Ecological Exploration with a Touch of Sense

Since I do not have my own class, I was using the students from my sister’s third and fourth grade class for my lesson. These students have a forty-five minute block for science time. Ironically, that block also includes packing up for the end of the day, so my time with them was brief.
I wanted the students to understand ahead of time what the goals were so, although I planned on discussing the standards, instead I briefed the students on the objectives. I explained that since they were learning about their senses, and I needed to do a lesson on ecology, that we were going to observe nature because no matter what is being studied in science, a scientist relies on their senses to help them in their work. Yet, I also pointed out that for this lesson no one is allowed to use their sense of taste since I did not want anyone to become sick. I quickly handed out blank journal books and instructed students to label it with their name and a nature book title. I told them that our time would be brief and so they should use it wisely and then I took them outside with field study books to sit on benches and identify the trees.
Students were so excited about finding things. They noticed any number of organisms surrounding them including miniscule mushrooms.

At first, some students were searching for birds. I told them to first focus on the trees surrounding them. It took them a while to adjust their focus since their hopes were on birds but about half way through the lesson, some hawks started circling above us. They were gorgeous! The students loved to watch! Not much later a murder of black birds showed up and students drew them. In between that time, some students spotted a snake. It was about 3 feet long! We identified it as a garter snake and discussed why students do not need to be concerned about them living on the school grounds.

About half way through, students were looking more at the bark of trees and the things growing on them.



They looked at small seeds and nuts on the ground.
They started wandering further out to study more trees. Many students were numbering each organism they identified and using pencil rubbings to record leaf patterns.
Students met the goals with flying colors. Although I would have loved for us to be able to create their own presentation about what they saw, we never would have had enough time for it. Still, they did observe well for the time that they had. And, although I would have loved for the students to be able to collect more information, it is really impossible to research what all the various plant types are with third and fourth graders in a forty some minute block.

The lesson was successful because the students were intent and responsible in their research and collection of information. They loved going out and searching around them. It was like a scavenger hunt for them. They loved thinking about what plants were and collecting leaves or seeds. It was good for the students to practice looking in books to identify trees, but it was a bit awkward since it is a new procedure for them. The next time I would prepare them ahead of time by showing them how to use a field book appropriately. I believe that we could make a better use of time for a number of students that way.
The backward process worked well. I have used that process now for many years. It is what I was taught by my professors during college. I appreciate how a teacher does not lose sight of the final goal when this is used.

In closing, students discussed connections between what they saw, and how those organisms relate to each other to create our school environment. Students did very well in recognizing relationships and causal effects.