1.
Scavenger Hunt
Oftentimes in a
scavenger hunt, objects are hidden throughout the search area and the
children then search out these items. However, instead of looking for
pre-hidden objects, students can look for plants, animals, and objects
found in nature. For example, this ‘Nature Scavenger Hunt Grid’ sets
out some basic things to look for such as water, a spider web, and bark.
Use this Bingo sheet created by our Michigan PLT state program, or
you could also create your own grid or checklist suited to a particular
grade level or topic.
Subjects: Science
Grades: K-6
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 23—The Fallen Log
Family Activity:
The Fallen Log (in English and Español): Discover microhabitats,
communities, and diverse life by observing fallen logs.
Smartphone Video Demonstration:
The Fallen Log, thanks to Maine PLT.
2. Collect Art Supplies
Not only could students look
around their surroundings for artistic inspiration on nature walks, they
could collect objects to be included in a piece of art, such as pieces of
bark, dried leaves, seed pods or sticks (make sure you do your research
on plants in your area so you’re sure what you collect is safe to use).
Subjects: Art
Grades: K-3
Educators:
PLT’s Early Childhood Guide: Activity 1—The Shape of Things
Family Activity:
The Shape of Things (in English and Español): Children search for
the shapes and colors that are found in both natural and built
environments.
Smartphone Video Demonstration:
The Shape of Things, thanks to Maine PLT
3. Seed Collecting
Get students to gather a collection of seeds from a wooded area. They
can drag an old blanket or fuzzy cloth behind them on the ground. They
can place a large, old, wool sock over hands or shoes to see what they
can pick up. Or they can wear bracelets made of masking tape (sticky
side out), to hold the seeds they find. Have children examine their seed
collections and invent a system for sorting or classifying them. Explain
that plants have developed many different methods of seed dispersal,
to ensure the success of their species.
Subjects: Science
Grades: K-6
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 43—Have Seeds, Will Travel
o STEM: Have Seeds, Will Travel. Whether floating on the air,
getting carried by animals, or catching waves, plants use
many techniques to send their seeds far and wide.
Family Activity:
Have Seeds, Will Travel (in English and Español): Observe, collect,
and classify plant seeds.
4. Dip Netting
Local ponds, swamps, and dams are teeming with microorganisms and
bugs. Why not take some dip nets and magnifying glasses with you on
your nature walk? Stop at these ponds and allow children to do some
dip netting to see what sort of critters live in the ponds. Students could
also pick different environments during their nature walks and make
observations on sunlight, soil moisture, temperature, wind, water flow,
plants, and animals in each.
Subjects: Science
Grades: K-6
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 48—Field, Forest, and Stream
o Student Worksheets (in English and Español)
Family Activity:
Field, Forest, and Stream (in English and Español): Compare
different environments to understand how nonliving elements
can influence living elements within an ecosystem.
5. Investigate Local Watersheds
Forests provide a variety of
ecosystem services and help to maintain a clean and plentiful water
supply. Older students may want to explore the connection between
forests and watersheds, and evaluate the extent to which their own
community’s water supply is affected by forests and forest
management.
Subjects: Science
Grades: 9-12
Educators:
PLT’s high school module Focus on Forests: Activity 6—Forest
to Faucet
o Student Worksheet
6. Plant and Animal Observation, Identifying
and Cataloging
One of the best things to do on a
nature walk is to simply observe what nature has to offer. With an app
such as iNaturalist, students can record, catalog and share what they
have found. The app also facilitates connection with thousands of
scientists to help users identify the species they have observed. With
other apps such as Leafsnap or the online tree identification field
guide from the Arbor Day Foundation, students can also identify the
trees and plant species in their area.
Subjects: Science
Grades: K-6
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 64—Looking At Leaves
o Student Worksheets (in English and Español)
Family Activity:
Looking at Leaves (in English and Español): Take a closer look at
leaves, their characteristics, and how they can be used to identify
plants.
Smartphone Demonstration:
Looking At Leaves, thanks to Alabama PLT
7. Fun Math
You could time your nature walks, work out the distance, and calculate
your average speed on your walk. Another great activity is to have
students measure trees in different ways to get familiar with a tree’s
scale and structure. These activities will add a new element to nature
walks!
Subjects: Science, Mathematics
Grades: 3-8
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 67—How Big is Your Tree?
o Student Worksheets (in English and Español)
Family Activity:
How Big is Your Tree? (in English and Español): Measure trees in
different ways and become familiar with tree scale and structure.
Smartphone Video Demonstration:
How Big is Your Tree?, thanks to South Carolina PLT.
8. Cartography Exercises
Students can construct
detailed maps as they explore. During their walk, they can note the
tracks, rivers, landmarks, or other unique natural features. These maps
could even be given to other students in different grade levels to
facilitate exploration activities, such as a treasure hunt. You can vary
this activity’s difficulty level by changing what students are required to
map. For example, older kids could include topographical information,
scales, and grid lines, to name a few.
Subjects: Geography
Grades: 9-12
Educators:
PLT’s high school module Places We Live: Activity 3—Mapping
Your Community Through Time
o Student Page: Maps and Map Features
9. Adopt a Tree
Have
children pick a nearby tree that is special to them and spend time
observing and learning about the tree. Get them to “adopt” their tree
and keep a journal (you could use this Adopt a Tree Journal template
developed by Minnesota PLT) to record and analyze information they
collect over time. Use it to help children really get to know about that
special tree in their lives on nature walks over the course of a school
year, or a semester.
Subjects: Science, Mathematics
Grades: K-8
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 21—Adopt a Tree
o Student Checklist of notes and drawings for a journal
(in English and Español)
o Adopt a Tree Certificate (in English and Español)
Family Activity:
Adopt a Tree (in English and Español): Deepen awareness of
individual trees over time and develop a greater understanding of
the environment.
Smartphone Demonstration:
Adopt a Tree, thanks to Virginia PLT
10. Planting Trees
If you’re exploring
environmental issues and sustainability, this is often a go-to activity for
Earth Day and Arbor Day.
Subjects: Science
Grades: K-12
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 31—Plant a Tree
o Student Worksheets (in English and Español)
o STEM: Plant a Tree. There is much to know before planting
a tree. These STEM lessons help students learn how to plant
the right tree in the right place.
Family Activity:
What Tree Should I Plant? Use a free online tool to select the
best trees to plant near your home.
11. Have a Picnic
If you’re able to extend your time outdoors, having a snack or meal is a
great way to take a break while you’re exploring the outdoors. Use the
opportunity to enjoy some bird watching or talk with children about
what they have seen and learned. Or if they have taken photos, take
some time to share and discuss them as a class.
Subjects: Science, Art
Grades: K-9
Educators:
For younger children, explore PLT’s Early Childhood guide for
ideas around “Enjoying Snacks Together”
12. A Big Clean Up
It’s a great idea to take some big garbage bags along with you on your
walk and pick up some trash if you see it lying around. This can be a
segue into some Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Lesson Ideas. Many of these
hands-on project ideas can be adapted for any grade.
Subjects: Science
Grades: K-10
Educators:
PLT’s PreK-8 Guide: Activity 37—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle will
help students learn a lot about how and why people throw things
away.
Family Activity:
Reuse and Recycle At Home (in English and Español): Use this
chart to analyze how you currently dispose of items and ways you
can reduce waste, reuse items, recycle, and compost.
