Gathering Nature Project.

James M Sandbrook

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Gather Nature Project.

We have a local lake area. It is big enough for a decent walk around it, and is very popular for that reason.

On the far side there are many plants growing as they do in their natural way, and this of course changes every season.

The idea is to teach the children the joys of nature, to be observant, to see the changes of each season, how to gather, and possibly make something from their finds.

Give each child a bag (and gloves if you think they will need them) and then send the child (with you if they are small) to an area that has plants growing naturally and the children can pick flowers, plants, leaves and observe insects as they go.

After an enjoyable walk with everyone back at home the floor in the house layered with newspaper and the contents of the bags poured onto the newspaper.
You can label each child’s efforts if you like to tell them apart.

Each child gets to stand up and tell everyone what they found (good if there are visitors to the home - good experience for the children), what their experience was, and possibly write about it as well.

The parent/teacher can ask some questions of each child while also asking each child what he or she found, what was so special about it, and why did they bring home what they did to share with everyone.

Then the activity can go on to leaves being pressed into a book, or drawings, sketching, maybe a flower /plant arrangement, the limit to what you can do is only your imagination.

Because all of the child’s senses are used, their emotions and the experience of the walk and whatever else you have in store for the child, the memory of the lesson is etched firmly into the child’s soul and can be remembered with good feelings of accomplishment and fun later on.

The parents can also do some research on each season.
When this activity is completed each season, the parents can explain to the child what they can expect at that time of year and scientifically what is known about the plants, and if they are poison, safe to eat, and bloom annually or not, deciduous or evergreen etc.

Maybe a talk about poisonous plants and what to avoid would be a good idea before they do their gathering.

All the best from

James M Sandbrook.

15th of February, 2021.