Monday, November 16, 2015

Iowa State-Fish Art Contest

Contest Rules & Guidelines
2016 Entry Form
The Iowa DNR is partnering with the Wildlife Forever® State-Fish Art® Contest to host an Iowa State-Fish Art Contest. Students are encouraged to use their artistic skills to create an image of their favorite Iowa fish (see the eligible fish list) in its natural habitat.

The first place artwork in each judging category will be submitted for National Awards. First place winners at the state level will be honored at the annual State-Fish Art Expo this summer. Each student submitting an entry will receive a Certificate of Recognition.
 
Judging Categories
Group 1 – Kindergarten-Grade 3
Group 2 – Grades 4-6
Group 3 – Grades 7-9
Group 4 – Grades 10-12
 
All entries must be postmarked by March 31, 2016.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Connecting Children to Nature


Spending time in nature has many positive benefits for all ages. A young child’s connection with nature can be simple as sitting under a tree, listening to the chirping of crickets or planting a seed.

Try these simple tips from Project Learning Tree’s Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood to help connect your students to nature.
  • Provide a variety of learning opportunities for auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners.
  • Provide a variety of ways for children to share what they have learned (e.g., drawing pictures, dictating information to an adult).
  • Allow children to touch the physical objects.
  • Provide a variety of books, pictures, and recordings, such as birdcalls and nature sounds.
  • Label natural objects.
  • Call on all the senses when observing nature.
  • Embrace the knowledge you have.
  • Model research skills – when you discover something unfamiliar, say, “I don’t know. Can we answer that question by ourselves or do we need a book?” Find answers together.
  • Participate with the children – be a scientist and record your own observations. Be an artist and sketch along with them.
  • Rediscover your own sense of wonder – share your favorite parts of nature and your favorite nature books with the children. Your enthusiasm will spread.
  • Model care and respect for the natural environment – touch plants and animals gently. Return animals to the places you found them. Carefully replace logs and stones.
  • Bring nature inside – collect and display natural objects and use them to enhance art, writing, math and play.
  • Begin with simple outdoor experiences and expand from there – start by exploring right outside the classroom using simple equipment familiar to your children. As children become more comfortable being outdoors, they will naturally want to spend time playing outdoors.
  • Be an enthusiastic model – your attitude is contagious!

Research shows many positive benefits to spending time in nature and that it is an important part of a child’s overall well-being. Children who have opportunities to play and learn in nature are more likely to:
  • Handle challenges and problems more capably.
  • Be more physically active, healthy, aware of nutrition, and less likely to be obese.
  • Are more cooperative with other children.
  • Have better mental and emotional health.
  • Have a greater appreciation of the arts, music, history, and literature.
  • Have higher self-esteem.
  • Be happier and smarter.
  • Are more creative.
  • Feel more capable and confident.
  • Are good problem solvers.
  • Choose science or a science related subject as a career.
  • Become better informed and environmentally aware adults.