The multiage first and second graders' inquiry into the spring on the MPI campus has resulted in questions, hypotheses, interviews, poems, paintings, plays, and more. Last week all the 1/2 multiage classes went down to the spring to meet Mr. Hank Howlett, who has been the Director of Facilities and Maintainence at MPI for many years and has a wealth of knowledge about the grounds. The children came prepared with a batch of questions that have emerged as they continue to construct their understanding of the area. 

Upon returning to the classroom, the children reflected upon what they learned...

• The fence is there to protect children and dogs from drowning.
• The pile of dirt next to the stream will be used to build a berm to redirect run-off into the pond instead onto the field.
• The pond used to be bigger. People made it smaller so there would be more room to play.
• Wailele and Punahou are the most famous springs on Oahu.
• It’s fresh water, but you should boil it if  you need to drink it.
• The water flows down from the mountains to the sea.
• Water always seeks its own level. That is sea level.
• There are four turtles and catfish in the pond.
• Rivers and streams flow aboveground; springs flow underground.
• Concrete is there to help the pond’s sides from caving in. It is also part of another fence.
• Wailele is the name given by the ancient Hawaiians. It means Flying Water. It was probably there before the first Hawaiians came to the islands.
• An aquifer is a fresh-water source under the ground.
• When it’s very dry, Mr. Howlett puts water in the pond to save the animals and plants.
• Humans put the fish in the pond. That’s not good because they might take over the territory.

Tomorrrow we will walk the path of the water from the spring to a drainage ditch located between MPI and the University of Hawaii. From there it flows to the Ala Wai and then out to sea. On Monday, some of the classes will hear from Ms. Graves and Mrs. Montes, two sixth grade MPI teachers and parents, who will share what their sixth graders have discovered about life in Manoa during ancient Hawaii, life about the time MPI was founded, and Wailele as it was in the past.

As part of the inquiry into the spring, the 1/2 teachers have been videotaping the different processes and are excited about producing a podcast for the first time as a demonstration of student learning.