Hear That? Nature Calls!

In a concrete jungle of nearly 8.5 million people, nature walks are often a rarity. But they’re a great way to get kids out of the classroom and into the great outdoors, whether it be on school grounds or at a local park! Nature walks give kids opportunities to learn more about science, geography and art, and are a fantastic way to observe plants and animals. Use this as a reason to take your class on an outdoor expedition through a nearby green space.

Put on your park ranger hat and guide your little voyagers in a nature observation by asking questions like: What do you see down low on the ground? What do you see up high toward the sky? What colors do you see and what sounds do you hear? How do these observations make you feel?

After you’ve finished your outdoor exploration, head back into the classroom and have a class discussion about what the kids experienced. As they’re describing their outdoor adventures, scribe words you hear, especially words or phrases that describe exactly what they saw (e.g. green leaves, tall trees, fluffy clouds). Using your students’ experience and the list of scribed words, play alongside your students to create a “Celebration of Nature” dance in which everyone embodies different things found in nature and tells the story of their great, fun, playful outdoor expedition!

To support this unit, use the Activity Going Wild with Morning Routines.