stapling a packet of paper along the side would suffice. Have students use things from nature to “draw” their


name on the front cover. For example, the letter “L” could be made out of blades of grass. If students are stumped for ideas, have them write their names in a creative way, and then look at each letter to see if it resembles anything in nature. Failing either approach, encourage students to put their favorite things in nature on their letters, reminding them that any way they can include nature in their name is acceptable. On the back cover, have them draw a memory of a


favorite experience they have had in nature. To trigger their memories, you may need to ask questions, such as have you ever played in the snow? Have you ever stomped through fallen leaves? Have you ever gone swimming or built a sand- castle at the beach? If the front and back covers are made from poster or tag


board, have them draw their ideas in pencil and then paint them with poster, tempera, watercolor paints or any available dry color media. If the covers are painted, let them dry before assembling the interior pages. These cover-making activities will help your students


establish a positive attitude towards nature and begin the journey of making connections between themselves and nature.


4. Plant a garden, hang bird feeders or dig a pond. Once you invite one form of life to the school’s ecosystem, others will follow. Plan thoroughly and make sure you research the ecological and environmental ramifications of these activities before executing them.


5. Many student families have unique pets that could be brought into the classroom for study. Make sure they are safe around children and ask students, parents and administrators about this possibility.


6. Find parents who have jobs involving nature. Invite them to describe some of the aspects of their job, or give a slide show.


Making a Nature Journal


If each student has their own nature journal, it will be easier to establish a regular routine for outdoor art activities, much like the “bell work” time that occurs in many classrooms. If transitory student enrollment makes it difficult to for all your students to have a journal, any of the journaling exer- cises listed here could be achieved by using plain white — preferably recycled post-consumer — copy paper, pencils, any dry coloring medium and a clip-board.


Materials: 8 ½" x 11" post-consumer recycled copy paper and card stock, hole-punchers or stapler, yarn or twine, scissors, crayon, colored pencils, markers or watercolor or tempera paint. Students can make a simple nature journal by binding


twenty or so blank pages together with a cover made from cardstock, poster or tag board. For younger students, con- sider using a three-hole punch and binding the holes with twine, fasteners, string or yarn. Other fasteners could include used twist-ties, old telephone wire, and even strips of plastic from plastic bags. If time is an issue, simply


Outside Drawing Activities


Children should be outside working individually when nature journaling. Again, if they do not have nature journals, any of the exercises listed here could be achieved using plain white recycled, post-consumer copy paper, pencils and a clip-board. Teachers may want to provide specific teacher-led assignments like the ones listed here.


The Hunt for Life


Introduction: If you have never incorporated art into your usual class activities, this is a good introduction that will open your students’ eyes to the life around them. Tell students they are to pretend that they are astro-


nauts searching for life on another planet. Ask what is life? Discuss the possible signs of life before embarking on this adventure. Consider asking them: Do all living things move? Do they eat and breathe? Even though we all seem to know what is meant by saying something is “alive”, it's not very easy to describe what “life” is. To be helpful, tell students that the study of life is called


“biology” and the people who study it are called biologists. Even biologists have a tough time describing what life is. However, after many years of studying living things — from the mold on bread to monkeys in the rainforest — they have determined that all living things need energy. They all grow and reproduce, and they respond to their surroundings. To help children invest their imaginations in this activity,


have the whole class act out a rocket lift-off and a landing onto an imaginary planet.


Materials: Nature journals or recycled copy paper for draw- ing, standard-sized clip-boards (as a support to the journals if they are flimsy), #2 pencils, erasers, crayons or colored pencils. (Any available dry coloring media will work.)


GREEN TEACHER 89 Page 29


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