Go Outdoors!
Do you want to continue the outdoor education experience with your child? Learn and have fun at the same time with these activities from the Jeffers Foundation!
If you would like to see ALL of the activities the Jeffers Foundation has created for families, visit their website at www.jeffersfoundation.org Each month, during the school year, I will add more activities to the list along with questions you could ask your child as you are doing them. Allowing your child time to listen, speak, read, and writing are all very important in developing good readers. |
Migrating Birds
Spring is a great time to visit a Nature Center near you. Go to various wetlands, ponds, or streams near you.
What kinds of birds do you see migrating through Minnesota? Ducks, geese, herons, loons might be migrating north.
Draw the different types of birds you observe then go research which ones you found!
What kinds of birds do you see migrating through Minnesota? Ducks, geese, herons, loons might be migrating north.
Draw the different types of birds you observe then go research which ones you found!
Spring's Firsts
Watch and record all of Spring's firsts. Mark them on the calendar.
The first buds on the trees.
The first dandelion in the grass.
The first sound of lawnmowers.
The first bulb blooming.
The first call of a robin, a loon, or a frog.
The first buzz of a bee.
The first butterfly.
What do all of these 'firsts' tell you?
What do you notice about the dates you marked on the calendar?
Do you predict this is similar to previous years or different?
The first buds on the trees.
The first dandelion in the grass.
The first sound of lawnmowers.
The first bulb blooming.
The first call of a robin, a loon, or a frog.
The first buzz of a bee.
The first butterfly.
What do all of these 'firsts' tell you?
What do you notice about the dates you marked on the calendar?
Do you predict this is similar to previous years or different?
Snow Stories
Be a nature detective! Take a walk out in nature - the nature center, the lake, or your own backyard.
Look for tracks in the snow.
What was there?
What did they do?
Where did they go?
Why were they there?
How do you know this? Is there evidence?
How do you know what you know? Did you read about the information? Have you watched shows on TV?
Take the information from nature and back indoors.
Write a story based on your observations. What do you think happened?
Look for tracks in the snow.
What was there?
What did they do?
Where did they go?
Why were they there?
How do you know this? Is there evidence?
How do you know what you know? Did you read about the information? Have you watched shows on TV?
Take the information from nature and back indoors.
Write a story based on your observations. What do you think happened?
Play "I Spy"
All learning begins with observation - using all your senses to learn about the natural world.
Stop, look, and listen. What sounds do you hear?
Smell the pines, the flowers, and marsh.
Reach out and touch something.
Use questions to guide your child's observations like:
"What makes you think that?"
"How do you know?"
"I wonder if..."
"Why do you think that..."
"What does that remind you of?"
"Can you find something else that is similar?"
"Where else have we observed something similar?"
"What books or websites can we find to learn more?"
Stop, look, and listen. What sounds do you hear?
Smell the pines, the flowers, and marsh.
Reach out and touch something.
Use questions to guide your child's observations like:
"What makes you think that?"
"How do you know?"
"I wonder if..."
"Why do you think that..."
"What does that remind you of?"
"Can you find something else that is similar?"
"Where else have we observed something similar?"
"What books or websites can we find to learn more?"
Recording Temperature
January is usually the coldest month of the year!
Keep track of daily temperatures all month...and all year.
Measure the temperature at the same time each day and record it on your calendar.
If you don't have a thermometer, watch the local News channel for the day's High Temperature and Low Temperature and record it on your calendar.
Can you find the difference between the high and low temperature?
Do you notice a trend in the temperatures as the month continues? Do you see a gradual increase or decrease in temperature?
How does our temperature compare to other 'snowy' places like Alaska, New York, or Fargo?
Keep track of daily temperatures all month...and all year.
Measure the temperature at the same time each day and record it on your calendar.
If you don't have a thermometer, watch the local News channel for the day's High Temperature and Low Temperature and record it on your calendar.
Can you find the difference between the high and low temperature?
Do you notice a trend in the temperatures as the month continues? Do you see a gradual increase or decrease in temperature?
How does our temperature compare to other 'snowy' places like Alaska, New York, or Fargo?