The purpose of this unit is to present students with methods to make observations through connecting with their natural world. The unit will take students through an introductory routine that prompts them to synthesize their thinking into statements of wonder and driving questions.
The human connection with the natural world is in peril, and it is my hope that through nature journaling, participating youths can foster a relationship with nature rather than pass through it.
Through the practice of nature journaling, students will be writing, diagramming, and drawing to introduce and practice the skill of observation. This unit is designed to be facilitated in the outdoors and offers advice in achieving this. It also provides an opportunity for students to express themselves in a way that combines art, writing, and science. While written to be facilitated in a high school setting, this unit is also suitable for middle and upper elementary school students.
(Developed for Aqua Biology, grade 10; recommended for Biology, grade 10; Environmental Science, grades 9-12; Phychem, grade 9; and Life Science, grades 7-8)
