We have been recording observations from the “wilds” of Discovery Woods for several months now. Clipboards, audio and video recorders, white boards, and paper are used regularly to record our field notes and back in the studio we have used paper, poster creation, or the white board for post experience reflections.
Last week we introduced new field books to use for our nature journals and the children have been using these on a daily basis to record something that caught their attention. Sometimes it is a group interest, sometimes it is an observation, insect, etc. that spoke to each child. The children have been very excited to carry their nature journals and thinking pens with them. They have watched me record our observations in the “black book” that is always by my side, and are eager to do so themselves.
Today we created a collage cover for our books. We used card stock and covered the card with a glue and water wash and then applied tissue paper, netting, thin papers and string to the glue. We applied more glue with brushes to cover the papers and really adhere them to the card. The resulting collage will be used as the cover for our nature journals when they dry.
After creating our journal books, We took them and went for a walk on the front trail
- observed the line of ants carrying what we thought were eggs across the driveway
- noticed the growth of the pigskin puffball mushrooms
- found a bright yellow elliptical shaped leaf and a red elliptical leaf (played briefly with leaf shapes)
- made choices about which way to go on the trail (read the trail signs)
- found large Patent Leather Beatle larvae under stump- observed their movement, coloring and transparency
- moved heavy stumps, rocks
- worked as a team to move the VERY large square table to the middle observation area
- turned over stumps (and put back respectfully of animals homes) to observe the variety of insects
- found “baby” turkey tail fungus
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