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AGE LEVEL = 9-11 (7-12)
DURATION = 20-30 min.
LEARNING STATION = Outdoors
RELATED ACTIVITIES = ←→ Dozen Touches
←→ A Woodland Scavenger Hunt
WHEN =
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UNDERSTANDING: There are a variety
of colors, forms, textures and organisms in any outdoor site.
MATERIALS:
For each pair of children:
PREPARATION: Select a site where
collecting small samples of leaves, rocks and so on is possible.
Prepare envelopes.
LESSON:
Warm-up: Gather in a sharing circle.
Divide the group into teams of two, point out the boundaries and
hand out the envirolopes.
Activity: Allow 15 minutes for the
children to find samples that fit into their envelopes.
Circulate among the teams and offer encouragement and
suggestions if needed.
Wrap-up: Return to a sharing circle
and ask each team to share their findings. Use the collections
as a starting point to talk about patterns, coloration and so
on.
OPTIONS AND FURTHER EXPLORATIONS:
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If collecting samples is a
problem, give the children paper and crayons and ask #them
to draw pictures of the objects they see.
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Repeat the activity using the
same challenges, at a different site, or at a different time
of the year. Compare the results and discuss similarities
and differences.
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Use the collections to make a
collage.
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Instead of writing the
challenges on the outside of the envelopes, write them on a
piece of paper kept inside, so each team keeps its challenge
a secret. When the group regathers, pass the envelopes
around and try to guess what the challenges were, based on
the samples collected.
ENVIROLOPES CHALLENGES
Here is a list of suggested challenges. Find…
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five differently shaped leaves.
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examples of at least five
different textures.
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examples of at least five
different odors or smells.
-
at least five samples of the
same object, each of a different color.
-
at least five objects with
different shades of the same color.
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at least five different kinds of
evidence of an animal’s presence.
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at least five different kinds of
evidence of a human’s presence.
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at least five different kinds of
rocks.
These are just some examples. Create
more, or better yet, encourage the kids to create their own
challenges!
