Introduction: Adventure #1

Draw a Picture of The Outdoors

Hi, I'm Gomez the Geographer! Remember, a geographer draws maps. They often use "pictures" of an area. Today, we are going to draw a picture of the area around you.

Watch the overview video first so that you can gain an understanding of what you will be doing today.

Field Journal

To create our outdoor picture, we will be using a field journal. Watch the video to understand what a field journal is, as well as how to use it.

While the video talked about finding flowers for a field journal, we are going to be doing a full backyard investigation.

A field journal may include:

Date, time, and place of observation (coordinates, weather)
Specific facts, numbers, details of what happens
Other people whom are helping you
Sensory impressions: sights, sounds, textures, smells, taste. Some people like to put how they are feeling that day in their journal
Personal responses to the fact of recording field notes like thoughts they might be having
Specific words, phrases, summaries of conversations, and insider language
Questions for future investigation
Page numbers to help keep observations in order

This is a picture of a real field journal, by a real scientist!

Steps to Creating Your Outdoor Picture

Step #1

First, take a look at the place where you will be drawing your picture. Is it your backyard? A nearby park? Look around and pick a good spot to draw your picture.

Step #2

Set up all the materials you need, such as pencils, paper, and/or a notebook. For coloring later you should also have some thing to color with. You may also have a camera to take a picture of the area.