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Download a copy of the CNPS Curriculum
Opening the World through Journaling: Integrating art, science, and language arts
In order to continually improve and track the use of this curriculum, we ask for a minimum of contact information before downloading. You may be notified in the future as new editions are published. Thank you for your cooperation. CNPS will not share or sell your contact information entered below.

Hard Copy Orders

Softcover editions of the curriculum and a Nature Journaling Kit for budding botanists can be purchased through the CNPS Store.

Order Curriculum

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Nature Journaling Curriculum Request - California Native Plant Society

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Download a copy of the CNPS Curriculum Opening the World through Journaling: Integrating art, science, and language arts In order to continually improve and track the use of this curriculum, we ask for a minimum of contact information before downloading. You may be notified in the future as new editions are published.

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Science and Teaching for Field Instructors

Field Journaling as a learning tool to improve observations

Most outdoor science schools have student journals, but many field instructors report that they could use help in learning how to use journals more often and more effectively to support science instruction. Journals are indispensable and ubiquitous tools in natural history and science, and if journals are used well in outdoor science programs they can become an equally powerful part of a field instructor's "toolkit." Used strategically, journaling can help students to observe deeply and to engage in other science practices. Journals also provide an invaluable venue for student reflection- both during the field experience, and later if students revisit their journal entries after they return home.

Goals for this session are:

Experience three journaling activities that can be used with students.

Explore a variety of naturalists' journal pages, and discuss different goals of and strategies for field journaling.
Use this knowledge to build an understanding of field journaling as a tool for learning

Learn how to scaffold successful and engaging journaling experiences for students.

Practice how to give useful feedback to students on their journal entries.

Reflect on how to incorporate more journaling into outdoor science instruction.

(OPTIONAL)- Discuss the pros and cons of a wide variety of sample pages from printed outdoor science school student journals.

View and Download Materials:

The student activities for this session are embedded in the leader guide.

Notes: Professional learning videos are intended to support program leaders, not as online learning experiences for field instructors. This video was edited to focus on how the program leader leads the session; the actual session is much more participant-focused, and participants spend most of the session exploring and discussing ideas with their peers. The script and this video don't always agree. We recommend you follow the script if you notice a discrepancy.

One Centennial Drive
Berkeley, CA 94720-5200
Contact Us

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Field Journaling with Students - Beetles Project

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Science and Teaching for Field Instructors Field Journaling as a learning tool to improve observations Most outdoor science schools have student journals, but many field instructors report that they could use help in learning how to use journals more often and more effectively to support science instruction.

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How to Teach Nature Journaling Curriculum

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How to Teach Nature Journaling Curriculum

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Description

SHIPPING NOTE 4/11/20: We have a large number of preorders for this book and we are processing them as quickly as possible. New orders will be shipped asap once preorders are filled.

31 hands-on field activities to connect art, science, math, and critical thinking, while encouraging students and mentors alike to recognize and record the wonder and beauty in the natural world.

Expanding on the philosophy and methods of my last book, The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling, I teamed up with experienced curriculum developer and educator, Emilie Lygren, to develop this unparalleled and comprehensive guide to using nature journaling as a tool to engage young people with the outdoors. This teacher-friendly book combines curriculum plans, practical advice, and in-the-field experience so that educators of all stripes can bring journaling to their students or families. Full-color illustrations and sample journal pages from notable naturalists and novices show how to put each lesson into practice.

Best of all, it encourages the things we need most at this moment: routines and rituals, creative expression, observation and concentration, engagement with nature, and connection with each other (even if from a distance!).

Are green spaces near you closed or inaccessible? Nature journaling can happen anywhere, from a kitchen window to a neighborhood stroll. With the right tools and ways of observing, you can document the bird sitting on a telephone wire, the beans in your pantry, the flower blooming in your neighbor's front yard, the weed pushing through the cracks in the sidewalk, or the vine creeping up the side of your apartment building.

Learn How to:

give students step-by-step strategies for effective nature journaling

manage student groups in the outdoors

encourage participation from all learners

modify instructions to meet your students' needs

teach drawing, math, writing, and scientific thinking

connect journaling to educational standards

incorporate journaling into longer lessons

Can be used with:

5E Instructional Model

Charlotte Mason-Inspired Education

Common Core State Standards

Next Generation Science Standards

Waldorf Education, Forest Schools, Outdoor Education, and more

A great way to get started is to watch this video workshop from a class I gave on how to teach Nature Journaling.

Free download! You can download the book today. If you like the book, consider also buying the full version and making a donation to directly support Heyday, our amazing non-profit publisher. You may download the book for use in your home, classroom or at your institution. You may not reproduce any part of the book for sale.

Praise for How to Teach Nature Journaling

"From the beginning of time, we have been connected to nature, but for the first time in history, that connection threatens to be broken for most of an entire generation and perhaps generations to come. In this book and this work, I find hope. Laws and Lygren have created a powerful and practical resource for teachers to help children and adults discover, explore, love, and protect the natural world around them. Nature is magic, and everyone needs it."

-Robert Bateman, artist, naturalist, and founder of the Bateman Foundation

"Here is a natural way for parents and teachers to integrate the beauty and mystery of nature into the lives of children. The book itself is a work of art."

-Richard Louv, author of Our Wild Calling and Last Child in the Woods

"This book beautifully demonstrates how nature journaling is a valuable, multidimensional approach to science. Through this work, students build neural pathways that enable different brain regions to communicate with each other, resulting in more flexible thinking and creative problem-solving in all areas of life. This approach to nature journaling also offers students an excellent way to learn and practice a growth mindset through nature and science."

-Jo Boaler, Professor of Education and Equity, Stanford University; founder and faculty director of youcubed.org; author of Mathematical Mindsets and Limitless Mind

"The writing, the illustrations, the demonstration of an intentional, informative, and wonderfully educational approach to nature journal writing-it's all here. From field activities with clear examples to an inquiry-based approach to learning, this book is a gem for educators, first-time journalers, and for the experienced naturalist as well. It's art, it's writing, it's education, it's science, naturally so."

-José González, Founder of Latino Outdoors

"Engaging students in learning about nature is a compelling need in these turbulent times. Just as important is communicating clearly, precisely, and truthfully. Naturalists and educators John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren help teachers achieve these goals with How to Teach Nature Journaling. This is a wonderful response to educators' request for meaningful ways to implement contemporary standards. The book is useful, full of activities, and manageable for classroom teachers."

-Rodger W. Bybee, Executive Director, BSCS Science Learning (Retired)

"Imagine if every teacher taught nature journaling, every student spent enough time outside to fill a journal each year, and our kids were becoming writers, artists, and scientists all at once. I'd send my kid to that school. Thanks to Emilie Lygren and Jack Laws, we now have the vision and the tools to make this our reality."

-Craig Strang, Associate Director, Lawrence Hall of Science

"Nature journaling is the single most valuable tool and skill a teacher can possess and use to move the Next Generation Science Standards and environmental literacy forward in their school. You need to do this!"

-Rob Wade, Science & Outdoor Education Coordinator, Plumas Unified School District/Plumas County of Education

About the Authors

John Muir Laws is an award-winning scientist, educator, artist, and author of The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling and The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada, among other titles. For a wealth of nature journaling resources, visit johnmuirlaws.com.

Facilitator, author, educator, and poet Emilie Lygren has co-written dozens of outdoor science publications with the award-winning BEETLES Project and has published poems in a range of literary journals.

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How to Teach Nature Journaling (Print and free PDF download) - John Muir Laws

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SHIPPING NOTE 4/11/20: We have a large number of preorders for this book and we are processing them as quickly as possible. New orders will be shipped asap once preorders are filled. 31 hands-on field activities to connect art, science, math, and critical thinking, while encouraging students and mentors alike to recognize and record the wonder and beauty in the natural world.

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Conceptual vocabulary is best learned after students have an experience to attach it to.

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Ben taught a continuing education unit about electricity. He wanted the students to engage in a relevant experience before he introduced them to any conceptual terms. In fact, he wanted to create a situation where students would want or even need to learn the terms "voltage," "current," "power," and "energy" in order to explain something they were seeing.

Ben handed out multi-meters to the students and said simply, "This is a multi-meter. It can tell you some things about your household appliances and the energy they use. You just plug it into the appliance and press some buttons." He introduced only one piece of procedural vocabulary - "multi-meter." He did not explain all the units and values the tool would report, such as volts, amps, watts, and joules. He knew that those terms would be meaningless to students at this point in the unit.

After two sessions of exploring appliances with the multi-meters and noticing patterns, students were dying to know: What do volts, amps and watts mean? They had a context for these words now, and knowing their meanings would further the students' understanding of the experiment. Ben seized this "need-to-know" moment, and used both a table and an analogy to introduce students to the interrelated terms.

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What is the difference between procedural and conceptual vocabulary, and why does it matter? Learn when it helps to introduce terms in science class, and when to hold back.

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Don't forget to include a reflection or closing questions to promote metacognition and to evaluate student learning.

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Science Notebooking - Developing Notebook Routines | California Academy of Sciences

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Using the table of contents and page headers, students will understand how a notebook is an organizational tool. - - - The California Academy of Sciences is the only place in the world with an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and four-story rainforest all under one roof.

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Science Notebooking - How I Use My Science Notebook  | California Academy of Sciences

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What vocab to introduce and when.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ben taught a continuing education unit about electricity. He wanted the students to engage in a relevant experience before he introduced them to any conceptual terms. In fact, he wanted to create a situation where students would want or even need to learn the terms "voltage," "current," "power," and "energy" in order to explain something they were seeing.

Ben handed out multi-meters to the students and said simply, "This is a multi-meter. It can tell you some things about your household appliances and the energy they use. You just plug it into the appliance and press some buttons." He introduced only one piece of procedural vocabulary - "multi-meter." He did not explain all the units and values the tool would report, such as volts, amps, watts, and joules. He knew that those terms would be meaningless to students at this point in the unit.

After two sessions of exploring appliances with the multi-meters and noticing patterns, students were dying to know: What do volts, amps and watts mean? They had a context for these words now, and knowing their meanings would further the students' understanding of the experiment. Ben seized this "need-to-know" moment, and used both a table and an analogy to introduce students to the interrelated terms.

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What is the difference between procedural and conceptual vocabulary, and why does it matter? Learn when it helps to introduce terms in science class, and when to hold back.

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4 Strategies (with examples) of how to get students reflecting on their learning.

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It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view this site, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options and try again.

Jump to main content

Help your students realize just how much they've learned after a science lesson! These notebook exercises and sentence starters give students a sense of what they've learned and an opportunity to revise initial misconceptions.

About This Guide

Below, you'll find prompts and techniques for reflecting on content learned, including:

3,2,1

Write it, Draw it

I used to think/Now I think

I learned/I wonder/I noticed/ I think

Because we know teachers appreciate seeing the results of using these strategies, we've also created an example gallery containing student work.

3, 2, 1

There are multiple versions of the 3,2,1 prompt [i]. They include:

3 things I learned, 2 interesting facts, 1 question I still have

3 things I observed, 2 things I wonder, 1 general rule

3 things I noticed, 2 questions I have, 1 analogy

You can tailor the prompts however you like. This exercise is designed to give you and your students a sense of what they learned and what they are thinking about now.

Write It, Draw It

In Write It, Draw It, students communicate their ideas in two columns: words in one column, pictures in the other. When students include both writing and drawing, they notice how each element contributes to their explanation. If the columns feel too restricting, students can abandon them, writing and drawing without boundaries.

"Write it, Draw it" can make student thinking visible in ways that writing alone cannot. For example, it's difficult to explain moon phases without a visual representation. A drawing can also reveal invisible things; while we cannot see electrons, we can still draw a schematic of a circuit, and show the path we believe electricity is traveling.

At first I thought.../Now I think...

In this reflection, students use the sentence starters, "At first I thought..." and 'Now I think...." to describe their thinking before and after a science activity. This prompt showcases the progression of students' thinking.

First, students get a chance to re-evaluate their initial thinking, debunking the notion that to understand science, you need to always be right. These sentence starters enable students to revise initial misconceptions such as, "the phases of the moon are caused by the earth's shadow." Offering these frames to students gives them permission to change their minds when faced with new evidence.

I learned/I noticed/I wonder/I think

Use these four phrases as sentence frames, where students can select which ones and how many they would like to use without limitations. They may have a lot of 'wonderings' and no 'learns' and you can ensure them that is fine.

Here is an example of one student using several frames to reflect on a decomposition investigation. T

hese sentence frames give students a chance to communicate what they are taking away from an experience. You can also have students make a K-W-L chart in their notebooks on a given topic. ("I know... I want to know... I learned...")

How To Make It Happen

Introducing many different reflection strategies all at once may be confusing for students. Start with one strategy. Give students opportunities to get both peer and teacher feedback. Repeat the strategy several times before introducing a new one.

If possible, let some of their wonderings and questions drive further investigations.

Use the same reflection strategies across subject areas - they are not limited to science.

For more tips on reflecting on content learned, refer to our page on Reflecting on Essential Questions.

Notes from the Classroom

Helena was teaching her 4th grade class a lesson on "What makes a rock a rock?" Her students compiled a list of characteristics that they thought defined a rock. She left the list up on the board, while she allowed students to play with many different types of materials, including ceramic tiles, a nail, and sand. After some investigation, students settled on a final set of criteria.

Later that week, Helena referred back to the original list and the final set of criteria, and asked students to reflect with the sentence frames: "At first I thought.../Now I think..."

Students could see how their thinking about what makes a rock a rock had changed over time. Students could also see that they may not have been correct at first, but they came to a more complete understanding of rocks over time.

References

[i] The 3-2-1 strategy and others are described by Visible Thinking, from Harvard's Project Zero.

Learn how, when, and why to return to the Essential Question.

Support your students as they realize they are becoming scientists!

How can you capitalize on student curiosity at the end of a lesson or unit?

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Help your students realize just how much they've learned after a science lesson! These notebook exercises and sentence starters give students a sense of what they've learned and an opportunity to revise initial misconceptions.

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Scientists share their work...so should students.

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Strategies for Peer-to-Peer Notebook Sharing

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Strategies such as gallery walks can allow students to share work in their science notebooks, and get feedback from peers.

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Science Notebooking - Notebooks for Scientific Thinking | California Academy of Sciences

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Notebooks can be a tool for scientific thinking. Start with scientific observation through sketching, and then incorporate vocabulary building! - - - The California Academy of Sciences is the only place in the world with an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and four-story rainforest all under one roof.