Writing About Nature

Teaching Strategies

Teachers can utilize the teaching strategies listed and adapt them to fit the needs of their own students as needed.

Painting

While there is no specific technique or strategy that I will use, I will invest in medium-sized canvases to give two to each student for their before and after nature portraits. Acrylic paint and paintbrushes will also be provided to the students, courtesy of the art department. Students will have the autonomy to complete the first painting as they desire. As the curriculum unit progresses, so will their knowledge of nature; their second painting will have more depth and meaning. Students will draw inspiration from nature walks, sit spots, virtual field trips, and picture books.

Journaling

As this unit will focus on nature and being actively engaged with it, it is essential to remember that the goal is to record observations, perceptions, and personal feelings regularly. This process will heavily rely on consistency to build a reflective practice that will help form the second painting. Students can use their nature journals to assist with their learning and understanding of the natural world around them. According to Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth, "A nature journal forges the connection between the author and the pulses of life he or she witnesses in nature."¹⁰ The purpose of the students keeping a nature journal will be to have them focus on the environment. Students will journal when doing the virtual and actual sit-spots and again when picture writing. They will be encouraged to illustrate their journal entries using many writing utensils. 

Virtual and Actual Sit-Spot

For students whose experiences with nature may be limited, these sessions must be intentional, focused, and slow. This part of the process will be challenging. However, returning to the same daily or weekly habitat builds a slow sense of attention, which is the mental faculty of considering or taking notice, exceptional care, or consideration. Questions posed to students during these sit-spots could include: What do I notice? What question do I have? What makes me wonder? What did you observe? What is this telling or teaching you? According to Jon Young, "…personal growth would not have happened if he [a resistant student] had just charged into those woods daily in a different direction. It happened because he had one place where his rebellion and the intimidating natural world yielded to his newfound awareness, connections, and understanding."¹¹

It is also worth mentioning here how students will need to be told that paying attention is a form of reciprocity and will be needed to receive indeed the gift of seeing nature with open eyes and an open heart.