“Children grow healthier, wiser, and more content when they are more fully connected throughout their childhood to the natural environment in as many educational and recreational settings as possible. These benefits are long term and significant and contribute to their future wellbeing and the contributions they will make to the world as adults.” ~Reconnecting the World’s Children to Nature “Call to Action”

September: Observation and outdoor learning

Benefits and Considerations of taking children outside

There are many ways to incorporate outdoor time into your school day. The benefits of doing so are numerous and well studied. Getting kids out of their chairs, down the hall, and into nature can be as easy as taking a nature walk with preschoolers to look for colors, or as complex as high school students in an ecology class studying a local pond. One essential component that they share however is involving children in observation and the outdoors.

Benefits of taking children outside:

·         Children who spend at least 60 minutes outside every day have increased physical and emotional well-being

·         Outdoor activity has a direct correlation to lower levels of childhood obesity

·         Regular outdoor activity leads to reduced levels of ADHD

·         Children who play outside have improved concentration and school performance

·          Sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D – an essential vitamin that children today are often lacking enough of

·         Outdoor time improves eyesight

·         Children who play outside grow up to be stewards of the environment

·         Outdoor play leads to improved critical thinking skills

·         Nature makes kids nicer

·         Children who regularly spend time outside show enhanced creative play and decreased aggression

Considerations before heading outsidewith kids:

·         Check out the area before heading out with kids so you are aware of any safety considerations

·         Be prepared for emergencies by bringing a cell phone and first aid kit with you

·         Be aware of the current weather conditions as well as the forecast for the time that you will be out

·         Make sure students and teachers are dressed appropriately for the conditions and have proper footwear

·         Be aware of allergies - know before heading out the door if anyone is allergic to bee stings, pollen or other allergens

·         Use the buddy systems and do frequent head counts

·         Use extra caution around water - plan for extra supervision and life jackets if deemed necessary

·         Be aware of the possible plants and wildlife you will observe - instruct children on the proper conduct around wildlife and unknown plants

·         Wash hands upon returning to the classroom

·         Take only memories; leave only footprints - teach children about having respect for living things and nature 

Nature Games

Children love games! Here are a few ways to get children up and moving while learning about nature and wildlife. Remember that many classic children's games can also be adapted into nature-based games! 

Stepping Stones

Is your class studying water, or stream and pond life? Take it outside for some added fun and create a "creek" or "stream" for students to jump across. Students can creat fish and other stream animals to have in the water. Cumulate the activity with a trip to a local stream!

What you need:

*old t-shirts, hand towels or dish towels (your stones)

How you play:

Each player gets two “stones”. At “Go!” each player races to the finish line by jumping from stone to stone across the “creek”. Players jump from stone to stone by standing on one stone while gently tossing the other stone a jumpable distance away, jumping to that stone, reaching back to the other stone to retrieve it. Players continue across the creek until someone crosses the finish line. If a player falls off a stone they must return to the starting point.

Nature Scavenger Hunts

What you need:

*list of nature objects for children to collect and/or see

*baggies to collect objects

*pens/pencils to cross items off of list

Set aside a designated area for the scavenger hunt. Design your list based on what you know will be found in the area. Create a list using pictures or drawing of the objects children are to collect or observe (include the written word as well). Divide the children into groups of two or three. Allow children to explore and find the objects on their list. Ideas for scavenger lists are leaves, rocks, sticks, colors, insects etc...

Fox and Rabbit Tag

This blindfolded game of tag is as entertaining for the onlookers as it is for the hunter and its "prey". A new twist on the classic!

What You Need

• 2 blindfolds
• Small grassy area

Instructions

1. Get everyone into a circle, with players about an arm's length away from one another. Because this game relies on one player hearing another's movements, it is best played on grass, and everyone should keep very quiet during each round. Pick one player to be the fox and another to be the rabbit. Bring them both to the center of the circle and blindfold them. If young children do not wish to be blindfolded, they can just close their eyes.
2. Explain that the fox is hunting at night and is listening for his prey, the rabbit. The rabbit, naturally, is trying to avoid the fox. The other players are trees that will guide the rabbit or fox gently back into the circle when either wanders off the playing area. Turn the rabbit and fox around several times to slightly disorient them, then let the hunt begin. Allow a little time for this game every player will want a turn at being the fox and rabbit.

Spider Webs

Kids love the thrill of making like a spider in an activity that's part game, part art, and part obstacle course, says education professor Rhonda Clements of Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. This game would go perfect with Growing Up WILD's "Spider Web Wonders"!

What you need:

*At least 6 skeins of yarn (or balls of string)

*a stand of trees (you can also use a play structure or 12 or more 2- to 3-foot-long stakes pounded into the ground)

*scissors

*a garbage bag

How It's Done:

Tie one end of the yarn to a tree. Let players take turns passing the skein, crisscrossing the "web" every which way around the tree trunks. Secure the end of each skein by tying it to a tree. At a Baltimore play day organized by several of her students, recalls Clements, a parent was unwittingly built into the web. "He was standing very close to a stake, and a child tossed the ball of yarn around his leg. The kids thought that was great, because they anchored this dad to the ground." After all the yarn is used, let the kids climb through their creation. To clean up, pass out scissors and cut the web to pieces. Collect the scraps in a garbage bag for string games, finger knitting, or art projects

Stuck in the Mud

Don't get stuck indoors; go outside and play an exciting game of Stuck in the Mud. What lives in the "mud"? When you are done with this exciting game get down and dirty and explore soil!

What You Need

• Nothing

Instructions

1. Choose someone to be It. His name is Mud.
2. Each player grabs hold of one of Ms. or Mr. Mud's fingers, and all chant, "What happened to you, Ms. Mud, while spring flowers, they did bud?!"
3. Then, at an unpredictable speed — the point is to trick the players — Ms. Mud chants back, "I slipped into the crud! I got stuck in the ? mud!"
4. At the sound of the word "mud," all the players let go of Ms. Mud's fingers and scatter away while she gives chase.
5. If Ms. Mud tags a player, that player is "stuck in the mud" (that is, frozen).
6. The sole way to get unstuck is for an untagged player to crawl under the stuck player's legs. Players are safe only while they are in those crawling-under moments.
7. You play until everyone is caught . Then name another Mud and begin again.

Tips:

To avoid exhausting Mr. or Ms. Mud, an adult could set a time limit for each round.

Nature-based Classroom Ice Breakers

Who Am I?

For this activity tape or pin the name of a wildlife species on the back of each participant and make sure everyone has paper and a pencil. Each person tries to figure out what animal he or she is by walking up to other participants and getting clues from them. For example, Person A gives clues to Person B by briefly describing what Person B is in one to four words. Person B writes down this description and then briefly describes what Person A is in one to four words. Person A writes down this clue and both people move on to other participants for new clues. Be sure to set a time limit before the group begins the activity. Wrap up by asking for three to five volunteers to guess what they think they are, based on the clues they received.

Guess My Name

Ask the participants to make a list of ten words to describe an animal of their choice on a sheet of paper. They then tape the sheet of paper to themselves and move about the room, reading each other’s lists. They introduce themselves to each other and try to guess what animal each list describes.

Artistic Introductions

Ask participants to draw or model out of clay an animal they feel represents themselves. Divide the participants into groups and have each explain why (s)he chose the animal (s)he did. Or, put pictures of a variety of animals on a large table and have participants choose one they feel represents themselves. Divide into groups and have each participant explain why (s)he chose a particular animal.

Human Knot

Participants stand in a circle and introduce themselves one by one to two other people in the circle. As they introduce themselves, they grasp the hand of the other person and hold on. When everyone has introduced him/herself, each person should be holding hands with two other people. You have now created a human knot. Their task is to untangle the knot without letting anyone in the circle go!

Sound Off

Write out cards with the name of one animal on each. Make two cards for each animal. Hand out a card to each participant, making sure that pairs of animals are distributed. Arrange the participants in a circle. Explain that they are to make the sound of the animal on their card to find the other animal of their species. No talking is allowed. Once they find their partner, they are to stand by them. Participants can also be blind-folded and/or groups of more than two animals can be produced by making more cards for each animal.

Significant Stories

Ask each participant to relate a story about a significant experience involving nature, animals, trees, etc.

Human Scavenger Hunt

Have participants go on a “tree” or “wild” human scavenger hunt using one of the lists included here. The object is to find other students who fit the criteria and have them sign their names on the appropriate line. This is a good way for participants to find out interesting, and often little-known information about others in the group, relating to wildlife and forestry.

“Tree” People

Directions: Try to have at least one person sign their name after each statement. Each person cansign your sheet only once.

1.Has a treehouse___________________________________________________________

2.Has hugged a tree_________________________________________________________

3.Uses live Christmas trees____________________________________________________

4.Likes to sit by a fire________________________________________________________

5.Can name Iowa’s state tree__________________________________________________

6.Lives in a wood house______________________________________________________

7.Recycles paper, plastic and glass_______________________________________________

8.Ate a tree product today_____________________________________________________

9.Has a windbreak on his/her property___________________________________________

10.Can name three (3) kinds of trees that grow in Iowa________________________________

11.Can name three (3) products from Iowa forests__________________________________

12.Has been to a savannah_____________________________________________________

13.Planted a tree in the last year_________________________________________________

14.Has counted the rings on a tree_______________________________________________

“Wild” People

Directions: Try to have at least one person sign their name after each statement. Each person can sign your sheet only once.

1.Has a valid hunting or fishing license__________________________________________

2.Can identify two (2) species endangered in Iowa___________________________________

3.Recycles_________________________________________________________________

4.Has contacted a government official about a wildlife issue_________________________

5.Has held a snake__________________________________________________________

6.Has a bird banding license___________________________________________________

7.Enjoys wildlife photography_________________________________________________

8.Can name a wildlife book they have read_______________________________________

9.Has watched a squirrel conquer a “squirrel proof” bird feeder_______________________

10.Has seen a bald eagle nest___________________________________________________

11.Can identify at least two (2) animals by their tracks_______________________________

12.Has seen a live moose in the wild_____________________________________________

13.Landscapes their yard for wildlife_____________________________________________

14.Has watched a predator catch its prey__________________________________________

WILD or PLT Activities

Activities from the guides also can be modified to serve as ice breakers. The advantage to using an activity from one of the guides is that it gives participants more contact time with the materials. Some possible activities include: WILD - “Animal Charades”   WILD Aquatic - “Are You Me?;” “Fashion a Fish”   PLT -“Peppermint Beetles;” “We All Need Trees”

Classroom Animals
Animals can be a wonderful resource to enhance learning and understanding in the classroom. Many children today have limited exposure to wildlife and animals. Having an animal in the classroom allows children to observe and study an animal first hand. It allows for the observation of animal life cycles, and behaviors. Classroom animals also teach students responsibility as they care for the needs of the animal. It teaches students to treat animals with respect, understand their needs and meet those needs.

Classroom animals must be chosen with care. Considerations:

-Safety of your students is first and foremost, chose an animal that is appropriate for the age-level of your students.

-Consider the needs of the animal and whether or not you and your class will be able to provide what the animal needs.

-Keep in mind the logistics of keeping a classroom animal. Is it an animal that can be left at school during weekends? What is the plan for holidays? Who is going to provide vet care if the need arises?

-Is there a permit required to obtain and/or keep your chosen animal? What are the regulations of your school district? (For example, in Iowa, you may collect and keep tadpoles and frogs if you have a valid fishing license. Research your state laws and regulations before you obtain any animal.)

Fish, frogs, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and small mammals are common classroom pets. Also consider ant farms, worm farms, and insects. Consider having an “observation” tank or aquarium that can house various animals through the year on a revolving basis. For example, use it to observe grasshoppers for a week in the fall, spiders during the winter, and tadpoles in the spring.

Links

Animals in the Classroom: An On-line Guide for Teachers

http://petsinclass.com/

Pets in the Classroom (offers grants to help pay for pet supplies for classroom pets)

http://www.petsintheclassroom.org/

Pet Smart: Teacher’s Guide to Classroom Pets

http://promotions.petsmart.com/landing/teachers-guide/

Back to School with Nature

It is that time of year again – back to school time! As children are picking out new backpacks and sneakers teachers are preparing themselves and their classrooms for another year filled with growing and learning.

This year, as you are preparing your classroom for the new school year, try to incorporate nature into the overall design and layout of your room. There are many ways that you can create a nature-themed classroom.

Classroom Design

Choose a nature-theme for your classroom and incorporate in throughout. Your theme can change as the seasons change. Or your theme can simply be “nature” and incorporate nature in various forms throughout your classroom. Use it for bulletin boards, newsletters home, nametags for students, and cubby spaces. Base centers on nature, encourage students to share stories, objects and/or pictures based on nature. Display their contributions in your classroom.

Fill your classroom with living things such as plants, fish tanks, ant farms, worm farms etc… Set up bird feeders outside your classroom windows for children to observe daily. Plant seeds (bean, sunflowers or other easily grown plants) together as a class and watch them grow.

Centers

As you prepare centers for the new school year set up a center or table for nature objects. This is a center that can change as the season’s change. At the beginning of the school year you can have objects such as flowers, and leaves. As the year progresses into autumn you could have pumpkins, apples, fall leaves, etc… Encourage children to bring in natural objects that they find as well, such bird nests that have fallen from trees, cool looking rocks or sticks that they find. Allow children to look at, touch, smell, etc…the objects.

Nature objects are great for sensory tables as well. Leaves crunch, moss is soft, rabbit fur is fluffy. Check with your local County Conservation Board for various natural items that they may be able to loan you.

Outside Play

Plan outside time for students into your day every day as weather allows. Think of your outside play area as an extension of your classroom. Have a place for children to play with dirt, sand, sticks and other natural objects. If you do not have an “outdoor classroom” you can still incorporate nature into your outdoor play area. Sandboxes can be filled with sand, dirt, or nature objects (or even mud!). Logs can be brought in for children to climb on, sit on, build a fort beside, or even to peel the bark off to look for insects.

You can plant flowers, seeds, even small trees in pots and create your own “natural” setting. Put our bird feeders for children to watch birds eat. Provide children with binoculars, magnifying glasses and other “explorer gear” during outside time. Remember that children are fascinated by even the smallest insect they find!

County Conservation Boards

As you are preparing your school year remember what a wonderful resource you have in your local County Conservation Board. CCB Naturalists are usually more than happy to come into your classroom and present programs on various subjects. They often also have access to wildlife that have been injured, rehabilitated and are used for education purposes, such as snakes, salamanders, and owls. They can also bring in animals furs, owl pellets, animal bones, and many other nature and wildlife items.

Our Outdoor Explorations for Early Learners blog is getting a makeover! Starting in August we will be rolling out a new format for our blog postings. We will be posting weekly blogs based on a theme for the month.

Augusts’ theme is “Back to School with Nature”, every week we will have a new tip and/or activity for incorporating nature in your classroom. Check back for nature-based ice breaker games for the first days of school, nature objects for centers and sensory tables, classroom setup ideas, and more!

In September look for ways to develop your students observations skills with nature hikes, scavenger hunts, journaling, and other observation activities.

We are excited about the changes coming and hope that you will join us on this new blogging journey!

Water!

Water is everywhere. It surrounds us in the environment – flowing in oceans, lakes, and streams and falling from the sky in rain, snow and hail. Water is essential for life on Earth and makes up approximately 60% of our own bodies.

Children have experiences with water daily: they bathe in it, drink it, play with it, see it as rain and snow, and observe rivers and ponds. Children are naturally drawn to water and love to play in it – pools, sprinklers, water tables, rain puddles, you name it and kids will play in it!

Let’s explore water further!

It’s time to explore water as a class. Set up an outdoor water center. Use a water table if you have one available. Other containers that hold water can work as well. While children are playing and experimenting with “what happens when?” they will be developing and using basic science skills.

Water center supplies:

Buckets and other containers of various sizes and shapes (drill holes in the sides of a few so children can observe how the water “shoots” out)

Tubing of various sizes and shapes

Water wall (pieces of plastic coated wire shelving made to stand on side like a wall, tubing can be passed through and supported by wall)

Plastic connectors

Simple hand pumps

Funnels

Turkey basters, eye droppers, and other squirting tools

Paintbrushes

Various objects of different materials (wood, metal, paper, plastic etc…for children to observe what sinks/floats)

Food coloring

Any other containers, objects etc… that will allow children to experiment with the properties of water and how it changes, passes from one object to another, and make other observations

Questions to ask children (these are only a place to start):

How can you move water through the tubes?

What will happen if you put the wood (or other object) in the water?

How will a funnel help water get into the tube?

Why does ___ sink/float?

What happens when you put a drop of water on the pavement? The grass? Sand? A piece of paper? Why is it different for each?

What happens when you add food coloring to water?

What happens if you mix colors?

Encourage children to share their observations and ideas.  Take pictures of children as they play and experiment. Share their pictures and observations with the class. Allow children time to openly explore the water. After they have had time to openly explore the water focus their exploration with eye droppers, tubing, questions, challenges (i.e. Can you get the water into the tube?), and observations for them to explore.

Field trip:

Plan a trip to a local pond, or creek to observe water. Visit a water fountain and watch the water. Take advantage if it rains and take children on a walk to splash and play in rain puddles (after or during a rain shower).

For more information use Exploring Water with Young Children by Ingrid Chalufour & Karen Worth.

Book List

Amos, W.H. 1981. Life in Ponds and Streams. National Geographic Society.

Arnosky, J. 2008. The Brook Book: Exploring the Smallest Streams. Penguin Young Readers Group.

Base, G. 2001. The Water Hole. Harry N Abrams, Inc.

Branley, F.M. 1997. Down Comes the Rain. HarperCollins Children's Books.

Brimner, L.D. 1999. Raindrops. Scholastic Library Publishing.

Dewey, J.O. 1987. At the Edge of the Pond. Little, Brown & Company.

DK Publishing. 2007. Water Everywhere. DK Publishing, Inc.

Edom, H. 2007. Science with Water. EDC Publishing.

Fleming, D. 1993. In the Small, Small Pond. Henry Holt and Co.

Fourment, T. 2004. My Water Comes from the Mountains. Roberts Rinehart Publishers.

George, L.B. 1996. Around the Pond: Who's Been Here? Greenwillow Books.

George, W.T. 1988. Beaver at Long Pond. Greenwillow Books.

Giesecke, E. and A. Royston. 2002. Pond Plants. Heinemann Library.

Greenfield, E. and J.S. Gilchrist. 1999. Water, Water. HarperCollins Publishers.

Hooper, M. The Drop in My Drink: The Story of Water on Our Planet. Viking Press.

Jango-Cohen, J. 2005. Why Does It Rain? Lerner Publishing Group.

Jarnow, J. and E. Hathon. 2000. Splish! Splash! Penguin Group, Inc. (USA).

Kerley, B. 2006. A Cool Drink of Water. National Geographic Society.

Kosek, J.K. 2003. What's inside Lakes? Rosen Publishing Group, Incorporated.

Kurtz, J. 2000. River Friendly, River Wild. Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Kurtz, J., C. Kurtz and L. Christiansen. 2002. Water Hole Waiting. HarperCollins Publishers.

Locker, T. 2002. Water Dance. Harcourt Children's Books.

Luenn, N. 1994. Squish!: A Wetland Walk. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

Olien, R. 1999. Splish Splash Science, Grades 1-3: Learning about Water with Easy Fun-Filled Activities. Scholastic, Inc.

Petersen, C. 2004. Water Power. Children's Press (CT).

Pluckrose, H. 2001. Water. Gareth Stevens Audio.

Pratt-Serafini, K.J. 2001. Salamander Rain: A Lake & Pond Journal. Dawn Publications.

Rauzon, M.J. 1995. Water, Water Everywhere. Sierra Club Books for Children.

Rosinsky, N.M. 2002. Water: Up, Down, and All Around. Capstone Press.

Schuh, M.C. 2002. What Are Lakes? Capstone Press.

Seuling, B. 2000. Drip! Drop!: How Water Gets to Your Tap. Holiday House, Inc.

Swanson, D. 2005. Wonder in Water. Annick Press, Limited.

Tresselt, A.R. 1990. Rain Drop Splash. HarperCollins Publishers.

Waldman, N. 2003. Snowflake: A Water Cycle Story. Millbrook Press.

Wells, R.E. 2006. Did a Dinosaur Drink This Water? Albert Whitman & Company.

Weininger, B. and A. Moller. 2003. Precious Water. North-South Books.

Wyler, R. 1990. Puddles and Ponds: An Outdoor Book. Silver Burdett Press.

Links

Investigating Water

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/eecd/Domains%20of%20Child%20Development/Science/Investigating_water_508checked.pdf

Water Play – Better Kid Care

http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/angelunits/onehour/waterplay/waterlesson.html

Explore Water

http://www.peepandthebigwideworld.com/guide/pdf/peep-guide-water.pdf

Science in Early Childhood Classrooms: Content and Process

http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/beyond/seed/worth.html