Type: Individual and Whole Group Exercise

Title: Nature I Spy

Learning Objectives: The student will:

• Read and explore nature texts and a nature environment
• Learn about and comment on pollinators and their role in flowers and fruit.
• Share counting, color identification, and nature with peers
• Connect observations to a text and plan for future learning

Description:

This scavenger hunt activity involves students using their senses to observe, explore, and discuss what they see, hear, smell or notice in the texts and in an outdoor environment. Observations will create the opportunity to learn and interact with nature and can be done in a variety of settings. Students will be provided time to discover individually and with other members of their class and to record observations with flashcards that will be used to make a shared bulletin board, poster or scavenger hunt collage.

Materials:

• Copies of The Hidden Rainbow and Flowers Are Calling texts.
• Blank card stock and writing/coloring materials to make flashcards.
• Additional craft supplies like glue, tape, string/ribbon, etc.
• Fresh flowers, leaves, acorns, etc. to count, color, and touch, especially if scavenger hunt will be indoors.

Direct Instruction:

1. The Librarian and/or educator will read The Hidden Rainbow and students will interact with text by participating in the movements - brushing and tickling to help the bee in the story. Group discussion will follow to reinforce counting, colors, and nature vocabulary.
2. The Librarian and/or educator will read Flowers Are Calling and students will explore the different flowers, nature concepts and role of pollination through discussion. 
3. Students will be encouraged to find colors and count natural items found in an outdoor setting as part of the scavenger hunt. Explain the method of recording what is found, whether it should be immediate or recalled when back in the classroom.

Guided and Independent Practice:

Reinforce color identification and counting through songs and other practice. Lead discussion involving comparison of general or specific nature observations, and convey expectations involving the scavenger hunt. Encourage students to use all their senses during their exploration. Connecting to the local environment will deepen the knowledge building of the student's own, observable natural world. Seasonal changes can also be a great learning topic,and scavenger hunts allow for discovery of these changes while reinforcing counting and color identification.

Sharing/Reflection/Closing:

Scavenger hunts are not only fun but a great way to strengthen early literacy skills and concepts.This activity can be adapted in so many different ways and with different literature texts. As part of a larger curriculum about nature and eco literacy, this activity is a wonderfully engaging introduction to flowers, pollinators, and using the senses to explore nature.