Nature Writing

1
Nature Writing

• Discovering Uncommon Beauty in Common Things

2
A Portfolio Culture

• Students participate in reading, writing, and
  conversation on a daily basis revise and reflect
  regularly, and take ownership of their learning.
• Students read about their topics and communicate
  through writing and art in Writing, Reading, and
  Art Workshops.
• Writers Notebooks and Artists Sketchbooks
  contribute to the writing process.
• Nature Notebooks are integrated journals focused
  on the natural world.

3
Learning In and Through the Arts

• Researchers from the Center for Arts Education
  Research found that students in schools with rich
  art programs are more adept at creative thinking,
  general competencies, and had better perceptions
  of themselves as learners.
• It was also found that schools with rich art
  programs have a more positive school climate.

4
The teacher can

• Introduce literature related to the study.
• Teach writing mini-lessons.
• Demonstrate art techniques and introduce students
  to various art media (including digital).
• Provide students access to resources.
• Introduce drama and music as a way of presenting
  composition or research.

5
Nature Notebooks

• Nature notebooks are a combination of writers
  notebooks and artists sketch pads.
• Write like a scientist and then like a poet.
  (Lois Brandts, 2nd Grade Teacher)
• They are filled with observations, poems,
  stories, and art gallery.

6
Thoreau's model of nature writing for us today

• Keep a Journal
• Record Personal Observations of Nature
• Express Personal Thoughts, Feelings, and Ideas
• Show How All of Life Is Connected and
  Interdependent
• Be Positive, Warm and Open to All Life

7
A Haiku Walk

• Clark Strand's wonderful book on writing haiku,
  Seeds from a Birch Tree, is a wonderful source of
  ideas for naturewriting. In his chapter called
  "Taking a Haiku Walk." He describes walking in a
  meditative mind with a notebook for a few minutes
  each day. As we walk along observing nature we
  "collect" haiku like collecting seashells.

8
Classroom Applications

• Moon Journals
• In the Garden
• Rural Voices Radio inspired podcasts
• Field Guide to Pioneer School Trees