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Nature Journaling: Map the Tracks!
Nature Journaling: Map the Tracks!
Tracks are a sign that animals are in the area, but so are many other things such as nests or habitats, animal droppings (scat), holes in the ground... you name it! Using what we have available to us, we're going to map out where we find these signs of wildlife.
Step-by-step guide:
In your journal, sketch or color a map of your yard or outdoor space.
Grab your journal and pencil and head outside!
Record your metadata (date, location, time, & weather information) on your map page.
Begin your adventure! Walk around and make a marking on your map for every place you find a sign of an animal.
Variations:
Variations:
If you don't have access to an outdoor space, take your map inside... what can you track in your home? Do you have pets? How can you find evidence of life in your home?
Sketch your space and then mark every "track" or clue that someone or something lives in this space. For example, shoes by the door, or a spoon in the sink!
Drawing help!
Drawing help!
If you're having trouble drawing your outdoor space, trying Google-mapping the address and looking at the satellite view. It might help you picture how to better represent your space.
Map help!
Map help!
You can get as creative as you want. Ideas:
X marks the spot, like a treasure map! Write what you found underneath each marking.
Make a map key or legend designating different markings to different signs of wildlife. For instance, a star to represent a track, a square for a nest or habitat, a circle for scat, or a triangle for an animal sighting!
Post-activity questions:
Post-activity questions:
What was the most interesting thing you found?
Do you notice any patterns or connections among your findings? For instance, why those tracks were in that location versus another spot?
Challenge:
Challenge:
Revisit the same spots in the next day or two. Did anything change? If so, what happened? Make note of it in your journal!
Create nature narratives for the tracks or items you found!
My map sketch
My map sketch
My journal page
My journal page
Notice the map key at the bottom, and how I marked items on the page. After marking my map, I looked at all the patterns I could connect, and I wrote those in blue on my page!
What I found:
What I found:
Dreys
Rabbit burrow?
Deer track
Deer rub
Mourning Dove nest
Bird poop
Mole tunnels
Blue Jay feather
Robin nest
Deer rub
Bird poop
Drey
Here's a coloring page based on another great nature series from Dunes Learning Center, "The Search for Sandsquatch."
Here's a coloring page based on another great nature series from Dunes Learning Center, "The Search for Sandsquatch."
Animal Tracks Color Page.pdfWhat do you know or remember about animal tracks?
Here's a coloring page to help you remember whose track belongs to who!
Click here to learn about Nature Narratives with Neature Nate in Nature in Your Neighborhood!
Click here for the latest episode of "The Search for Sandsquatch" with Chief Naturalist Anthony!
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