Improving Observation Skills using Nature Journaling for primary school children

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Improving Observation Skillsusing Nature
Journalingfor primary school children
(and ourselves and others!!!)
Northern California Botanists ConferenceJanuary
12, 2010Carol W. Witham
www.vernalpools.org
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Kids need to connect with natureand learn
scientific observation skills

• Nature deficit disorder
• We need to heal the broken bond betweenour
  children and the natural world
• Analytical observation skills
• Too much dependence on canned opinionand too
  little reliance on personal and empirical
  observation
• Drawing, writing and other traditional skills
• Communication is more than MySpace, FaceBook,
  YouTube, texting and email

www.vernalpools.org
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A very brief retrospectiveon successful
place-based science education

• Sacramento Splash
• Watershed curriculum based on the vernal pool
  ecosystem and its plants and animals
• MAD Plants
• 3rd graders in Orange County learn how plants
  must move, adapt or die in response to
  environmental conditions
• Other notable environmental education programs
• The Private Eye, Project Learning Tree, CalAlive!
  and many, many others

www.vernalpools.org
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Sacramento Splashan elementary curriculum based
on vernal pools
www.vernalpools.org
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Splash - 12 years and still growingmajor
accomplishments and stumbling blocks

• 15,000 Sacramento area students have explored the
  magic and mystery of vernal pools
• Several Splash alumni are now doing their
  graduate research work on vernal pools
• New programs have been added
• Exploring exporting the curriculum to other
  locations
• Fiscal realities
• This program costs 180,000 per year

www.vernalpools.org
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Other nature education programshighlights and
drawbacks

• MAD Plants
• Students design a native plant garden and learn
  how plants must move, adapt or die as conditions
  change
• The Private Eye
• Uses 5x loupes to focus observations
• The Learning Tree
• Brings the environment into the classroom
• CalAlive!
• Explores Californias biodiversity though
  multimedia CDs

www.vernalpools.org
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A new CNPS education initiativeNature journaling
focused on plants

• A collaborative effort with John Muir Laws
• Components include
• Alignment with teaching standards
• Web videos of how to draw plants
• Lesson plans with web videos of the lessons in
  action
• Can be used by
• Teachers
• Scout leaders
• Park rangers
• Nature area docents

www.vernalpools.org
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Nature journalingwhat is it and why is it
important

• Uses drawing and writing to hone observation
  skills
• It is not about making pretty pictures
• It is about accurately documenting observations
• Childrens drawing skills change at about 7-8
  years of age
• Symbolic drawing is replaced by representational
  drawing
• Kids decide early if they are good at drawing or
  not
• This is an outdoor activity
• Can be used anywhere there are plants to be
  observed

www.vernalpools.org
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Nature journalingwhat is it and why is it
important
www.vernalpools.org
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Modular lesson plansgood for a single event or
all year long

• Secret plant scavenger hunt
• Observation Olympics
• Comparisons and contrasts
• Making a field guide
• Plant timelines
• Zoom in, zoom out
• Natures treasure map

When we try to pick out anything by itself we
find it hitched to everything else in the
universe. John Muir My First Summer In the
Sierra
www.vernalpools.org
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Secret plant scavenger huntlearning disguised as
a game

• This an excellent beginning exercise in
  journaling
• Students are challenged to document a single
  plant in sufficient detail so that a partner can
  find the exact plant
• Requires the student to really look at the plant
  and not just draw a symbolic representation of
  the plant
• Minute details such as insect herbivory or odd
  petal shape become important to observe and
  record
• Drawers are encouraged to write descriptive
  observations
• Writers are encouraged to add sketches to their
  descriptions

www.vernalpools.org
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Secret plant scavenger huntlearning disguised as
a game

• Then the partner looks for the plant based on the
  journal sketches and descriptions

www.vernalpools.org
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Observation Olympicsa team or competition
exercise

• Students explore the great variety and depth of
  observations that can be made of a single subject
• In the cooperative version, each student reports
  on what feature or features he or she found most
  interesting
• In the competitive version, students are asked if
  they think they recorded something that no one
  else observed
• Encourages building a complete observation record
• Students learn about how others viewed the object
  differently and thereby gain additional
  observational skills

www.vernalpools.org
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Comparisons and contrastsexplores variability
within a species

• Students find two specimens of the same species,
  and draw them side-by-side, noting differences
  between them
• By looking at two specimens of the same species,
  students are forced to observe more closely to
  find the differences
• Can be used to introduce the concepts of genetic
  and environmental variability
• Also explores the reason why species are
  described within ranges of size, shape, color,
  etc.
• A great way to explore variability with a species

www.vernalpools.org
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Making a collection or field guideJosies
favorite part of the project

• Students make a collection of illustrations and
  observations of local common plants (or leaves,
  bark, etc.)
• Students record a small part of local
  biodiversity and develop the basic skills to
  distinguish between species
• However it is not a field guide until names are
  associated with the journal pages
• Can be a place to begin a discussion of common
  names versus scientific names
• The education and outreach benefits are unlimited

www.vernalpools.org
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Plant timelinesor to us botanists, understanding
phenology

• Students record observations of a single plant
  over time

www.vernalpools.org
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Additional journaling lessonsgive students a
variety of skills

• Zoom in, zoom out
• Students begin to understand scale and the
  details apparent at a variety of observational
  scales
• The ant and the cat and the elephant as an
  example from Splash
• Natures treasure map
• College graduates from natural science fields can
  get lost in flatland even with north-south
  transmission towers running through the site
• Mapping creates a sense of belonging and
  connection with the environment

www.vernalpools.org
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Products and timelinesthis project is funded and
on the fast track

• Lesson plans standards alignment done
• How to draw flowers (web videos) Feb 2010
• Lessons in action (web videos) Apr 2010
• Field testing of lessons Apr 2010
• Roll out of program Jul 2010
• This will allow adoption of the program during
  the 2010-2011 school year
• Numerous CNPS chapters are in excellent positions
  to promote the program in school gardens that
  they have sponsored

www.vernalpools.org
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Closing thoughtsabout the programs importance
and timeliness

• The program will have a wide appeal in schools
  but also in many outdoor education program
• With the web videos and detailed lesson plans,
  very little instructor training will be required
• No one needs to be an expert or even know the
  names of plants
• The program will impart important observational
  and analytical skills that will have lifelong
  value regardless of the students future career
  path
• Everyone needs to learn to be a keen observer
  whether it be of nature or human behavior or
  economic trends

www.vernalpools.org
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Our testing grounds
www.vernalpools.org
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Questions and comments?
Carol W. Witham 1141 37th StreetSacramento, CA
95816(916) 452-5440 cwitham_at_ncal.net
www.vernalpools.org