Focused Observation: Recording Information Seen on a Hike.
Initial Publication Date: August 4, 2008
Summary
Students will learn how to focus their observations during a nature hike. The children record their observations on a sheet of paper which has been horizontally divided into thirds. Alongside the divisions is a stick figure with the top of the head touching the top line and the knees directly touching the bottom line. This way the paper is divided to record things observed above a student's head, below the student's knees and in between the student's head and knees.
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Learning Goals
This activity is designed for students to become critical observers of their environment. They will use these observation skills throughout the year in their science journals. Fine motor and drawing skills will be practiced during this activity. As students gain understanding of the alphabetic principal they will be able to include writing with their observations. As children become more confident in their observations and recording skills they will begin to make inferences about the natural world around them. Concepts: Students will understand that living organisms have different habitats. Students will understand that there are living and non-living things. Vocabulary development will be differentiated based on each student's level of language acquisition. Above, Below, Sky, ground, Observation, Record, Moss, Web, Nest.
Context for Use
This activity is geared for a typical kindergarten class of about 25 students. Part of the lesson is direct instruction in the classroom as well as guided discovery out in the field. This activity could be broken into two half hour sessions or taught in one whole hour block. Prerequisites to this activity would include previous hikes where basic vocabulary such as positional terms have been used. Also, sensory specific hikes such as a listening, touching or smelling walks would be helpful to guide children to use their senses for discovery.
Description and Teaching Materials
Materials:Whiteboard and dry erase markers, observation sheets which are a piece of paper divided in thirds horizontally with a line running across the page at each division. Alongside the the paper, draw a stick figure so that one of the horizontal lines is above the head and the other line is draw through the stick figure's knees, clip boards, pencils, chart paper with a replicated observation sheet drawn on it.
Description: After going on various hikes and verbally sharing our observations, the children are now ready to begin recording their observations.
Focusing event: Movement song "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." Review with the children some of the things they have seen on their hikes around the school. Using the white board, draw pictures of their observations and place them on the white board relative to where they would have seen these things. For example, place birds at the top of the white boards, worms near the bottom. Guide the children into noticing that some things were observed above their heads, below their knees or somewhere in between. Draw a simple stick figure alongside the recorded observations to show the location (in relation to height) of where things were observed. Draw a line across the paper above the head of the stick figure and a line across the paper which runs directly across the knees of the stick figure. This should result in your whiteboard looking quite similar to the students' recording sheets. Show the children a copy of their recording sheet. Tell then that today we are going to pay close attention to where we see things so that when we draw them on our observation sheet we will know exactly where we saw them. Did we see them on the ground or up high in a tree or maybe in a bush. Using the white board, have children offer examples and come to the board to tell you where you should draw the picture in relation to the stick figure. Once you feel confident the children understand proceed on the hike. Once outside, have the children take the pencil and put it above their head and at their knees so they can physically comprehend the section breaks on the observation sheet. Record a few observations together and then have them go off on their own to observe and record. When you return to the classroom, have kids place their papers at their table spots and have a gallery walk around the room so all kids can see what others observed. Collect the observation sheets. Closure: Return to group area. Using the chart paper with the replicated version of the observation sheet drawn on it, have children tell what their classmates observed and record these observations in the corresponding section of the chart paper.
Description: After going on various hikes and verbally sharing our observations, the children are now ready to begin recording their observations.
Focusing event: Movement song "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." Review with the children some of the things they have seen on their hikes around the school. Using the white board, draw pictures of their observations and place them on the white board relative to where they would have seen these things. For example, place birds at the top of the white boards, worms near the bottom. Guide the children into noticing that some things were observed above their heads, below their knees or somewhere in between. Draw a simple stick figure alongside the recorded observations to show the location (in relation to height) of where things were observed. Draw a line across the paper above the head of the stick figure and a line across the paper which runs directly across the knees of the stick figure. This should result in your whiteboard looking quite similar to the students' recording sheets. Show the children a copy of their recording sheet. Tell then that today we are going to pay close attention to where we see things so that when we draw them on our observation sheet we will know exactly where we saw them. Did we see them on the ground or up high in a tree or maybe in a bush. Using the white board, have children offer examples and come to the board to tell you where you should draw the picture in relation to the stick figure. Once you feel confident the children understand proceed on the hike. Once outside, have the children take the pencil and put it above their head and at their knees so they can physically comprehend the section breaks on the observation sheet. Record a few observations together and then have them go off on their own to observe and record. When you return to the classroom, have kids place their papers at their table spots and have a gallery walk around the room so all kids can see what others observed. Collect the observation sheets. Closure: Return to group area. Using the chart paper with the replicated version of the observation sheet drawn on it, have children tell what their classmates observed and record these observations in the corresponding section of the chart paper.
Teaching Notes and Tips
Don't forget to remind kids to put their name on their paper. Review all safety procedures and hiking rules. For example, always stay within sight of the teacher, buddy up, never run with the clipboards, and if we are quiet we might see more animals.
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Assessment
Observation sheets will be handed in. Teacher review of sheets will note any confusion regarding the process of a focused observational hike.
Standards
Kindergarten strand 4.B-C -Life Science