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I live in Michigan, which means that much of the year consists of cold, bleak weather. I have noticed that my students tend to have low energy during these months. There is a kind of lethargy that permeates the classroom and makes it difficult to participate in class. Then, on the first sunny day of spring, everything changes. All that latent energy has suddenly exploded, and once sleepy students are now bouncing off the classroom walls with uncontrollable excitement.
I found this experience very revealing. Despite the increasing urbanization of our society, we humans are still deeply tied to the cycles of nature. Therefore, we believe the solution to curbing students' excess energy lies in reconnecting them with the outdoors.
This may sound like a daunting task, especially if you live in a city where green space is few and far between. But I've come up with four simple ways to integrate nature into existing science classes that foster students' curiosity and creativity.
Here are four strategies to bring the power of nature into your classroom:
- Take advantage of outdoor environments: Taking students outdoors does not necessarily mean taking them to the woods. Zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, and even local parks can be sources of nature that can help students gain a new perspective on the world. This space allows students to experience a variety of plants and animals, which can be used in existing science classes. For example, a local garden can be an ideal setting for a lesson about pollination and pollinators, and an aquarium can be used to teach students about different marine ecosystems and how animals adapt to survive in their surroundings.
- Bringing Nature into the Classroom: Is it raining outside? Or is there another reason why you find it difficult to get outside? it's okay! Bring nature to your students within the classroom by establishing an indoor nature center featuring specimens, artifacts, and models representing local flora and fauna. This can be a great way to teach students about the unique species native to your state, and encouraging them to bring their own specimens can help get them invested in their learning.
- Take a virtual field trip: Virtual resources have grown in popularity during the 2020 pandemic, with many giving students the opportunity to explore wild environments from the safety of the classroom. Take advantage of wildlife cameras in waterholes or lush rainforests in Africa. Have students record their observations and how different animals interact with each other. These tools also make great background content for classroom transitions, work breaks, or brain breaks!
- Use project-based learning. Project-based learning (PBL) allows students to work on hands-on, real-world projects that are relevant and interesting to them, fostering a deeper connection to the subject matter. For example, the Blue Apple project sustainability status, Challenge students to design a book about their condition that informs readers about how small changes can create a more sustainable world. This is a practical class that shows students that they can make a real difference in their communities!
Incorporating nature into science classes not only enriches students' learning experiences, but also fosters meaningful relationships with the environment. This spring, take your students into the wild green out there and show them just how interconnected our world really is. Then take a step back and let their curiosity and creativity do the rest!