Nature Journaling Tip #10: Make Nature Journaling Interdisciplinary

Try to link your use of nature journals to at least two different subject areas in order to make good use of instructional time in the schoolyard and classroom. Here are a few examples of these kinds of student investigations:

• Assign students to make a first-hand observation of a leaf that they will use as raw material for writing a poem.
• Assign students to observe and record the growth rates of bean sprouts and create a bar graph that shows change over time.
• Assign students to sketch leaves or seashells, then note and chart their similarities and differences.

Nature journaling time treated this way is never completely "open-ended." There is a stated purpose, in terms of behavioral objective, standard or performance indicator met. At its most unstructured nature center time is used to practice the essential scientific skills of observation and inquiry. Display the process of inquiry on a poster (See Nature Journaling Tip #6) so students can readily refer to it. Asking good questions is an essential skill that is sharpened by regular nature journal use.

Image by artist Derrel Blain. See more of Derrel's work. 

Next week's tip: Making Sound Maps

Mark Baldwin is the Director of Education at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI), a proud partner in National Environmental Education Week. Each year RTPI offers online workshops for educators interested in bringing nature journaling into the classroom. For more information visit www.rtpi.org.