CUR103- Outdoor Learning - HandoutWelcome to CUR103 This course is intended to help early childhood educators design and implement a comprehensive outdoorlearning curriculum. The “outdoor classroom” provides limitless learning opportunities and should beconsidered an integral and essential component of an effective early childhood program. Outdoor play andexploration can promote learning across all developmental domains and help ensure overall health,fitness, respect for the environment, positive social relationships, and readiness in academic subjectsincluding science, math, language arts, and much more! This course gives strategies for implementing anoutdoor learning curriculum with a particular focus on gardening.

Course Objectives:

By taking notes on the handout and successfully answering assessment questions, participants will meetthe following objectives as a result of taking this course:

Identify the benefits of outdoor learning with regard to physical, cognitive, social and emotionaldevelopmentIdentify reasons that teachers and parents sometimes prevent children from engaging in outdoorlearningDefine integrated learningIdentify strategies and methods for designing an outdoor classroomIdentify recommended practices for facilitating outdoor learningIdentify strategies for planning and conducting safe nature walksIdentify the benefits of gardening in the early childhood environmentIdentify strategies and techniques for getting children interested and engaged in gardeningIdentify advantages and disadvantages of various gardening methodsIdentify recommended practices for designing, maintaining, and protecting gardens in the earlychildhood environment

During this course, participants are expected to reflect and write about topics related to their ownlearning and teaching experiences in relation to course content.

References:

Shillady, Amy. Spotlight on Young Children and Nature. National Association for the Education of YoungChildren, Washington D.C. 2011.

4H children’s garden and Michigan State University: http://4hgarden.msu.edu/tour/29.html retrievedJanuary 27, 2015. Bucklin-Sporer, A. (2010). How to grow a school garden: A complete guide for Parents and Teachers.Timber Press: Portland, Oregon. California school gardening network (http://www.csgn.org/california ). Accessed January 27, 2015. Draznin, S. (1997). Simple cooking fun. Huntington Beach, California: teacher created materials. Garden hobbies: http://gardenhobbies.com/vegetables/pepper.html retrieved January 27, 2015. Hanneman, M., Hulse, P., Johnson, B., and Kurland, B. (2011). Gardening with Children. Brooklyn BotanicGarden. Helm, J. H.,Beneke, S. Steinheimer, K. (2007). Windows on learning: documenting young children’s work,2nd Ed. New York: Teachers College Press. Kalich, K., Bauer, D., and McPartlin, D. (2009). Early sprouts: cultivating healthy food choices in youngchildren. Red leaf press: St. Paul, MN. Kemper Center for Home Gardening: http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Alpha.asp?start=A&end=A retrieved January 27, 2015

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Kids gardening: https://kidsgardening.org. retrieved December 3, 2017. Louv, R. 2008. Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature deficit disorder. Chapel Hill, NC:Algonquin. Moore, R. (1993). Plants for play. Berkeley, California: M I G communications. Nimmo, J. (2002). Nurturing the spirit to teach: Commitment, community and emergent curriculum. Australian Journal of Early Childhood 27 (2): 8–12. Nimmo, J., and Hallet, B. (2008). Childhood in the Garden: A Place to Encounter Natural and SocialDiversity. Beyond the Journal • Young Children on the Web. Accessed: August 3, 2011.http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200801/pdf/BTJNatureNimmo.pdf. Noddings, N. 2005. The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education, 2nd Ed. NewYork: Teachers College Press. Sobel, D. 2004. Place-based education: Connecting classrooms and communities.Nature Literacy Series 4. Barrington, MA: The Orion Society. Starbuck, S., Olthof, M., Midden, K. (2009). Hollyhocks and honeybees: garden projects for youngchildren. Red leaf press: St. Paul, Minnesota. Starcher, A. (1998). Good bugs for your garden. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin books of ChapelHill. The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. http://www.chw.edu.au/parents/factsheets/poisonous_plants.htm.Accessed January 27, 2015. United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness maphttp://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html Accessed January 27, 2015. Walace, N. (2013). Planting seeds. Two Lions Publishing. Ward, S. (2012). Early years gardening handbook. Mark Allen Group. Waters, A. (2008). Edible schoolyard: a universal idea. Chronicle books: san Francisco, California. Wilson, R. (2012). Nature and young children: encouraging creative play and learning in naturalenvironments, 2nd Ed. Routledge: New York, New York. American Planning Association (2003). How Cities Use Parks to Help Children Learn. http://www.planning.org/cityparks/briefingpapers/helpchildrenlearn.htm. Accessed January 27, 2015 Arbor Day Foundation (2008). Learning with nature idea book: creating nurturing outdoor spaces forchildren. Field tested principles for effective outdoor learning environments. Arbor day foundation:Nebraska. Banning, W. and Sullivan, G. (2010). Lens on Outdoor Learning. St. Pau, Min: Redleaf Press. Cosco, N., Moore, R., and Islam, M. (2010). Behavior Mapping: A Method For Linking Preschool PhysicalActivity And Outdoor Design. Medicine & Science In Sports & Exercise: Pp 513-519. Faber Taylor, A. and Kuo, F. E. (2009) Journal of Attention Disorders, vol. 12, 5:pp. 402-409.http://jad.sagepub.com/content/12/5/402.abstract. Kernan, M.(2010). Outdoor affordances in early chidhood education and care settings: Adults’ andchildren’s perspectives. Children Youth and Environments 20(1). 152-177. Lester, S., & Russell. W. (2010). Children’s right to play: An examination of the importance of play in thelives of children worldwide. Working papers in: Early Childhood Development. Bernard van Leer Foundation Lewis, D. (2008). Flip flops, mulch and no coat. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/cchm-ffm050108.php. Accessed January 27, 2015. Little, H., Wyver, S. (2010). Outdoor Play: Does avoiding the risks reduce the benefits? Australian Journalof Early Childhood, 33(2) 33-40. Louv, R. (2006). Last Child in the Woods. Algonquin Books: Chapel hill, NC. Moore, R., Cosco, N., Kepez, O. and Demir, E. (2008). My Place by the Bay: Prepared Environments for

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Early Science Learning, Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM), Sausalito, California. Final report to theNational Science Foundation, project #0125740. http://naturalearning.org/my-place-bay-prepared-environments-early-science-learning Accessed January27, 2015 National association for sport and physical education (2011). Active Start: A Statement of Physical ActivityGuidelines for Children From Birth to Age 5, 2nd Edition. http://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/guidelines/activestart.cfm. Accessed January 27, 2015 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (1999). OECD thematic review of ECEC:Sweden reports. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Weaver, L. (2000). Learning Landscapes: Theoretical Issues and Design Considerations for theDevelopment of Children’s Educational Landscapes. Master’s Thesis. URN: etd-07212000-20040009.http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-07212000-20040009/. White, R. (2004). Young Children’s Relationship with Nature: Its Importance to Children’s Development &the Earth’s Future. White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group.

Many of today’s children are no longer able to spend time exploring the outside, natural world in the sameways previous generations did. This disconnect from the outdoors has been linked to such problems as_________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________ Research has shown that:

Being outdoors can involve ___________________________________; it doesn’t have to be viewed aseither/or. Children’s Disconnect from the Outdoors Why Don’t Teachers Send Children Outside? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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6. Why Outdoor Education Is Important

Use the space below to record important information from the course.

Define moderate activity:

Define vigorous activity:

Integrated Learning Teaching young children is a holistic process, which means: Leafy Learning: An Example of the Integrate Learning Approach Use the space provided to record examples of integrated learning through a simple outdoor activity. Physical Fitness Science Language Arts Math

Art

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Music Social and Emotional Development

Try This!Leaf ObservationTo relate children’s leaf collections to a hands-on science experiment, get four potted, full-sun plants ofthe same species. Put one out in the sun, put another inside by a window, put another in a dark corner,and put the fourth one outside but with a plastic bag over it. Ask children to make predictions about whatwill happen to each plant, and then make daily observations focusing on the condition of the leaves. It’sreally simple, and it’s really effective!

Outdoor Classroom Design Principles Dividing the Space The best play areas integrate manufactured play equipment with natural features such as: For young children, entering a space with distinct activity learning areas is: The first thing teachers can do when designing the outdoor classroom is to divide the space into specificareas. Each area is designed for a specific activity. Keep the following information in mind when designingthe areas:

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Recommended Activity Areas Use the space provided to record important information about each of the following outdoor activity areas. Entry Feature Open Area for Gross Motor Activities Climbing/Crawling Area

Messy Materials Area

Try This!‘Tis the SeasonProvide seasonal items in the messy area such as pumpkins, bails of hay, rakes, child-sized wheelbarrows,and other hand tools to reflect seasonal or curricular themes. Building Area Try This!Budding Architect HelpCreate two building areas next to each other. One site could have square/rectangular blocks and the otherorganic “tree blocks” made from pieces of tree branches, lumber scraps, and cut logs. Nature Art Area

Music/Movement Area Supplemental Areas Water Area

Try This!

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Water, Water Everywhere!

If using a water feature that re-circulates water, add large stones so the children can move themand experience water currents. Add sand to your water area. (However, adding water to the sandbox is not recommended.) Bring small buckets of water and large paint brushes outside encouraging children to “paint” withthe water on concrete or other hard surfaces. On warm days, this is a great lead in to the scienceprinciple of evaporation!

Dirt Digging

Sand

Wheeled Toys

Swings/Dynamic Equipment

Tip: Naming and Identifying the AreasIdentifying and naming the areas helps children remember the layout of the space and provides focus.Signage can also provide a link to literacy. Listen to the words the children use to describe the areas. Thephrase “Action Area,” instead of “Open Space,” may be more understandable and appealing.

Facilitating Techniques and Best Practices to Teach Children in the Outdoors

Facilitating Techniques Project Learning Tree proposes ten things to keep in mind when planning outdoor programs for youngchildren: 1. 2.

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3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Best Practices in Outdoor Learning There are several effective techniques (also known as “best practices”) teachers can use to improvelearning. Use the space provided to record important information about each technique. Begin with simple experiences

Bring nature inside on inclement days Outdoor learning should be a part of the regular program Allowing for individual differences Including time for unstructured play Celebrating achievements and milestones

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Nature Walks Introduction to Nature Walks

Before the Walk

During the Walk

After the Walk

Nature Walk Safety and ProceduresPlease use the space provided to record important safety information:

Gardens

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Importance of Creating Gardens

A Place for Play and Inquiry

A Place for Safe Risks

A Place that Lifts Teacher Expectations

A Place to Develop Diverse Relationships and Community

Creating Your Center’s Garden

How to Get Children Interested and Engaged You can capitalize on this natural curiosity by adding books about gardening to your class library:

The National Gardening Association has ideas for getting children interested in gardening atwww.kidsgardening.org:

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Involvement in the Planning Process There are two approaches when planning a garden:

Selecting the Site Use the space provided to record important information about assessing space for a garden. Accessibility Sun exposure Water access Soil quality

Drainage

Existing structures and utilities

Types of GardensPlan big, but start small.

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Plan big, but start small.

Different Types of Garden BedsUse the space provided to record important information about each type of garden.

In-Ground or Ground-Level Garden Try This!Sensory Soil TableCreate a sensory table to help the children learn about the different types of soil (clay, dirt, sand, etc.).Let the children add water and see how much each substance reacts. Record their findings. Then have thechildren dig the soil in the gardening area and compare it to what they’ve discovered. Try This!Draining ExperimentDig a hole 1 foot wide and 1 foot deep. Fill the hole with water. Watch the hole and see how long it takesfor the water to drain. If the water is still there in an hour, you have poor drainage!

Raised-Bed Garden Mounded-Bed Garden Container Garden

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Some possible containers include:

Milk cartons and plastic jugsBucketsPaper, plastic, or Styrofoam cupsOld bootsFlour or sugar sacksAn old aquarium (drain before planting)Egg cartonsWatering cansCoffee cansFood cartons (of the type you might get from a Chinese restaurant)Old car or tractor tires (works well for tomatoes, potatoes)Half−barrelsPlastic swimming (“kiddy”) poolsDamaged canoe or other small boatOf course, you can also purchase pots from your local nursery

The main advantage of using container gardens is… Additionally…

General Planting TipsUse the space provided to record important information about planting tips. Types of Gardens Use the space provided to record important information about different types of gardens.

Food Gardens

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Vegetable and fruit gardens Herb gardens Specialty food gardens Another great specialty garden is a cultural garden:

Try This!Fun Plants When choosing plants think about what you can do with them that will maintain the children’s interest.For example, gourds can be used for making bird houses and birdfeeders. Job’s Tears is a fun plant thatproduces bead−like seeds that children can string. Hollyhocks can be used to make Hollyhock dolls. Ahelpful book is Plants for Play (Moore, 1993). The book includes lists of plants that can be selected forfragrance, texture, wind effects, hiding places, play props, and many other attributes.

Bird and Butterfly Gardens Some flowers that attract butterflies and birds include:

Bee balmStaticeAlyssum

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PinksThymeBasilSageBlue SalviaRed salvia (great for attracting hummingbirds)PhlaxDaylilyClematisCockscombShasta daisy

Sensory Gardens Taste Garden Try This!Dealing with Invasive Plants

Some plants, such as Mints, tend to grow out of control and overrun parts of the garden. To avoid thisproblem, plant them in separate containers within the garden space. Dig a hole in the garden deepenough to hold the container. Place the container in the ground with about 1 inch sticking out above theground. This will keep the roots from spreading outside the container. Sound Garden Touch Garden Smell Garden

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Integration Gardens Rainbow garden:

What Garden is Right for your Region?Use the space provided to record important information about each topic. Plant selection Climate Temperature

Annual or Perennial Plants Plants to Avoid

Working with Children in the GardenUse the space provided to record important information about each topic. Planting

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Supervision Try This!Digging AreaSince children like to dig and explore, it helps to give them space where they can do this withoutdamaging the plants in the main garden. Earlier in the course, we discussed the advantage of creating adigging area. This area can be established beside the garden in a small plot where the children can dig,plant seeds, and dig up plants as much they like. This area can be labeled with a sign that reads “diggingarea.” Keep a container with hand tools and gardening gloves by the digging area so the children do notneed to ask the teacher for them.

Maintenance Maintaining moisture and reducing weed population Feeding the plants

Creatures of the garden After what is damaging the plants has been determined, decide what to do about it as a class. Thechildren should participate in this decision. Options include:

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Harvest Time Picking and cleaning

Try This!EstimateIncorporate math skills while harvesting by asking the children to estimate how many of whatever isharvested (for example, tomatoes) are in the bowl. Then count the actual number. The children can alsopredict the weight of the harvested crop (for example, a pumpkin), estimate the length of a harvestedcrop (for example, a carrot), and classify and sort while harvesting (for example peppers can be sortedinto piles of red and green).

Cooking Imaginative Garden Products Harvesting and saving seeds

Helpful hints Balancing the Gardening Curriculum into the Daily Routine Circle Time Story and Music Time What to do during cold weather Preventing Damage

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Preventing Damage To decrease the incidence of vandalism, follow these seven steps:

Additional Gardening Tasks Fall– Plant and harvest fall vegetable crops– Plant native and drought−tolerant plants– Save seeds from summer−blooming annuals and perennials– Gather leaves for composting– Remove summer crops– Plant spring−blooming bulbs– Plant cover crops– Mulch to provide protection against winter weather Winter– Plan the spring garden– Bring bulbs indoors– Grow indoor plants from cuttings– Obtain spring garden supplies– Plant bare−root trees– Start seeds indoors– Prune fruit trees and perennial shrubs Spring– Clean out winter debris– Prepare soil for planting– Transplant seedlings– Direct sow seeds– Harvest spring vegetables Summer– Plant summer vegetables or prepare garden for summer break– Schedule volunteers to help with summer care– Keep weeds under control– Deadhead flowers and harvest vegetables– Collect supplies for fall garden

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This is Job Aide for CUR103: Outdoor Learning. Here you will find numerous ideas

for “nature walks” and other activities. Browse through these activities now to gain a

sense of all the great ideas you can use, regardless of weather, setting, or location.

Types of Nature Walks

Weather Walks

Weather walks are an excellent chance for children (who are sensory driven) to explore

concepts and actively engage in the outdoors. There are typically four weather walks you

can do with the children: cold, hot, rainy, and windy days.

Cold Day weather-walk topics: • How cold affects plants and living creatures (Are leaves gone/shriveled? What

happens to people’s breath when it’s cold outside? What do animals do when it

gets cold [storage of fat, migrate, hibernate, grow more fur]).

• How do we know it is cold outside (frost, ice, bare trees, fewer wild creatures).

• How colors and light are different when it’s cold outside. Have the children

discuss what the colors of “cold” are (sky, trees, plants, ground, their

hands/faces).

• Allow children to use their sense of sight, hearing (as they walk on snow or frozen

grass, melting snow falling off the trees), smell (fires burning, chestnuts roasting)

and touch (is a mailbox colder than a tree branch? Can you tell how thick an ice

puddle is by touching it?), to make observations about the cold weather.

• Explore ice and/or snow: describe ice/snow; how doe it feel (cold, smooth,

slippery, slushy/heavy, light/fluffy)? What does it look like? What color is it?

Slide small toys/objects on the ice and explore why ice is slippery. What makes it

slippery? Does everything slide on ice (try leaves)? Have the children share

characteristics of the things that slide and do not slide on the ice.

• What do people do to have fun in the ice/snow? (build snow people, fort, snow

balls, sled, ski, snow angels, ice skate, curling [Canadian sport], ice sculptures,

etc.).

• Have children come up with descriptions of a cold day that they would tell

someone who lived in a warm climate all the time (like in the south where

children may not have played in snow before). Describe what a cold day sounds,

feels, and looks like.

• Look for tracks in the snow: animal (Can they tell what animal left them?); people

(Can they tell the difference between adult and children prints? How?); vehicle

(e.g. cars, snow plows, cross-country skier tracks)

Try This!

Cold weather activities

• Have children create pictures of things they learned or saw while on the walk

using only the “cooler” colors of winter/cold days.

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• For older children, create a three-dimensional project using metallic objects such

as wire, cellophane, foil, mirrored tile pieces, etc. to create frozen trees, ice, etc.

• Create a class thesaurus with “cold” as the first entry. How many other words can

the children come up with that is the same as “cold.”

• Create a weather station that includes ways to observe record and report weather

conditions.

• What do we wear when it’s cold? Discuss the fabrics (wool, fleece, flannel, faux

fur). Use fabric scraps when discussing the types of clothing allowing the children

to touch them.

• If it’s snowing, use black paper to catch snowflakes and take a close look at them.

.

Hot Day weather-walk topics: • How does the sun or shade affect how warm it feels? How about a breeze? Is it

warm or cool?

• Notice the effect of heat on materials (like heat rising off a car or street), objects

(how can they tell if something might be hot by looking at it), animals (dogs

panting, birds rolling in dirt) and vegetation. For example, bring items that melt

easily in the heat (e.g. ice cubes, chocolate) as well as items that won’t melt

(pebbles, small sticks). Discuss why items melt or do not melt.

• Experience different types of heat-related weather: dry, humid, windy, still.

• How do people respond to heat and how do they protect themselves (i.e.

sunscreen, protective clothing, sunglasses)?

• What sounds do they hear on a hot day (sprinklers, splashing in a pool, washing

cars).

• Pour water on the side walk to create puddles in the sun and in the shade. Use

sidewalk chalk to draw outlines of the puddles. Check the puddles throughout the

day and notice changes. Discuss which puddles are evaporating the quickest and

why.

• Point out colors that represent “hot.” Also talk about emotions when they think of

something “hot.” Create a list of the “hot” colors and re-assign names to them.

For example “to-hot-to touch red.”

• Have children come up with descriptions of a hot day that they would tell

someone who lived in a cold climate all the time. Describe what a hot day sounds,

feels, and looks like.

• How many words can the children come up with the word “sun” in it? Challenge

older children to come up with a poem or story with all the words they came up

with.

Try This!

Hot weather activities

• Create an “Opposites Book.” Raw items that are hot, and then items that are cold.

• Identify what’s hot and what’s not, either on the walk or in the classroom (as an

extension of the nature weather walk). Allow children to tape labels (e.g. “This is

HOT,” “This is NOT”) to the items or areas.

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Rainy Day weather-walk topics: • Notice the effects of rain.

• Learn about puddles and where they form.

• Observe where water goes and how it moves (e.g. what makes the water move).

• Float small items in a water source and experiment with sinking and floating.

Also use a feather that can float down a stream (like next to the curb). Place a

rock in the way of the feather and talk about ways to stop the water from flowing.

• Observe worms and why they come out when it rains.

• Talk about the importance of rain as well as why it rains and what would happen

if it didn’t rain.

• Search for and discuss rainbows.

• Talking about if anyone was caught in a rainstorm and what happened if they

were. Reassure the children that it’s okay to walk and play in soft rain.

• Take the time to smell the air and ask how does it smell different during and after

it rains. What do puddles, mud and flowers/plants smell like?

• Explore what the rain looks like as it falls. Talk about where the water goes after

it is on the ground.

• Look at rain drops on flowers and the leaves on trees.

• How are sounds in nature different when it rains? What does rain and thunder

sound like?

• What does rain taste like as it falls from the sky onto the children’s tongues? Can

they catch the rain in their cupped hands and taste the rain? Talk about what the

recipe for rain would be.

• What do different items feel like when they are wet?

• If conditions afford it, have the children walk in the wet grass or splash in puddles

in their bare feet. Talk about what it feels like.

Try This!

Rainy weather activities

• Make a pro and con chart about rain. Children can finish the sentences “I like rain

because…” and “I don’t like rain because…”

• Play a rhyming game using rainy weather vocabulary: rain, wet, mud, etc.

• Integrate a music component by allowing the children to play with (or make their

own) rain sticks, or hang rain bells near a window to listen to.

Windy Day weather-walk topics: • What are the signs of wind (leaves/branches moving [extension: Do they move at

the top or bottom of the tree? Why are some trees moving and other trees are not?

Do they bow more if they are out in the open or up against a building/wall?]; hair

blowing across their faces)?

• Notice how the wind moves and transports/moves things (e.g. leaves, dirt, seeds

(like dandelion, milkweed, cotton), paper, balloons, beach balls, sponge balls,

whiffle balls, rubber balls, streamers, parachutes, paper planes, smoke, rain,

hanging lights, clouds, bubbles). Using items of different weights can show the

children how wind affects the items (either by throwing or rolling into and with

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the wind). Record how the wind effected where the items went and how far they

traveled (integrates math/measurement concepts).

• Look for wind related items (weather vanes, kites, pinwheels, wind chimes, wind

socks). Talk about if the wind’s direction stays the same or changes and how they

know if the wind changes.

• Consider what wind is and how it is measured.

• Feel the wind from different directions. Can they “hide” from the wind?

• Listen to the wind. Hear the leaves rustling, items flapping, the wind whistling,

and wind chimes. When does sound change (become louder or softer)?

• Have the children imitate the sounds of the wind.

• Can they feel the wind (depending on how windy it is, have the children place

their fingers and thumb tightly together of one hand in a cupping position. Put the

hand in this position in a vertical position (palm up) to “catch” the air. Then

streamline by placing the cupped hand vertical to the ground. Talk about what

they feel and why it changes).

• Use, watch, record and discuss an anemometer to see how fast the wind is

blowing.

• Integrate art by having the children draw objects during different types of

weather. For example, what would a flower look like on a windy day, a hot day,

rainy day, cold day, etc.).

• Make a list of objects depending on wind: sailboats, hang gliders, kites,

windmills, wind turbines, wind surfing.

• Have children collect items on the walk that represent things the move through

the wind easily. Then collect things that have a hard time/do not move in the wind

so easily.

Environmental Walks

Young children are interested in the environment. They are curious about trees, plants,

and the wildlife that lives about them. Taking children on environmental nature walks to

see, observe, touch, smell and hear can help them learn more about these items. There are

four types of environmental walks: animals, trees, flowers, and ponds/creeks/streams.

Animal Walk topics: • Identify characteristics of animals in the classroom and search for them on the

walk (Like the red color of a cardinal, the orange breast on a robin, or listen for

the caw of a crow or the pecking of wood from a woodpecker and find it).

• Make a list of the animals they see on the walk. Are the animals tame or wild?

How do they know?

• List the physical characteristics of the animals including color and size. Are the

animals young or older (if the children see puppies, kittens)?

• Look for signs of animal life even if you can’t see the animals. Look for anthills,

nests, holes in trees, tracks in mud, etc.

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• Notice spiders and their webs, caterpillars, beetles, butterflies, worms, ants,

grasshoppers, praying mantis, etc. Use magnifying glass to look on leaves for

insect/spider eggs or other stages in the insect’s life cycle (like the shell of the

cicada or a snake skin shed).

• Abandoned wasps’ nests and honeycombs are great to touch and see. Use the time

to talk about homes and things (e.g. honey) that are made by insects.

Try This!

Animal activities

• Prior to the walk ask the children do any of them have pets at home. Discuss

where their pet stays, what they eat and if the pet goes outside. Introduce the idea

of domestic/tame animals and animals found in the wilderness. Have the children

think about what the wild animals eat and how they find food (extension: do they

have trouble finding food at different times of the year? How can we help during

these times?), where they live/sleep, what the animals do during the day, how do

they protect themselves, etc.

• Create an identification guide book of the animals they may see on the walk:

different types of birds, fowl, chipmunks, amphibians, lizards, worms, bugs,

insects, spiders, etc. Take the book on the walk and have the children check off

the animals they see as well as write in new ones (or do this after the walk, back

in the classroom).

Try This!

More animal activities

• Create binoculars for the children to bring on the walk to “spy” animals. Two

empty toilet paper rolls and a length of yarn or ribbon are needed for each child.

Place the rolls side-by-side and staple them together. Have the children color the

rolls, or cover the rolls with contact paper. Punch holes in the outside edges of

each tube and thread a long piece of yarn or ribbon through the holes. Tie the ends

of the yarn/ribbon together so the children can wear the binoculars around their

neck.

• Have the children create headbands (e.g. rabbit ears, frog eyes, etc.) while

listening to recordings of animal sounds. Can the children identify the animal

sounds? To encourage movement, have the children wear the headband and act

like, and make sounds of, each animal.

• Create a sensory table or “mystery box” with fabrics that are fuzzy, furry,

feathery, etc. Have the children describe the feeling of the fabrics and the animal

whose body coverings are made like the fabric.

Tree Walk topics: • Learn the names and the leaves of different trees (Maple, oak, ginko, willow,

evergreen, pine, etc.) and search for them on the walk.

• Collect tree items (leaves, acorns, bark, berries, nuts, pinecones, pine needles,

etc.) using bags and bring them back to the classroom to see, touch, smell and talk

about.

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• Talk about the parts of the tree. Which trees would be good for climbing, and

which are good for sitting under for shade?

• Look for unique tree features like split trunks, strange formations, or trees that

bend in one direction. Talk about what caused these things to happen to the tree.

• Look for signs of animal life in and around trees (birds, squirrels, insects).

• Make a circle around the root structure of a tree and see how big it is/how far the

roots extend. The look up to see where the branches are. The branches on top of

the tree (the crown) extend as far as the roots below. Measure the distance

between the trunk of the tree to the crown. Talk about what the roots do for the

tree.

• If you come across small trees supported by stakes and ropes, discuss why this is

so.

• Make rubbings of the tree bark.

• Visit the trees during the different seasons. Let the children see first hand when

the leaves begin the sprout, bear fruit, turn color, lose leaves.

• Compare the bark of different trees (color, texture).

• Measure the circumference of tree trunks using a tape measure.

Try This!

Tree Activities

• Talk about what trees provide for people and animals (paper, firewood, furniture,

pencils, homes, maple syrup, paper bags, etc.). Look at and discuss the many uses

of tree products.

• Have children create “Me Trees.” A tree where the lowest branch represents the

child’s birth. The highest branches represent the child’s most recent

experiences/milestones.

Flowers and Plant Walk topics: • Learn the different types of flowers and identify them on the walk.

• Look at the creatures that live on or near the flower.

• Identify the colors, shapes and textures of different plants and flowers.

• Count how many different flowers they saw on the walk.

• Observe where the flowers are located (near homes, businesses, are they in

borders, window boxes, planters, pots, hanging, etc.)

• Notice which plants are in the sun and which are in the shade.

• What insects or animals are around flowers (bees, ladybugs, hummingbirds,

butterflies)? How do they help the flower and our environment? What bugs are

harmful to the flower?

• Measure the heights of the different flowers.

• Smell the different flowers and herbs.

• Tell the children how some plants are dangerous (poison ivy, poison oak, poison

sumac) and should not be touched.

• Are there plants/flowers you couldn’t identify? Bring them back to the classroom

and investigate them together.

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• Return to the places where the flowers were on the walk at different times during

the year. Discuss the differences in the flowers/plants (What happened? Will they

come back? When will they come back?).

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Flower/Plant Activities

• Talk about why people give flowers as gifts and the emotions associated with

receiving flowers as a gift.

• Talk about taking care of cut flowers.

• Take a trip to a nursery or floral shop to look at all the different types of flowers

there.

Pond/Creek/Stream Walk topics: • Observe the comings and goings of living creatures (frogs, turtles, ducks, geese,

dragonflies, tadpoles, etc.) that frequent these bodies of water.

• Use stale bread to feed the wildlife living in these bodies of water.

• Learn and look for the plants (lily pads, ferns, algae, cattails, reeds, etc.) that grow

nearby.

• Notice ripples (cause and effect) from tossing small pebbles into the water.

• Use a pool skimmer to collect animals to get a closer look.

• Take in deep breaths around the water. What do the children smell? Discuss what

causes the smells. Talk about if the smells are good or bad.

• Describe the feelings they experience while standing near the water.

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Pond/Creek/Stream Activities

• Be careful when taking the children to water sites. Show the children how far to

stand from the water using markers if needed. Only adults should collect samples

from the water to bring back to the children to see.

• Create a class story where each child shares a memory of the trip to the

pond/creek/stream. Each memory is it’s own page. Allow children to draw

pictures representing the memory.

• Create a list of five things seen during the walk. Visit the library and find books

on those and read the books to the children.

Neighborhood Walks

The neighborhood is a fascinating place for young children. Since there’s so much to see,

hear, smell, and touch, the educational opportunities are endless. There are many walks

you can take the children on that help them learn about the neighborhood: hotel, library,

bakery (or any business), city, market, vehicle, construction site, fire and/or police

station, farm, and home improvement/hardware store to name a few. The three walks this

course will focus on are: City, market, and vehicle.

City Walk topics:

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• Discover architecture on the buildings.

• Look for decorative features like fountains and plants. Talk about why they are

there.

• Discuss why there are multiple sitting areas.

• Check for cornerstones or markers that tell when a building was built.

• Find signs (traffic, safety, etc.) around the city and discuss what they say/mean.

• Find parking areas. Are they above ground or underground?

• Have the students close their eyes and smell the air. What do they smell (Food,

perfume, other smells they can/can’t identify?)?

• Listen for music. Is it live? If not, where does the music come from? Have the

children close their eyes and listen. What else do they hear?

• Look for street performers. What are they doing and why are they doing it?

• Find a directory showing where the group is standing. Take time to study the map

and learn the locations of the different stores. Choose a couple of destinations

from the map and encourage the children to help you find the store using the

directions on the map.

• Spell out the names on the stores and figure out the store sells (keep a list of the

stores and the items to use when back in the classroom).

• Talk about why stores have displays in their windows and inside the store.

• What is a mannequin? Count how many of them are in a store (or store window).

Who dresses them, and when are they dressed?

• Find price tags on an item. How much is it?

• What are the different types of restaurants in the city? What kinds of food do they

sell? What’s their favorite food on the menu in the restaurant?

• What are the colors on the walls in the stores? What stores have special

decorations in them?

• Practice counting. How many stores sell the same items (for example: how many

stores sell music, clothes, shoes, are for children/women/men, etc.)? How many

animals do they see? How many steps does it take to get from one location to

another (integrate math [estimation] by having the children guess how many steps

it will take before actually counting)? How many stores are there on the block?

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City Activities

• Make a list of the things the children may see on the walk. Use the list (or create

“Bingo” cards using the list for each child to bring) to check off the things seen on

it.

• Make a list of items to “pretend-buy” while in the city (for example: shoes, dvd, a

toy, etc.). Place a check mark next to the item when you come across a store that

sells an item.

• In the case of bad weather or other reasons, take a trip to the mall instead of city

walking.

• How good are the children’s memories? As a classroom art activity, have the

children create a map of the stores seen on the walk.

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• Have the children recall murals, sculptures, fountains on their walk. As an art

project, invite the children to create their own masterpiece to be displayed (can be

a drawing or 3-diminsional).

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Additional City Activities

• Research the history of plazas or malls. What was the first marketplace? Where

was it located? What was its purpose? What did the people sell?

• Alphabet city: Have the children write, or verbalize the things they saw on the

walk that starts with the letter “A,” “B,” “C,” etc.

• Have the children recall what they saw in different stores.

• Create riddles based on what you saw on the walk. For example “I am made of

paper. Sometimes I have words on them, sometimes pictures. I have many pages.

What am I?” [A book].

Market-Walk topics: • Talk to the employees of the different departments as to what they do (Bakery,

meat, deli, seafood, cashiers, pharmacy. stock, produce, florist, frozen foods, etc.).

• Do the employee’s of the different departments wear “uniforms” or special

clothing (smocks, hairnets, gloves, etc.)?

• Talk to the employees about how foods are packaged in the store.

• Look at the different parts of the building: delivery area, store front, where the

grocery carts are kept, back stock area, recycling area, etc.

• Discover how the products are unloaded and moved to and through the store.

• Count how many check-outs, aisles, wheels on the shopping cart, people working

in each department, the different types of apples (or any other fruit, vegetable,

cereals, etc.), different size milk containers, number of shoppers in a lane, there

are.

• Observe the check-out equipment: conveyer belt, cash register, scanner, bagging

area. Ask what happens when there isn’t a price on an item.

• Question a cashier about the method/system used to bag items.

• Notice what items are grouped in each aisle and discuss why.

• Which items are priced individually and by the pound?

• Take time smell the different areas and departments of the store: coffee beans,

bakery, fish, etc. Smell particular items: onions, garlic, herbs, certain cheeses, etc.

and talk about strong smells.

• Find out what happens when perishable foods don’t sell at the end of the day or at

the end of the week.

• Discuss where the food comes from. Which foods are local to the area? From the

same state? From different states? From other countries? Which product traveled

the furthest to get to the store (either produce and/or from the ethnic food aisle)?

Vehicle-walk topics: • Learn about the various parts on vehicles and find them on the vehicles (For

example: where is the motor on a car, bus, motorcycle).

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• Point out different types of transportation: bus, train, taxi, water taxi, horse/buggy,

rickshaw, bicycles, ambulances, etc.

• Count the number of wheels on different vehicles. Discuss why the vehicles have

as many tires as they do.

• Compare cars and trucks. How are they alike and different?

• Listen to the sounds the vehicles make. Have the children close their eyes. Can

they determine the type of vehicle that goes by just listening to it drive by?

• Draw the children’s attention to the fact that all vehicles have license plates. Ask

why this is the case.

• Do the children recognize the letters/numbers on the license plates?

• Look for different state license plates and explain the differences.

• Look at all the vehicles on the walk and determine which vehicles can move fast,

and which ones move slowly.

• Look for eco-friendly cars and discuss the impact cars and trucks have on the

environment. Discuss what can people do instead of driving cars for

transportation to help the environment?

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Vehicle Activities

• Have children create their own vehicles using shoe boxes and other items. Use

pictures of specific vehicles to see if they can reproduce a particular vehicle (for

example, sports car, ambulance, police car, semi truck, mini van, etc.).

• Research as a class the process of making a car and how long it takes.

• Create a writing assignment “If I were a vehicle, I would be a ….”

• Allow children to create a mural using magazine photographs of the vehicles they

saw on the walk. See if they can label the different vehicle parts.

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