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Nature Scavenger Hunt
Copyright 2002 Trickle Creek Books
Used with permission. All rights reserved.
One of my favorite ways to play outside is to organize a nature scavenger hunt. Define an area -- a playground, a nature trail, a park, even a sidewalk. Explore the area yourself, or send a group of students with an aide to find interesting natural objects.
Make a list of the objects and how they are to be "collected." For example, children could actually pick up a red leaf, but you might ask them to draw a picture of a squirrel nest and describe its location.
Two playful variations: Collect tiny plastic bags (the kind that contains an extra button when you buy a shirt or sweater). Give each student or group of students a tiny bag and a list of general things to collect, such as a berry, a piece of moss, or a pebble. This tiny scavenger hunt has minimum impact on an area and teaches children to be especially observant.
Have students make a big pile of leaves. Then give each child a list of leaves to look for in the pile. Include illustrations of specific leaves. Referring to their list and the illustrations, students dive into the pile to find a yellow maple leaf, a brown oak leaf, a tulip poplar leaf, or whatever leaves would be found in your leaf pile.
The winner of a scavenger hunt is the first student or group to find everything on the list.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
--Trickle Creek Books is committed to "teaching kids to care for the Earth." Stop by their website to learn more at: http://www.TrickleCreekBooks.com