Wildlife Observation in the Classroom
By MARISSA DESPINS Updated Nov 16, 2023
Wildlife observation activities for Elementary
Hello friends! Welcome to another post in my outdoor learning series. Today I am here to share an engaging wildlife observation activity that can be done indoors – a fun way to bring outdoor learning inside!
To understand the educational philosophy behind activities like wildlife observation, learn more in our article on What is Place-Based Education?.
Indoor Wildlife Observation
As April is the month of Easter, our class has been studying rabbits. Also, we have been working hard at developing our questioning skills, paying close attention to what we see, think, and notice. The ability to form strong questions helps us to understand the world around us. Instead of heading outside for our learning, we decided to bring nature to us. We had a guest bring a rabbit into the classroom for us to observe.
After quiet observation, students worked with a buddy to record some of the things they noticed and wondered. The page we used for this activity can be downloaded for free here, or by clicking on the “Wednesday Wander” image at the bottom of this post.
Formulating questions about what the they observe is a powerful way to practice essential inquiry skills. Asking questions about their learning allows students to check for understanding. Also, questioning enables students to form deeper connections to the content. Encouraging a culture of questioning helps support deep exploratory dialogue. Students need to understand that they don’t always have to have the correct answers. Instead, it is important for them to learn how to find them.
For a deeper dive into how animals adapt to their environments, our Top 5 Ways to Teach All About Animal Adaptations can complement the observation skills developed in this activity.
Post Wildlife Observation Activities
After completing our observations, students shared some of the things they noticed an wondered with the class.
“I noticed that his ears are floppy instead of standing up like the rabbits in the stories we have been reading”.
“I wonder if he likes living in a cage?”
Afterwards, students used some of the things they noticed and wondered about to write paragraphs about their observations. We recorded our paragraphs in our Outdoor Learning Journals.
To further explore patterns in nature, check out our Symmetrical Snowflakes Activities for Outdoor Learning. This can be a great follow-up activity to understand symmetry in the wild.
Integrate math with nature by exploring our Outdoor Learning Activities for Earth Day Math, which can enhance students’ understanding of wildlife observation through mathematical concepts.
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