embed sustainability?
🗓️International School Aberdeen will host our Teaching & Learning for a Sustainable World course Feb 10 & 11
Learn more & register https://bit.ly/3j1GZje
✨Some sponsored spots available

Capturing the mood of the mangrove forest.

Ready for a week of fun and learning adventures!

Mangrove ecosystems have such amazing components as students from
M2 Samsen discovered as they explored Bang Pu.
From numerous wading birds to creatures inhabiting the muddy soil, students looked for connections and relationships that enable the ecosystem to flourish.

Interested is seeing with your students? Contact [email protected]

Have you ever looked closely at the bark of a tree?
Students were curious about the lichen, moss and fungi they found growing on trees in Khao Kitchikut National Park.

Barge Program loves spotting that past staff have liked our posts. Today, our post is just for you! Where are we today? Which location do we get delicious coconut ice cream from a local vendor?
We look forward to your comments!

Great materials to engage students

‘Introduction to the Compass Tools: Systems Thinking for Sustainability in the Classroom’
This workshop's program has been developed to enable schools to efficiently and effectively introduce educators, administrators and support staff to the fundamentals of sustainability and systems thinking!
LEARN MORE: compasseducation.org/compass-education-one-day-workshop/

Mangrove giant!
We had to pinch ourselves at the size of this claw.

There is no doubting the value of the Bang Pu wetland. So many resident and migrant birds feeding in the soft mud.

Adventure and challenge was embraced today as Wellington Y6 had fun stand up paddle boarding.
What a great end to their residential.