Nature Journaling

LOOK DOWN! Just step outside and the world awaits! Before you step out consider taking a few things to help you explore the land you walk on. Bring a journal and a pen/pencils/ or crayons to make journal drawings. If you can find a magnifying glass this will help you look more closely. Perhaps you can bring a small container to sample the soil and test it later. Stop and look down. What are standing on ? Is it a human made material or is it a natural material. How does walking on concrete feel compares to walk on a trail in the forest. Take a closer look around you. Perhaps sit on the ground. Remain very quiet, what do you see? perhaps it is something in the dirt, or mud, or sand, or on a stone? Perhaps something flies into your view and lands on the earth. Is it a bird looking to pick a juicy worm? Is it an ant carrying something home? Is it a beetle walking around looking for something to eat? Take pictures or make texture rubbing and draw what you see. Perhaps if you brought a spoon or a too for digging, you might dig a little deeper. Perhaps you brought a soil testing kit so that you can better understand what minerals and nutrients there are in the soil. Do you see any plants? Take a look at the Soil Journey and the Soil Organisms Worksheet and see how many producers, decomposers, predators, and consumers there are where you are sitting. Take a look at Nature Journaling and make some journal entries you can share with others.

Become interested in so many careers just by looking down!!