G4:Active Living
Nature Journaling: I Notice..., I Wonder...?, It Reminds me of...
Nature Journaling is an incredible tool for students to connect with themselves and the world around them. 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 to making connections. Encourage them to begin writing themselves using single words or simple sentences. 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)
Observe the movement of living things surrounding you
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.
How Can I Be Physically Active Everyday?
Think about your daily routine at home or school. Are you physically active everyday? Ask yourself, "How can I be physically active in my everyday life?
Walk to school, or ride my bike to school
Join a running club
Walk my dog
Join a sports team
Join a community garden group or plant a garden at home
Raking leaves or shoveling snow
Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
Explore trails in your neighborhood Ontario Trails Naturally
Create a challenge for a friend or family member to do together
What motivates you to be active daily? Find what motivates you! Perhaps listening to music, trying new things or having family or friends participate might motivate you to be more active.
Write down your ideas and talk to your teacher or adults at home to help plan out how you can be more active!