IF YOU ARE NEW TO NATURE JOURNALING PLEASE LOOK AT OUR NATURE JOURNALING PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Nature Journaling is an incredible tool for students to take time sitting in nature and documenting the sounds they hear and how light is transferred and reflected throughout the environment.  Their nature journal allows them to write/draw their observations helping to cement the concepts being taught.

At this age all three prompts "I notice..., I wonder...?, and "It reminds me of..." become very intuitive.  However the last statement becomes very important for connection making.  Encourage students to begin writing using single words, simple sentences, lists, point form, paragraphs etc..  Please note that spelling is not a focus in the nature journal.  At this age you may start to see art fears - please ensure you are re-iterating it is not about a pretty picture.  It is about their observations.  Please see the link feedback at the bottom of this lesson for tips on this.  Using words, pictures and numbers allows the students multiple tools to document their observations.  With permission Bethan Burton has allowed us to link to her website as she has written a blog post for Teaching nature journaling at all ages.  

Here are some more  ideas to get you started.

• Engage the fives senses (whenever possible)

• Make leaf prints ( paint the leaf and press the print into the journal)

• Make leaf rubbings

• Trace the items they are looking at 

• Add leaves into the journal using tape

• Count the birds/squirrels/insects etc. 

• Measure as much of the phenomena as the students can using non standard and standard units of measurement.

Here is a downloadable lesson from John (Jack) Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren book: How to Teach Nature Journaling. All resources shared with permission.  "I Notice..., I Wonder...?, It Reminds me of..."

GIVING FEEDBACK here is a fantastic resource from Jack and Emilie

NOTE: You are encourage to spend time in the outdoors Nature Journaling.  However, you can also bring nature inside, look out your wonder window, have a refrigerator Safari or even observe a house plant or pet.

In the activity Forest Karaoke: Transcribing Birdsong from John (Jack) Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren's book: How to Teach Nature Journaling.  "Students describe bird songs in their journals using writing, drawing, diagramming, and numbers."

All resources shared with permission.

This activity can also be paired with the activity Sit Spot and Sound Map which can be found here in Fresh Air Perspectives 5min activities. or the activity Soundscape Map on this page.