Hands-on, Minds-on: quality nature programs for youth.Everyone wants to offer quality nature programs; the question is, how can we offer consistently good programs that provide an interactive and hands-on experience? With the right preparation and planning, camp nature programs can be fun, exciting, and educational. Hands-on has become a buzz word buzz word Noun Informal a word, originally from a particular jargon, which becomes a popular vogue word buzz word n → palabra que está de moda in science education. But even programs with hands-on projects will miss the mark if they are not related to some specific theme that engages the participants' attention and allows them to think, as well as to create. The key is to clearly set out your goals and provide a structured activity that allows you to work with a group within the limited time frame of the activity period. Work with themes Nature is a broad term. Establish activity themes to pare your nature program down to a manageable size. Find an interesting nature topic and build activities around it. Incorporate different themes into your summer program each week. Some major themes include: general nature and science, botany and forestry, wildlife, conservation, water, space, earth science, weather, outdoor living, Native Americans This is a list of Native Americans (first nations and descendents) Cherokee
Establish goals Once you choose a theme, select the related activities. After determining learning goals, you can develop activities to engage campers' interests and participation. You can also incorporate general goals into your program, such as: * involving the group in cooperative learning cooperative learning Education theory A student-centered teaching strategy in which heterogeneous groups of students work to achieve a common academic goal–eg, completing a case study or a evaluating a QC problem. See Problem-based learning, Socratic method. activities * increasing their observational skills and raising their level of nature awareness * providing an interactive experience * simulating actual scientific processes * engaging cognitive skills through problem-solving tasks * stimulating creativity with hands-on projects. Tie your activity goals back to the theme. For example, when teaching an outdoor living skill, such as knot tying Knot tying consists of the techniques and skills employed in tying a knot in rope, nylon webbing, or other articles. The tying of a knot may be very straightforward (such as with an overhand knot), or it may be more complicated, such as a monkey's fist knot. , have the group complete a square knot square knot a secure knot made by a single throw of one of the two ends over the other, then a return and another single throw with both ends coming out on the same side of the loop, either both over or both under it. Called also reef knot. . Or when working with trees, have campers determine the life history of a branch by studying its ring pattern. Additional goals include finishing a project, such as a bird feeder bird feeder also bird·feed·er n. An outdoor container for bird feed, used to attract wild birds. Noun 1. bird feeder - an outdoor device that supplies food for wild birds birdfeeder, feeder , or completing four rounds of a predator-prey game. Structure the time Once the theme has been determined and the goals established, design the activity session. You can divide the time into four segments: introduction, instructions, activity, and wrap-up. Provide a hook An introduction is a good way to hook campers into the theme for the day. You can use humor, intrigue, mystery, creativity, or even silliness. If you discuss dinosaurs, show some fossil samples; if the group goes on an archeological adventure, dress up like Indiana Jones and show a treasure map A treasure map is a variation of a map to mark the location of buried treasure, a lost mine, a valuable secret or a hidden locale . More common in fiction than in reality, "Pirate treasure maps" are often depicted in works of fiction as hand drawn and containing arcane clues for . A quiz game or question and answer session gives campers an active role; if your theme is pioneer games, ask campers what types of games Major categories: Sports
Whatever device you use to introduce your activity, show lots of energy and enthusiasm. Remember, you want the campers to be hooked. Keep instructions simple Give clear and simple instructions about the activity. Set up rules, divide the group into teams, establish boundaries, and demonstrate the craft. Make certain to keep the instructions short! Involve group counselors and other assistants in passing out supplies, keeping order in the group, and supervising the activity. If you have planned several shorter activities, briefly outline what you will be doing for the entire time period; then give specific instructions before starting each task. Supervise appropriately Now you're ready to get into the heart of the activity! Your group is primed and ready, they know what to do ... so go to it! Remember to plan your program to be active, not passive. For example, if you take a nature hike in the woods, instead of just "looking to see what we can find," try an ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. hike, where the group tries to find things that start with each letter of the alphabet. This achieves several general goals: focused attention and increased observation and awareness, as well as enlisting the group in a cooperative activity. Wrap-up the activity Use the last part of your activity period to review what has been accomplished and to thank participants for attending. During the session, ask follow-up questions to reinforce the learning experience, or simply admire the group's projects. The wrap-up closes the session and allows participants to leave your area with a sense of fulfillment and pride. The key to hands-on, minds-on To ensure that your programs are minds-on, as well as hands-on, link all projects or crafts back to the curriculum. The key is to connect these projects to some essential cognitive concept. For example: * Leaf prints: Select and compare leaves. How do they differ in color, shape, and size? Which have smooth edges and which have serrated serrated /ser·rat·ed/ (ser´at-ed) having a sawlike edge. serrated (ser´āted), adj having a jagged or notched edge; saw-toothed. ? After completing the classification exercise, use the leaves to do spatter spatter, n droplets of airborne particulate matter larger than 50 μm that fall to the ground. prints, pressings, or rubbings to emphasize their similarities and differences. * Solar print paper: Conduct a question and answer session about energy. Where does energy come from? What is the most powerful source of the Earth's energy? How does the sun create light and heat? Then show an example of the sun's power using solar print paper for creative art projects. (When you place objects on solar print paper and expose it, the objects show up in silhouette.) * Collages: Conduct an ABC scavenger hunt scavenger hunt n. A game in which individuals or teams try to locate and bring back miscellaneous items on a list. , collecting items as you go. Give each camper a small envelope and two rules: collect nothing larger than the envelope and nothing that is living, including plants. When you finish the walk, compare and contrast the items. Which are natural? Which are artificial? Which are alike? Which are different? Then, use the items in a collage or sculpture project. Your nature program can be of consistently high quality. By using concrete concepts and linking them with hands-on projects, you can successfully create effective, entertaining, and educational programs your camp will use year after year. Figure 1 - Nature Themes Botany and Forestry * Gardening * Plants * Trees * Wildflowers Conservation * Endangered Species endangered species, any plant or animal species whose ability to survive and reproduce has been jeopardized by human activities. In 1999 the U.S. government, in accordance with the U.S. * Rain forest * Recycling Earth Science * Dinosaurs * Fossils (general paleontology paleontology (pā'lēəntŏl`əjē) [Gr.,= study of early beings], science of the life of past geologic periods based on fossil remains. ) * Geology (rocks and minerals) General Nature and Science * Awareness * Games * Habitat Studies (alpine, prairie, rain forest, etc.) * Nature Hikes Native Americans * Archaeology * Art * Music and Ceremony * Games Outdoor Living * Outdoor Cooking for information on more kitchen-like outdoor techniques, see Grilling and Barbecue. Outdoor cooking differs substantially from kitchen-based cooking, the most obvious difference being lack of an easily defined kitchen area. * Shelters * Survival Skills * Trail and Route Finding Pioneers * Cooking * Crafts * Gold Digging Gold digging can mean:
* Games Space * Astronomy * Planets and Solar System solar system, the sun and the surrounding planets, natural satellites, dwarf planets, asteroids, meteoroids, and comets that are bound by its gravity. The sun is by far the most massive part of the solar system, containing almost 99.9% of the system's total mass. * Space Exploration Water * Marine * Ponds * Streams Weather * Precipitation, Water Cycle, and Clouds * Station and Prediction * Wind and Storms Wildlife * Amphibians amphibians members of the animal class Amphibia. Includes frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and cecilians all capable of living on land or in water. and Reptiles reptiles terrestrial or aquatic vertebrates which breathe air through lungs and have a skin covering of horny scales. They are poikilothermic, oviparous or ovoviviparous, and, if they have legs they are short and constructed solely for crawling. * Animals * Bugs * Birds * Mammals of a Particular Continent or Region * Marine Mammals marine mammals mammals inhabiting the sea; generally taken to include the cetaceans (whales, porpoise, dolphin), the sirenians (sea-cows, including manatees and dugong) and the pinnipeds (the carnivores of the group, seals, sealions, walruses). * Terrestrial Mammals RELATED ARTICLE: Hands-on, Minds-on Projects Beautiful Birds Introduction Discuss what birds need to survive: space, food, shelter, etc. Distribute samples of bird food, such as seeds, nuts, and fruits, and have the group eat like birds. Instruction Give a general overview of the session. Conduct a bird scavenger hunt that simulates the scientific activity of wildlife observation. Have campers make bird feeders to provide extra sustenance for our feathered friends. Activities Start with one of the two scavenger hunts; then make bird feeders. Bird scavenger hunt 1 Divide the group into teams. Give each team a list. Have them look for bird behaviors, such as perching on a branch, hopping on the ground, flying in a flock, or singing. You can also add objects to the list, such as a feather or nest. Bird scavenger hunt 2 Cut out two sets of pictures from a bird identification book and laminate laminate, n a thin slice of porcelain or plastic fabricated in a dental lab, which is cemented to the front of the teeth to cover gaps, whiten stained teeth, or reshape chipped or broken teeth. them. Use one set to familiarize the group with the birds by holding up each picture and telling them the bird's name; then divide the group into teams of two or three and see how many birds each team can identify. Preset the second set of cards in trees and bushes in a predetermined pre·de·ter·mine v. pre·de·ter·mined, pre·de·ter·min·ing, pre·de·ter·mines v.tr. 1. To determine, decide, or establish in advance: area. Give each team binoculars and have them try to 'spot' the birds. Give them one point for any bird they find, two points if they can identify the bird, and three points for any actual birds they see and identify. Bird feeders After the scavenger hunt, ask the group to identify problems birds and other animals face in today's world. Loss of habitat and food resources is the greatest threat to all of Earth's wild creatures. Each child can help reduce this threat by making a bird feeder from pine cones or cardboard toilet paper tubes. Spread peanut butter on the tubes and roll them in sunflower seeds. (Campers will like licking their fingers, too!) Other types of bird feeders are also easy to make; check some resource books for ideas. Wrap-up Thank the group for participating. Tell them that they have helped to preserve precious natural resources by becoming more aware of the wildlife around them and by making bird feeders. Terry Lieberstein, owner of Nature Watch, has introduced innovative environmental education programs for children and adults of all ages. She holds a master's degree master's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree. Noun 1. in geography and has been a featured speaker, folk music folk music: see folk song. folk music Music held to be typical of a nation or ethnic group, known to all segments of its society, and preserved usually by oral tradition. Knowledge of the history and development of folk music is largely conjectural. performer, and seminar leader at many events. Terry also provides specialized consulting services, including curriculum development, nature center design and implementation, and environmental facility analysis. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion