What: When finding time and space to take children outside is a challenge, consider bringing nature inside the classroom. There are many simple, easy ways to bring nature inside and incorporate nature into existing lessons. Some examples include: observing plant life cycles by growing them indoors; observing animal life cycles by observing tadpoles, butterfly larvae or mealworms inside the classroom; observing structure and function of animals like fish or aquatic frogs; collecting nature objects for sorting (by various properties) or for nature art projects; bring in leaves and sticks to build mini-animal habitats; set- up a nature observation station with natural objects and observation tools (stereoscope, hand lenses, etc). Students can bring in objects they find and add them to the collection.
How: You can collect natural objects yourself and bring them into the classroom or have students help collect objects on the school grounds or during a field trip. Including students in collecting materials can help foster interest in the topic, and is another great outdoor activity. For live animals, order specimens from an online resource like Carolina Biological or get them at a local pet store (ex: mealworms). Set-up a container garden in your classroom on a windowsill, or tape LED grow light strips to the wall to increase light for plants. Incorporate nature into existing lessons, create a designated time to teach about nature and environmental awareness, or include exploring the nature station during free-choice.
When: A nature observation station can be set-up throughout the year and can be available as a center or an option during choice time. Other lessons will involve planning a trip outdoors to collect objects or bringing certain natural materials that you collect into the classroom. Think broadly about all the ways you can bring nature inside. Plants can be grown inside all year (you could have a sprout garden and grow food for your class all year!). Animals grow and change over time so think about what you might want to observe, for how long and when. Nutrition and cooking lessons using harvested veggies from the school garden or from a trip to a local farmers market could happen in the fall.
Who: Teachers can plan for many ways to bring nature inside their classroom. Having a staff meeting to brainstorm ways to bring nature inside during all seasons of the year will inspire teachers and give them many easy ideas to try. Administration can provide financial resources to support purchasing materials like containers for indoor gardening, tanks for animals, science observation tools, and paying for specimens like tadpoles or caterpillars.
Materials: Natural objects (will depend on lesson needs and purpose of lesson), collection bags, science observation tools, tanks for animals, live animals, seeds, soil, etc
Why: Bringing nature inside the classroom removes many of the logistical, class management, and weather-related challenges of taking students outside, and it increases opportunities for students to observe and engage with nature during other activities or short breaks.
Consider: While having plants and animals in the class can be wonderful for students, they also require some management. Plants can tip over, pots or tanks can leak water, and animals occasionally escape. Planning ahead for this can help- put plants and animals on stable surfaces that aren’t likely to be bumped as people move around the room and over things that won’t be hurt by a little dirt. Consider what sort of maintenance needs to happen regularly (water plants, feed animals, clean cages, etc.) and who will care for plants and animals over the weekend or during school breaks. Get students involved in caring for your classroom nature—assign regular maintenance jobs to students, ask for volunteers to ‘host’ class pets over breaks, and get everyone involved in cleaning up the classroom after a project with natural materials.
Barriers addressed: Clothing; Distraction; Getting There; School Culture; Services; Sufficient and Appropriate Spaces; Time pressure; Transitions; Weather