The following can be developed into nature walk
activities---K-3
1. color of nature---have students graph colors that the
see in the woods
2. get to know a tree--students are blindfolded, taken to a
tree. They are asked to use their sense of touch/smell/hearing
to learn all they can about their tree. They are then led back
to the central starting point, blindfolds are taken off, and
they are asked to find their tree.
3. Discuss how animals are suited to live in their
environment. How they deal with seasons(fur/hibernating,
migrating....) Have students build a "mouse house" from
materials found in the area. Breaking of sticks is not allowed
nor is removing plant material from a living plant. By the
way, a mouse house is about the size of their fist.
4. How coloring helps animals -- each student is given a white
polar bear and a green frog to place in the habitat. Students
are then asked to locate all frogs and bears. If your woods
is green--the frogs should be the hardest to locate
(protective coloration)
5. how coloration helps animals locate an animal like them.
Have each student color two butterflies exactly alike. They
place one butterfly on plants or the ground. The second set
of butterflies are distributed. Each student must locate the
butterfly matching his/hers.
6. Build a food chain. Each student is given a card with
animal/plant/sun in the habitats food chain. Students must
not tell what they are, but through questioning place
themselves next to something they would need in the food
chain.(When I took part in this activity, we used sun, aspen
trees, beaver, hare, white tail deer, wolves.) There can be
more than one of each member of the chain....
How about a game time!!!Our first graders really enjoyed this attribute game:::
Each student thinks of animal to be(they stay this animal
through out the game.)
The captain calls out an attribute(four legs) and all animals
with four legs try to run to the opposite end of the area.
If they are tagged they turn into trees--must stay in place,
but are able to tag(without moving feet)for the next call.
On the second and all future calls animals run from both
directions---You can keep calling until one animal remains
(or some predetemined number)and then start again. Captain
calls a new attribute and students try to reach opposite
goals for the remainder of the game.
S.J.
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