Author: Debra Frasier
Plot Summary: The lyric text welcomes each child to the every day miracles of planet Earth – the Sun, Moon, North Star, wind, rain, tides and the circle of people awaiting each child.
Posted In: Epistemology
Discussion Questions

Option 1: Read the story only and then have a discussion. If questions come up about science background, you can refer to the index or other info sources. This option is the most open-ended and may lead to a discussion that is more generally philosophical and less scientific in nature.

Option 2: Read the story. Then read 1-2 science phenomena from the index (the teacher can choose them ahead of time, possibly in accordance with what students are learning in science, or the students can vote). Then have a discussion. This option is more narrow and may lead to a philosophical discussion around specific scientific phenomena, their relation to humans, what makes something alive, objectivity/subjectivity, and relational ways of knowing.

Option 3: Read the story and the entire index. Then have a discussion. This option is a less scaffolded version of option 2 and may be suited for an upper elementary classroom. It may lead to a broader discussion about several different scientific phenomena and their relation to humans, what makes something alive, objectivity/subjectivity, and relational ways of knowing science.

Discussion questions are roughly organized below to demonstrate potential intersections between scientific and philosophical questions. Of course, all the questions are deeply related and the questions and direction of the discussion are not limited to these categories.

Gravity

  • Does it matter to gravity that I was born? Does my existence affect gravity? Why does gravity want to keep me from floating away?
  • Did gravity’s pull really make me a promise? Does gravity know I am here?
  • How do we know if gravity intends to keep me from floating away?

People

  • Why are so many people happy that I am here? Why do the animals, wind, or Sun care that I am here?
  • What is the difference between how the people welcomed me and how the wind, rain, or Sun welcomed me? How are they the same?
  • How did the people know I was coming? What is the difference between how the people welcomed me and how animals welcomed me? How are they the same?

Trees making oxygen

  • Did the trees make oxygen just for me, or for everyone? Is oxygen made just for people, or for other animals, too?
  • Do the trees intend to make oxygen for us?
  • Would the trees keep making oxygen even if people and animals didn’t breathe it in?

Sky

  • Is the sky mine? Is it ours? Who does the sky belong to? What does it mean for something to be mine?
  • Does the sky choose to be mine? Does it have to be alive to choose?

Rain

  • Is rain always welcoming someone?
  • Did the rain mean to welcome me?
  • What is welcoming about rain?

Other

  • Was I welcomed one by one, or did it all happen at the same time? How long was the world preparing for my birth?

Contributed by Christina Zaccagnino