Exploring Nature - Teacher Link

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Exploring Nature

by Cristina Latici, M.S.Ed.
Free-lance Writer and Former Teacher

Nature presents kids with opportunities to discover shapes, colors, and patterns; observe transformations and growth; and gain an appreciation for ecology. It also invites them to get physically involved with their investigations — an important aspect of how young children learn and a way to help sharpen all of their senses. Here are some easy ways to enhance your child's nature explorations.

Talk about the weather.
Sun, snow, rain, and clouds — there's no stopping the weather or the discussions it can generate. Trace your child's shadow at different times of the day so she can learn how to tell time by the sun's shifting angles. Try catching snowflakes on a piece of black felt or velvet for close inspection under a magnifying glass. Weathervanes, pinwheels, and kites can all be used to study wind and movement. Using a thermometer and measuring cup, kids can record the temperature and rainfall over a period of time and then compare their data to the predictions of an almanac or local forecaster.

Ask, how does a garden grow?
Gardening is a project children can take charge of from start to finish. Whether in a single pot or on a little plot of land, planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting will introduce your child to a plant's life cycle while allowing him to care for a living thing. Sunflowers and beans grow quickly and are likely to hold kids' interest and boost their confidence. During the winter months, forcing bulbs in water allows children to observe both the growth of the flowers and the roots.
Go take a hike!
In the woods, at the beach, even just outside your door, there's a bustling world of creatures hard at work. Keep close watch of an anthill, bird's nest, spider's web, or an overturned rock to learn how insects and animals gather food and seek shelter. Use treasures left on shore by the ocean's tide to inspire questions about waves and currents. Compare shells, rocks, leaves, or pinecones, but keep collecting to a minimum. Help kids understand that everything they see has a purpose - a shell may be someone's home, an acorn the start of a huge oak tree — and encourage your child to draw what she can't take with her.
Gaze up at the night sky.
The daily revolutions of the sun and moon create dramatic changes in the sky and provide a concrete way to help children learn about time and the calendar. Keep track of the moon's phases, recording its shape, changing light, and when it rises and sets. While many children are frightened by the dark, you can gently point out all the beauty that emerges at night. Wait for fireflies to light the sky with their magical glow, or attract fluttering white moths with a flashlight.

By examining a small patch of nature, children can broaden their awareness of the world, learning how different creatures and plants grow and live. And because nature is full of movement, change, and surprises, it provides an endless discussion resource that you can use to help kids develop clear speaking and listening skills. When you study nature with kids, you can give them a head start on scientific thinking while helping them develop an appreciation for the beauty and wonder in the world around them.