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Autumn in our area has its unique charm and attracts every type of explorer. It is also the perfect season for children to step out of the classroom and get closer to nature and culture. Taking advantage of the crisp autumn air, Newton held a school outing themed "Exploring Wu Culture & Crab Fun." K1 and K2 children, guided by their teachers, embarked on a unique cultural journey.

K2 - Exploring the Museum of Wu

What was Suzhou called in ancient times? What are the unique crops that Suzhou grows historically and currently? With these questions in mind, children followed their teachers to the Museum of Wu, located in the Grand Canal Cultural Park in Wuzhong District, to seek answers and engage in a historical dialogue with Wu culture!

 Archaeological Surveys of Wuzhong 

Following a chronological timeline, children learned about the geographical evolution of Suzhou, understanding the origin and prosperity of Wu culture from the Paleolithic era. Standing before the ancient artifacts excavated from the Sanshan Island area, children travel thousands of years back in time. They enjoyed looking at the stone tools and animal fossils from the Paleolithic era, and began to grasp the historical significance of bronzeware, jade ware, and pottery.  Through examining these historical artifacts, they gained a better understanding of the cultural changes from the Wu, Qin, Han, Ming, and Qing dynasties. They were deeply captivated by the fascinating stories within the long river of history.

Ballads, Hymns, and Eulogies of Wuzhong

Leaving the archaeological area, we arrived at another exhibition hall, where a scroll depicting the scenery of Wuzhong showcased the lives of the local people. The hall was filled with interactive installations like a miniature model featuring exquisite Wu architecture, rivers, boats, and humanities; a "Life of Rice" interactive area simulating rice harvesting; and a "Water Eight Immortals" interactive area showcasing Suzhou's unique aquatic plants. Everyone was enthusiastically engaged in these activities, lingering with fascination, gaining knowledge through fun interactions, and satisfying their thirst for exploration. 

Exploring the "Water Eight Immortals"

After the trip, the children were full of curiosity about the "Water Eight Immortals." So teachers took this opportunity to guide them in observing the actual plants exploring the physical characteristics and growing environments of these aquatic plants native to our areas. Through in-depth understanding, children were not only able to express their discoveries in vivid language but also drew their own "Water Eight Immortals" cards based on their observations and held a "Water Eight Immortals" quiz competition.

 K1 - Visiting the Yangcheng Lake Crab Culture Museum

As autumn deepens, Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, unique to Suzhou, become a hot topic. Our students were curious and excited to learn about the crab's growth process and living environment. Combining the season with local geography and culture, we led the K1 children on a journey to explore crab culture!

A Journey into Crab Culture

Entering the Crab Culture Museum, we passed through "crab cages" woven from bamboo and rattan. Against a backdrop of a starry sky, “water” made of curtains and lights intertwined, kicking off an immersive "Good Water, Good Crab" light show and embarking on this exploration journey. The cultural corridor showcased the history and culture of Yangcheng Lake, the complete process of hairy crab farming, crab culture-derived art, and crab science knowledge. Children enthusiastically immersed themselves in each scene, listening attentively to the explanations, actively asking questions and interacting, and experiencing the joy of exploration.

Find the Secrets of Little Crabs

During their in-depth exploration, children became little crabs, crawling into crab cages to search for projected little crabs and imitating their "gurgling" sounds. A multimedia 3D laser projection showcased the evolution of crabs from zoea larvae to adult crabs, seemingly narrating the children's growth trajectory. A Water Cube box-shaped ring screen recreated the changes in Yangcheng Lake, displaying the crabs' living environment, allowing the children to gain a deeper understanding of the crabs' growth process and characteristics.

Extending the Crab Exploration

The journey of exploration continued. Back on campus, children completed a bilingual crab exploration worksheet through discussions. On the playground, they wore crab headbands and imitated crab walking. Using what they learned from their visit, our students used outdoor construction materials to build their crab farm collaboratively. In the art area, handmade crab paintings of various shapes and forms showcased their creativity and imagination!

Stepping out of the classroom and into the “wild” experience is a gift that Newton gives to its children – a diversified experience and an immersive learning opportunity. Autumn in Suzhou has just begun, and there is a huge world out there just waiting for them to explore and discover. Their stories of exploration will continue to be written... 

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