The first-ever comprehensive book devoted to helping educators use nature journaling as an inspiring teaching tool to engage young people with wild places.
In their workshops, John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren are often asked the how-tos of teaching nature journaling: how to manage student groups in the outdoors, teach drawing skills (especially from those who profess to have none), connect journaling to educational standards, and incorporate journaling into longer lessons. This book, expanding on the philosophy and methods of The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling puts together curriculum plans, advice, and in-the-field experience so that educators of all stripes can leap into journaling with their students. The approaches are designed to work in a range of ecosystems and settings, and are suitable for classroom teachers, outdoor educators, camp counselors, and homeschooling parents.
Full-color illustrations and sample journal pages from notable naturalists show how to put each lesson into practice. Field-tested by over a hundred educators, this book includes dozens of activities that easily support the Common Core and the Next Generation Science Standards—and, just as important, it will show kids and mentors alike how to recognize the wonder and intrigue in their midst.
Table of Content
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Amy Tan
INTRODUCTION
NATURE JOURNALING ACTIVITIES
INQUIRY, INVESTIGATION, AND SCIENTIFIC THINKING
WORDS: ARTICULATED THOUGHT AND STORYTELLING
PICTURES: DRAWING AND VISUAL THINKING
NUMBERS: QUANTIFICATION AND MATHEMATICAL THINKING
INCORPORATING JOURNALING INTO LESSONS, FRAMEWORKS, AND ASSESSMENTS
FINAL THOUGHTS
APPENDICES
Notes
Acknowledgements
About the Naturalist Journal Contributors
About the Authors
About the author
Educator, author, and poet Emilie Lygren grew up among oaks, scrub, and seashore in central California. She has cowritten dozens of outdoor science activities and publications with the BEETLES Project. Her poetry has been published in several journals, including Askew and The English Leadership Quarterly. Overall, Lygren seeks to spark curiosity and connection through her writing and teaching. For her outdoor science work, visit beetlesproject.org.