I am signing up to teach at a 6 week coop class. I’d like to teach a Nature Study class. I’ll have an hour each week. Please share your ideas? I’d like to open the class to grades 1st and up!
Is there an area you can get outside with the kids? Will you have another adult helper? Then plan to go outside to different areas nearby (not a playground) and explore, with paper and clipboards in hand to draw or jot notes about what they find.
Also take time to gather some nature materials you can use on a day when the weather won’t allow you all to go outside – such a rocks and minerals, pinecones, different leaves that you laminate/put in wax paper/preserve somehow, owl pellets, etc.
Maybe have nature walk inspiration sheets that list things to look for in very general terms – find something interesting that is green. Do you see any flowers? These prompts can give them a place to begin a notebook page on days when nothing is really standing out to them as interesting nature.
We have the 40 Nature Walks and have enjoyed the ones we’ve done. They’re easy to use because they are printables, so it gives a little inspiration to kids who need a bit of a jumpstart in nature study situations. I have found that providing just a little bit of focus is very helpful and doesn’t kill the joy, especially if you have a multi-age or large group.
Dissecting owl pellets has been great fun in any setting I’ve done it in. You can order them from various places.
We like and are using Exploring Nature Around the Year 365 Days of Nature Journaling. https://raisinglittleshoots.com/ ” Exploring Nature Around The Year gives an authentic nature journaling prompt for each day of the year, and has major and minor nature study themes woven throughout. No planning is required, and you can dip in and out as you please.”
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