Try This: Nature Writing Exercises for Students

Try This: Nature Writing Exercises for Students

We’re all itching to be outside when the weather’s great, including our students. Nature is a strong source of inspiration, and getting outside can teach our students more than just how to be active. Writing about nature is a fun and easy way to teach students life-long analytical skills during the summer and the school year.

Making students feel comfortable is an important aspect that contributes to effective learning. Stepping outside the classroom gives students a break from everyday routine, can make students feel less constrained, and promotes experiential learning. There is much to be learned and experienced outside of a traditional classroom, and nature is a universal topic we all experience uniquely each day. A study has shown that taking students outside the classroom regularly improves academic performance, improves social skills, creates a positive attitude toward learning science, and reduces behavior problems.

Writing exercises can help build fundamental skills in students they’ll need for a lifetime. Nature writing is an experiential exercise to practice analytical and observational skills with students of all ages. When we’re better observers, we’re better learners, gaining new information to help us think critically, make better decisions, and communicate with each other.

Here are a few skills students can develop through nature writing exercises:

Observation. Observational learning is defined as “watching to learn.” Writing about nature exercises our students’ observational skills and creates an opportunity for wonder. Depending on the assignment, students can step outside and, instead of being instructed, are enabled to be the leaders of their own learning. Observation is the first part of critical thinking and requires practice. Educators can then expand on these observational skills inside the classroom for other assignments.
Pick an object and list specific adjectives.
Use different senses to describe the scenery.
Journal the same scenery each day for a week.

Curiosity. Curiosity is the main force behind innovation and discovery and an essential part of learner engagement. Becoming curious about how the world works marks the start of a passion for learning. When students have stepped out of the confines of their home or classroom, they may become more curious about how the world, culture, and society work.

What facts do they know about their current environment? What don’t they know?
Write down questions they have about an object/phenomenon they notice.
Write a story from the perspective of something from nature.

Analysis: Analytical skills are developed when students practice sorting and synthesizing information in relation to a goal. Nature writing observes lots of information students can “weed” through, practicing their ability to find things that stick out or answer their questions.

Answer a classmate’s questions.
Research the questions in an encyclopedia.
Research more information about a specific topic of interest

Creativity: Nature can be inspirational for many of us. Let students practice information processing in a way that feels natural to them. This will help students understand what information they are noticing first and what they aren’t.

Draw a scene from nature
Write a letter to an object
Create a character who lives in nature

Application: Practicing observational and critical thinking skills in a low-stakes environment they are familiar with can help students apply these skills to their academic assignments and daily life.

Annotate a short story.
Practice breaking down story problems
Write a newspaper article about an environmental issue

Mobile Ed’s Earth Dome program teaches students about the geography of Earth in a “big” way. This unique program is a one-of-a-kind experience, intriguing for both younger and older audiences. Visiting both the outside and the inside of the dome, students have a blast journey around the world and learning more about our home.

During the Earth Dome Program, students learn about: