DOCUMENT RESUME ED 278 555 SE 047 723 AUTHOR Lingelhach, Jenepher,Ed. TITLE Hands-on Nature. Information and Activitiesfor Exploring the Environmentwith Children. INSTITUTION Vermont Inst. of Natural Sciencew REPORT NO ISBN-0-9617627-0-5 , -oodstock. PUB DATE 86 NOTE 238p.; Illustrations by Edward Epstein.Photographs may not reproduce clearly. AVAILABLE FROMVermont Institute of Natural Science, 05091 ($16.95). Woodstock, VT PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Guides (For Teachers)(052) EDRS PRICE MF01 plus Postage. PC Not Availablefrom EDRS. DESCRIPTORS Biology; ElementaryEducation; *Elementary Sci School ence; *Environmental Education;*Experiential Learning;interdiscipli Activit nary Approach; *Learning Natural Resources; OutdoorActivities; Science Activities; Science Education IDENTIFIERS *Environmental EducationPrograms; *Informal Education;Vermont ABSTRACT Developed to providedirect opportunities children toe xplore the natural world for , this book offers creative approaches to teaching environmentally. new this book, which con A workshop format is usedin sists of four separate chaptersentitled: Adaptations, Habitats,cycles, and Designs of Nature. contains a series of Each chapter workshcps which aret hematically connected,are in seasonal sequence, andhe.ve a logical ordering introductory section ot activities.An of facts and ccocepts and anactivi:4-based section comprise eachworkshop, which may be used in supplement to other natural science sequence or as a programs and whichmay b: modified according to need. Instructionalsuogestions prnsented each activity section in include: (1) a seasmas legend;(2) a statement of the focus theme ofthe workshop; (3) initial.question; objective; (5) activity instructions; (4) (6) materials needed; follow-up activities;(5) skills list; (5) suggested (7) children; and (10) teaching aids. reading for Also provided area glossary, general bibliograPhY, index, an equipment list, andan explam,--ion of Vermont's nnvironmentalLearning for theFuture (ELF) program. Numerous drawings and several full page black and whitephotographs illustrate the text.(ML) ***************************************************t******,A************ * Reproductionssuppliedby EDRS aria * the best that can be made * from the original docume nt. * U.& DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Oltica ot Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) XTbia document has been reproduced as EA. @calved from the person or organization originating it. ID Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction qutility poinis ot view or opinions stated in this doc u- ment do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL: IN MICROFICHE ONLY ( HA EEN GRANTED BY f TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." Hands-On Nature: Information andActivities for Exploringthe Environment withChildren Jenepher Lingelbach Illustrated byEdward Epstein Vermont Institute ofNatural science Woodstock, Vermont05091 Design by The Laughing Bear Associates Illustrations by Edward Epstein lypeset by Quad Left Graphics Photography: Peter S. Hope (page 4); Barbara Kashanski (page 16); Andrew Kline (page 68); Jenepher Lingelbach (page 118); Cecil B. Hoisington (page 166). Snowflake designs on page 187are derived from "Snow Crysta:s" by WA. Bentley and WJ. Humphreys; 1962;Dover Publications. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lingelbach, Jenepher, 1935- Hands-on nature. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Natural historyStudy and teaching. 2. Environmental education. 3. Nature study. I. Title. QH51.L5ti1986 372.3'57 86-28268 ISBN 0-9617627-0-5 Published by Vermont Institute of NaturalScience, Woodstock, Vermont 05091 Copyright ©1986 by Vermont Institute of Natural Science AU rights reserved. No pal' of thla publicationmay b reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permissionin writing from the publisher. Copies of Hands-On-Nature: Information andActivities for Exploring the Environment with Childrenmay be obtained from Vermont Institute of Natural Science,Woodstock, Ver- mont 05091, 802-457-2779. $318.95 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There was a child went forthevery day And ihe first object he look'd It is impossible to acknowledgeall the people upon, who have helped inso many ways to produce that object he became, this book. And that objectbecamepart of himfor the day or a certain part of Hands-On Nature wouldnot have been the day, written without Mary HollandRichards, whose Or for manyyears or stretching cycles love for the natural worldand desire for excel- of years. lence nurtured the developmentof these work- Walt Whitman shops at the VermontInstitute of Natural Sci- from "Autumn Rivulets" ence. Along the way, creative andcommitted in Loaves of Grass staff left their indelibleprints; Judith Irving Hastings. Marsha Guzewich,Larry Prussin, Janni Mark, Wendy Vogt, MichaelCaduto. Sha- ron Behar. The present staff, MargaretBarker, Beth Ann Howard, andBonnie Ross, prepared the bibliographies, critiquedeach stage of the manuscript and gave caringsupport and advice to the editor. Also vitalwere the thousands of Vermont volunteers who taughtthese work- shops to children in thefrcommunities and gave valuable feedback andsuggestions. The transition from successfulVermont program to a national book couldnot have happened without the help ofmany. VINS Direc- tor, Sally Laughlin, and VINSItustees encour- aged the project, andVINS members endorsed it with financial support.Special thanks are given to the following majorcontributors: Raymond G. Ankner, Ada A.Brown, Thomas A. Kiley, June H. McKnight,Mrs. Wdliam G. Night- ingale. Mr. and Mrs. WilliamPeabody, Plumsock Foundation, Polaroid Foundation,Wilson Four dation. My sister, BarbaraKashariski, read through each draft wieldingher red pen with care and incisiveness. Professors andteachers at the 1985 NSF Mbrkshop forElementary Science Thachers, held at theUniversity of Wyoming, gave helpful suggestions.Thanksto scientific advisors, Dr. RossBell, Michael Caduto, Marc Des Meules,Rick Drutchas. ibm French, Peter Hope, SallyLaughlin, Nancy Martin. and Colonel HaroldO'Brien, and to Mary Lou Webster forpreparing the glossary. Bob Nuner and Mason Singer,at Laughing Bear Associates, were wonderfullysupportive throughout. and Susan Mesnerof Kailyard Associates was perceptive andsensitive in her editing. But there is oneperson whose sign on my wall. "Yea we did it!" summarizes herdedica- tion the typist, Thiry Kenison. Finally, my thanks to thoseciosest to me whose love, patience, andsupport gave me strength and freedom tocomplete this dream. "Terefler L'unettael, Jenepher Lingelbach , , ' 4L, " x10641f.t7;.eq' 4 7ri!174''' Table of Contents Introduction 9 How to Use This Book 11 You As Environmental Educator 13 Preparing to Go Outdoors 15 Chapter I- Adaptations 17 Idinibeasts Information: Insects: AmazinglyAdapted and Adaptable 18 Activities: Puppet Show, Makean Insect. Insect Scavenger Hunt. Inspect 18 Insect. Release Ceremony, Follow-up an Activities 20 Seed Dispersal Information: Ingenious Waysto Get Away 24 Activities: Puppet Show, Founda Peanut. Mix and Match, Seed Scavenger 24 Milkweed Race, Fruit Cup, Follow-up Hunt, Activities 26 Whitetitikd Deti: Information: Adapted to Survive All 30 Seasons 30 Activities: Meet a Deer. Show andTh11. Population Puzzle. Eat and Room and Board. Follow-up Run. Activities 32 Hunter-Bunted Information: Predator and Prey: 37 A Complex Relationship 37 Activities: What's the Difference,Super Hunter, Rabbits and Sharing Circle. Follow-up Activities Foxes. Ears and Noses, 39 1both Typos Information: Dentition Determines 43 the Diet 43 Activities: Puppet Show, lboth lypes,Skull Study, Menu Matching, Complete a Jaw, Sharing Circle, Thoth lbuch. Follow-up Activities 45 Desks, Foot, and Feathers Information: Fantastic FlyingMachines 50 Activities: Picture Parade, Mix andMatch, Focus on Fer:.thers, 50 Make a Bird, Follow-up Activities Bird Search. 52 Thorns and Threats Information: Plants and AnimalsShare Strategic Defenses 55 Activities: Puppet Show, Concentration,Eat Me Not, Pantomime Parade, 55 Monster Mouthful, Follow-up Activities 57 Frogs and Polliwogs Information: Miraculous Itansformation 81 61 Activities: Picture Parade, MerryMetamorphosis, Frog or Polliwog. Moving Meals, Spring Serenade, Frog Leap Frog. Hunt. Sharing Circle, Follow-upActivities 63 Chapter II - Habitats 6 A Field Information: Who Lives There and Why? 71 Activities: Puppet Show, Who Am I?,Popcorn Food Chain, Silent Watch, Hat.tat Hunt, Sharing Circle, Follow-up Activities 7 Forest Floor 7! Information: Home of the Hidden Workers 7 Activities: Mystery Bags, Lie Down andLook, Forest Food Web, Digging Deeper, Forest Foray, Fantasy Trail, Follow-up Activities 7, Galls Information: Small Homes for Tiny Si Creatures 8; Activities: View a Variety of Galls, lb Each HisOwn, Gall Fantasy, Gall Hunt, What's Inside, Follow-up Activities 8; Animals in Winter Information: Many Ways to Cope With Winter 8f Activities: Where Do They Go in Winter?,Winter Mural, Animal Signs, Animal Bingo, Follow-up Activities 9( f3nug in the Snow Information: Snow Is a Welcome 9E Blanket for Many 9;: Activities: Puppet Show, Snow CritterConcentration, 'S No Problem, Frozen Jello, Mouse House, Dioramas, Follow-up Activities 99 Rotting Logs Information: lbmporary Homes 98 on the Forest Floor 9E Activities: 'free to Riff Time Machine,Puppet Show, Log Look, Soil Soup, Sharing Circle, Follow-up Activities 10C Streams Information: The Challenge of 109 a