自然有办法

每个赫德孩子在小学阶段的记忆里，总会有那么几节特殊的课程。森林课、博物馆课、跨学科学习周……这些课程所代表的，远不止是走出校门的新奇，更是他们童年中一次次扎实的成长印记。

在赫德，我们始终在思考一个核心问题：如何才能真正守护每个孩子与生俱来的能量，并系统性地发掘他们独特的潜力？

我们深信，认识自我是一段持续的旅程。这个寻找自我的过程，本身就是教育最根本的意义。

基于这样的信念，从本学期开始，我们将具身学习与学科课程真正结合，进行了一次深刻的整合与升级，并系统性地融入了一个名为 “英雄之旅” 的户外跨学科项目之中。让每月一次的出行，成为一场孩子们与真实世界“奔赴约定的学习”。

在十一月的旅程中，我们将在公园的自然中寻宝协作，把抽象的数学概念在脚下变得具体，在这之前，我们已经走过的路，是我们对这个夏秋最真实的感受。

那么，什么是“英雄之旅”？

“英雄”二字，并非授予孩子的头衔，而是为了描述并珍视那段充满变化的成长过程。我们相信，那些探索中必然会遇到的困惑、体力上的疲惫、与同伴的摩擦与协作，以及随之而来的发现、顿悟与喜悦，本身就塑造着坚韧、包容与自信。

这趟旅程，关乎知识，更关乎那个正在悄然成长的、完整的自己。

在九月“英雄之旅”首站出发，孩子们带着语文课上学到的知识走进了森林。

他们指认和触摸学过的甲骨文——从“土”、“木”到“林”、“花”，在真实的自然环境中，理解汉字最初的造字智慧。他们收集树枝、石头与落叶，也用双手触摸树皮的纹理。

我们一同体验了“森林盲行”。当视觉被轻轻蒙上，听觉和触觉便变得格外敏锐，孩子们以一种全新的方式，建立了与自然的深度链接。随后的环湖徒步，则是这份感官训练的延续，引导他们从专注内在感受，转向细致观察外部世界。

身体，成了最直接、最可信的教室。

这种需要调动全身去感知、去体验的学习，无法被屏幕模拟，也无法被AI替代。它必须经由一个健康、灵活、坚韧的身体来完成。

9月15-9月19日是G4《绿野仙踪》的课程实施周，故事里的爱、勇气与担当被带到了自然之中。孩子们在融合了体能、正念与五感观察的活动中，亲身体验了故事的脉络。秋日冥想时，他们闭上眼睛，感受季节的更迭，觉察风的声音、温度的变化，以及身体与环境的联结。

每一次英雄之旅，都贯穿着“在真实体验中学习”的核心。当九月的温暖与收获沉淀于心，十月的旅程，已准备好“向着科学出发”。

十月的“英雄之旅”，将“具身学习”的理念深深植入了每一寸行程。

同学们将通过观察果蔬的生长、辨认不同食物类别、设计均衡餐盘，把“我的身体与健康饮食”单元学以致用，参与“从田间到餐桌”的实景任务。

我们坚信，当孩子置于真实的问题场景中，用双手去操作、用双眼去观察、用整个身心去感受时，最深刻的学习便自然发生。

这一次，不同年级的孩子们化身为不同领域的探索者，踏上了各自的科学征途。

对于低年级的孩子们来说，科学探索的起点，是理解脚下土地与每日餐食的联系。于是，他们走进畈畈畈生态农园，一场关于生命、食物与可持续的趣味实践就此展开。

在有机果园里，孩子们的任务不仅仅是采摘苹果和山楂。他们观察授粉昆虫理解生态链中的“生物多样性”；比较着每一个果实的形状与色泽，在“相同但有差异”的观察中，懵懂地触摸着“自然形态与对称性”这一数学与美学的结合。

世界如何运转？答案就写在这片共享的果园里。

从枝头到舌尖，食物经历了怎样的旅程？

孩子们亲手将收获的蔬菜，经过严格的测量和配比，进行腌制体验。在这个过程中，他们认识了那些看不见的“微生物小帮手”，懂得了细菌如何发酵改变食物，也学会了利用古老的智慧来保存食物，对抗浪费。

这不仅是一堂生动的生活科学课。活动中“像彩虹一样吃”的倡议，将健康与营养的意识，种进了他们心里。

“动物是我们的伙伴。”这一理念瞬间建立了孩子与动物的情感连接。

他们观察并喂养农场动物，了解它们的饮食、习性。亲眼看到，上一环节的果皮菜叶，成了这一环节动物的美食。一个完整的生态循环系统在这个环节中形成了闭环。

食物浪费与循环生态，这个宏大的概念，在喂食的举动中变得具体而温暖。

对于G3-G5年级的学生，科学探索的疆域拓展至现代农业的科技前沿。他们前往航天育种科普基地，将科学课上学到的知识，进行一次震撼的立体延伸。

在专家的引导下，孩子们系统地学习了航天育种的原理与优势：种子如何搭乘航天器进入太空，在特殊的宇宙环境下发生变异，再返回地面择优培育。

他们也了解了植物组织培养技术这一现代农业的“克隆术”，如何能在实验室里快速、大量地繁殖优质种苗。课堂上的生物学知识，在这里变成了关乎国家粮食安全与农业发展的前沿科技。

随后，他们走进现代化育苗工厂，满眼是整齐划一、生机勃勃的种苗架，专业化、规模化的育苗场景，让书本上的“现代农业”有了真实的模样。

在“探索种子星球”科普展厅，孩子们穿梭于各种植物种子之间，学习它们的分类与传播智慧，梳理农业育种的前世今生。

无论是制作一株能在试管中生长的微型植物，还是精准配制营养土进行种植，亦或是打理水培蔬菜系统。这一刻，他们不再是听众，而是动手操作的“农业科学家”，科技的力量通过他们的指尖，直抵内心。

“户外课堂”不止于山林湖海，更在于通过不同主题的深度探索，在学生心中种下一颗种子。对于低年级，种下的是对自然万物的敬畏与联结；对于高年级，种下的是对科技未来的好奇与向往。

学习，从此不再是书本上冰冷的符号，而是一段与自我、与世界深刻连接的，热气腾腾的英雄之旅。

当种子已经播下，我们需要思考的是：该给它一片怎样的土壤？

当下的教育充满矛盾。AI的快速发展让我们不断追问：人的独特价值在哪里？而现实中，许多家庭既希望孩子快乐，又担心他们未来的竞争力。

我们的英雄之旅，就是对这个问题的回答：把"具身学习"落到实处，让学科知识通过身体经验真正内化。

把学习交给自然，就是把成长还给孩子本来的样子。

“英雄之旅”不仅仅是一次具体课程的探索，更是我们教育理念的一个缩影。每一次出发，都贯穿着“用身体学习”这一核心。 

每一站，又因结合不同的课程设计而拥有独特的灵魂：

• 在公园，我们践行跨学科的“全课程”；

• 在农场，我们动手探究科学的奥秘；

• 而在下一次，我们将前往郊野公园，将课堂与数学相连——孩子们将手握地图，在识图、寻宝与协作中，灵活运用空间思维与逻辑，让抽象的数学概念在脚下变得具体而生动。

在赫德，我们无意于“塑造”一个标准化的孩子，而是希望提供一片丰饶的土壤和一段从容的时间。

将学习与真实世界紧密相连，让成长在身体力行中自然发生——这正是“全人发展”、“个性化教育”与“前瞻视野”最朴素的起点。

10月25日，北京赫德小学部首场开放日，是一次沉浸式的体验。您将有机会感受小学部的全息课堂如何激发孩子的好奇心与内在生命力，亲眼见证“英雄之旅”背后的教学设计与深层思考。

我们期待与您相遇，共同探讨如何守护童年生命的能量，一起见证，教育最本真的样子。

In the memories of every HDBJ child's elementary school years, there are always a few special classes. Forest exploration trips, museum visits, cross-disciplinary learning weeks… These experiences represent far more than just the novelty of stepping outside the school gates—they are solid stepping stones of growth etched in their childhood.

At HDBJ, we continually reflect on one core question: How can we truly safeguard each child's innate energy and systematically uncover their unique potential?

We firmly believe that understanding oneself is an ongoing journey. This very process of self-discovery is, in itself, the most fundamental meaning of education.

Based on this belief, starting this semester, we have truly integrated embodied learning with disciplinary curriculum, undertaking a profound unification and upgrade. This has been systematically incorporated into an outdoor cross-disciplinary program named the "HD Hero's Quest", turning the monthly outing into a purposeful pursuit of learning—a rendezvous between the children and the real world.

In the upcoming November journey, we will collaborate on treasure hunts amidst park nature, transforming abstract mathematical concepts into tangible experiences beneath our feet. The paths we have already traveled stand as our most genuine testament to this summer and autumn.

So, what is the "HD Hero's Quest"?

The term "hero" is not a title bestowed upon the child, but rather a way to describe and cherish that transformative process of growth. We believe that the inevitable confusion encountered during exploration, the physical fatigue, the friction and collaboration with peers, along with the ensuing discoveries, moments of clarity, and joy—these very experiences forge resilience, empathy, and self-confidence.

This journey is about knowledge, but even more so, it is about the whole person quietly growing within.

In September, as the first leg of the HD Hero's Quest began, the children stepped into the forest armed with knowledge from their Chinese language classes.

They identified and touched Oracle Bone Script characters they had learned—from "soil" and "wood" to "forest" and "flower"—grasping the wisdom behind Chinese character creation within an authentic natural setting. They collected twigs, stones, and fallen leaves, and used their hands to feel the textures of tree bark.

We experienced the "Forest Blind Walk" together. As their vision was gently obscured, their senses of hearing and touch became remarkably acute, allowing the children to establish a profound connection with nature in an entirely new way. The subsequent lakeside hike served as an extension of this sensory training, guiding them from focusing on internal sensations to carefully observing the external world.

The body became the most direct and trustworthy classroom.

This form of learning—which requires the engagement of the whole self to perceive and to experience—cannot be simulated by a screen nor replaced by AI. It must be accomplished through a body that is healthy, agile, and resilient.

From September 15th to 19th, the G4 "The Wizard of Oz" curriculum implementation week took place, where the story's themes of love, courage, and responsibility were brought into nature. Through activities integrating physical challenges, mindfulness, and sensory observation, the children experienced the story's narrative firsthand. During the autumn meditation, they closed their eyes to feel the change of seasons, noticing the sound of the wind, shifts in temperature, and the connection between their bodies and the environment.

Every HD Hero's Quest is built around the core principle of "learning through authentic experience." As the warmth and harvest of September settle within us, the October journey is ready to set forth "Towards Science."

The October edition of the HD Hero's Quest is deeply infused with the philosophy of "embodied learning" in every step of the journey.

Students will apply their knowledge from the "My Body and Healthy Eating" unit by observing the growth of fruits and vegetables, identifying different food groups, and designing balanced plates. They will participate in the authentic "From Field to Table" project.

We firmly believe that the most profound learning occurs naturally when children are placed in real-world problem scenarios—using their hands to operate, their eyes to observe, and their entire being to experience.

This time, children from different grade levels embarked on their respective scientific journeys as explorers in specialized fields.

For the lower-grade children, the starting point of scientific exploration is understanding the connection between the land beneath their feet and the food on their plates each day. Thus, they stepped into the Fan Fan Fan Ecological Farm, launching a series of engaging, hands-on explorations into life, food, and sustainability.

In the organic orchard, the children's task extended far beyond simply picking apples and hawthorn berries. They observed pollinating insects to understand "biodiversity" within the ecological chain; they compared the shape and color of each fruit, and through observing how things were "the same yet different," they gained their first glimpse into "natural forms and symmetry"—a concept bridging mathematics and aesthetics.

How does our world work? The answers are written across this shared orchard.

What journey does food take from branch to taste buds?

The children personally pickled the harvested vegetables through precise measurement and proportioning. In this process, they were introduced to those unseen "tiny microbial helpers," understanding how bacteria ferment and transform food, while also learning to utilize ancient wisdom to preserve food and combat waste.

This was more than just a lively life science lesson. The "Eat the Rainbow" initiative integrated during the activity planted the seeds of health and nutritional awareness deep within their minds.

"Animals are our companions." This concept instantly forged an emotional connection between the children and the animals.

They observed and fed the farm animals, learning about their diets and habits. They witnessed firsthand how the fruit peels and vegetable leaves from the previous activity became food for the animals in this session. A complete, closed-loop ecological cycle was formed in this process.

The grand concepts of food waste and ecological cycles became concrete and heartwarming through the simple act of feeding.

For students in Grades 3-5, the frontiers of scientific exploration expanded to the technological cutting edge of modern agriculture. They visited the Aerospace Breeding Science Education Base, experiencing a dynamic and immersive extension of their classroom science lessons.

Under the guidance of experts, the children systematically learned the principles and advantages of space breeding: how seeds travel into space aboard spacecraft, undergo mutations in the unique cosmic environment, and are then selectively cultivated upon returning to Earth.

They were also introduced to plant tissue culture—a "cloning technique" of modern agriculture that enables rapid, large-scale propagation of high-quality seedlings in laboratories. Classroom biology knowledge was thus transformed into cutting-edge technology relevant to national food security and agricultural development.

They then stepped into a modern seedling nursery, where their eyes met neatly aligned racks of vibrant young plants. The specialized, large-scale propagation scene transformed the textbook concept of "modern agriculture" into a tangible reality.

In the "Exploring the Seed Planet" science exhibition hall, the children moved among various plant seeds, learning their classification and dispersal strategies while tracing the evolution of agricultural breeding from its origins to modern practices.

Whether cultivating a miniature plant that thrives in a test tube, precisely mixing nutrient-rich soil for planting, or maintaining a hydroponic vegetable system—in these moments, they were no longer passive listeners but hands-on "agricultural scientists," feeling the power of technology resonate deeply through their fingertips to their core.

Outdoor Classrooms extend beyond forests, lakes, and oceans—they are about planting a seed in students' hearts through in-depth thematic explorations. For lower grades, it sows reverence and connection to all living things; for upper grades, it nurtures curiosity and aspiration for a technology-driven future.

Learning thus ceases to be cold symbols in textbooks, transforming instead into a vibrant HD Hero's Quest—a profound journey of connection with oneself and the world.

Once the seeds have been sown, we must ask: What kind of soil should we provide?

Modern education is full of contradictions. The rapid advancement of AI compels us to ask: Where does the unique value of humanity lie? Yet in reality, many families desire happiness for their children while also fearing for their future competitiveness.

Our HD Hero's Quest is the answer to this question: to put "embodied learning" into tangible practice, allowing academic knowledge to be truly internalized through physical experience.

To entrust learning to nature is to return growth to its authentic form.

The HD Hero's Quest is not merely an exploration of a specific curriculum, but an embodiment of our educational philosophy. Every expedition is permeated with the core principle of "learning with the whole body."

Each stop possesses its unique character through integrated curriculum design: 

in the park, we practice the all-disciplinary approach; on the farm, we engage in hands-on scientific inquiry; and in our next journey, we will venture into the country park, connecting classroom learning with mathematics—where children, equipped with maps, will flexibly apply spatial thinking and logic through map reading, treasure hunting, and teamwork.

At HDBJ, we do not seek to "mold" children to a standard template, but to provide fertile soil and uninterrupted time.

By closely connecting learning with the real world, we allow growth to unfold naturally through lived experience—this is the most fundamental starting point for holistic development, personalized education, and a forward-looking vision.

On October 25th, the HDBJ Elementary School Division will host its first Open Day—an immersive experience. You will have the opportunity to observe how our holistic classrooms ignite children's curiosity and inner vitality, and to witness firsthand the educational design and deep thinking behind the HD Hero's Quest.

We look forward to meeting you, to exploring together how to nurture the innate energy of childhood, and to witnessing education in its truest form.